Each side retreat, though each disdain to yield,
And claim the glory of the doubtful field.
Thus far the caufe of Rome by arms was try'd,
And human rage alone the war supply'd;
But now the elements new wrath prepare,
And gathering tempests vex the troubled air.
Long had the earth by wintery frost been bound,
And the dry north had numb'd the lazy ground.
No furrow'd fields were drench'd with drifly rain,
Snow hid the hills, and hoary ice the plain.
All defolate the western climes were feen,
Keen were the blasts, and sharp the blue ferene,
To parch the fading herb, and dip the fpringing green.
At length the genial heat began to fhine,
With stronger beams in Aries' vernal fign;
Again the golden day refum'd its right,
And rul'd in juft equation with the night:
The moon her monthly courfe had now begun,
And with increasing horns forfook the sun;
When Boreas, by night's filver empress driven,
To fofter airs refign'd the western heaven.
Then with warm breezes gentler Eurus came,
Glowing with India's and Arabia's flame.
The sweeping wind the gathering vapours prest,
From every region of the fartheft east;
Nor hang they heavy in the midway sky,
But speedy to Hefperia driving fly;
To Calpe's hills the fluicy rains repair,
From north, and fouth, the clouds affemble there,
And darkening ftorms lour in the sluggish air.
Where western fkies the utmost ocean bound,
The watery treasures heap the welkin round;
Thither they croud, and, fcanted in the space,
Scarce between heaven and earth can find a place.
Condens'd at length the spouting torrents pour,
Earth fmokes, and rattles with the gufhing fhower;
Jove's forky fires are rarely feen to fly,
Extinguifh'd in the deluge foon they die;
Nor e'er before did dewy Iris fhow
Such fady colours, or fo maim'd a bow:
Unvary'd by the light's refracting beam,
She stoop'd to drink from ocean's briny ftream
Then to the dropping sky reftor'd the rain :
Again the falling waters fought the main.
Then first the covering fnows began to flow
From off the Pyrenean's hoary brow;
Huge hills of froft, a thousand ages old,
O'er which the fummer funs had vainly roll'd,
Now melting, rush from every fide amain,
Swell every brook, and deluge all the plain.
And now o'er Cæfar's camp the torrents sweep,
Bear down the works, and fill the trenches deep. 130
Here men and arms in mix'd confusion swim,
And hollow tents drive with th' impetuous ftream;
Loft in the spreading floods the land-marks lie,
Nor can the forager his way defcry.
No beafts for food the floating pastures yield,
Nor herbage rifes in the watery field.
And now, to fill the measure of their fears,
Her baleful vifage meagre famine rears";
Seldom alone, fhe troops among the fiends,
And still on war and peftilence attends.
Unprefs'd, unftraiten'd by befieging foes,
All miferies of want the foldier knows.
Gladly he gives his little wealth, to eat,
And buys a morfel with his whole estate.
Curs'd Merchandize! where life itfelf is fold,
And avarice confents to starve for gold!
No rock, no rifing mountain, rears his head,
No fingle river winds along the mead,
But one vaft lake o'er all the land is spread.
No lofty grove, no foreft haunt is found,
But in his den deep lies the favage drown'd:
With headlong rage refiftless in its course,
The rapid torrent whirls the fnorting horfe;
High o'er the fea the foamy freshes ride,
While backward Tethys turns her yielding tide.
Mean-time continued dark nefs veils the skies,
And funs with unavailing ardour rife;
Nature no more her various face can boaft,
But form is huddled up in night, and loft.
Such are the climes beneath the frozen zone,
Where chearless winter plants her dreary throne;
No golden ftars their gloomy heavens adorn,
Nor genial feafons to their earth return:
But everlasting ice and fnows appear,
Bind up the fummer figns, and curfe the barren year. 165
Almighty Sire! who doft fupremely reign,
And thou great ruler of the raging main !
Ye gracious gods! in mercy give command,
This defolation may for ever ftand.
Thou Jove! for ever cloud thy stormy sky;
Thou Neptune! bid thy angry waves run high :
Heave thy huge trident for a mighty blow,
Strike the strong earth, and bid her fountains flow;
Bid every river-god exhaust his urn,
Nor let thy own alternate tides return;
Wide let their blended waters waste around,
Thefe regions, Rhine, and thofe of Rhone confound. Melt, ye hoar mountains of Riphæan fnow;
Brooks, ftreams, and lakes, let all your fources go;
Your fpreading floods the guilt of Rome shall spare, 180
And fave the wretched world from Civil War.
But fortune ftay'd her short displeasure here,
Nor urg'd her minion with too long a fear;
With large increase her favours full return'd,
As if the gods themselves his anger mourn'd;
As if his name were terrible to heaven,
And Providence could fue to be forgiven.
Now 'gan the welkin clear to fhine ferene,
And Phoebus potent in his rays was feen.
The scattering clouds difclos'd the piercing light, 190
And hung the firmament with fleecy white;
The troublous storm had spent his wrathful store,
And clattering rains were heard to rush no more.
Again the woods their leafy honours raife,
And herds upon the rifing mountains graze.
Day's genial heat upon the damps prevails,
And ripens into earth the flimy vales.
Bright glittering ftars adorn night's spangled air,
And ruddy evening skies foretel the morning fair.
Soon as the falling Sicoris begun
A peaceful ftream within his banks to run,
The bending willow into barks they twine,
Then line the work with spoils of flaughter'd kine:
Such are the floats Venetian fishers know,
Where in dull marshes ftands the fettling Po;
On fuch to neighbouring Gaul, allur'd by gain,
The bolder Britons cross the fwelling main;
Like thefe, when fruitful Ægypt lies afloat,
The Memphian artift builds his reedy boat.
On these embarking bold with eager haste,
Across the stream his legions Cæfar paft:
Straight the tall woods with founding ftrokes are fell'd,
And with ftrong piles a beamy bridge they build;
Then, mindful of the flood fo lately spread,
They ftretch the lengthening arches o'er the mead. 215
And, left his bolder waters rife again,
With numerous dikes they canton out the plain,
And by a thousand streams the fuffering river drain.
Petreius now a fate fuperior faw,
While elements obey proud Cæfar's law;
Then straight Ilerda's lofty walls forfook,
And to the fartheft weft his arms betook;
The nearer regions faithlefs all around,
And bafely to the victor bent, he found.
When with just rage and indignation fir'd,
He to the Celtiberians fierce retir'd;
There sought, amidst the world's extremest parts,
Still daring hands, and still unconquer'd hearts.
Soon as he view'd the neighbouring mountain's head g No longer by the hoftile camp o'erfpread,
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