But, oh! forgive my tedious lavish tongue,
Your eager virtue I withhold too long;
My foul exults with hopes too fierce to bear,
I feel good fortune and the gods draw near.
All we can ask, with full confent they yield,
And nothing bars us but this narrow field.
The battle o'er, what boon can I deny?
The treasures of the world before
Oh Theffaly! what stars, what powers divine,
To thy diftinguish'd land this great event affign?
Between extremes, to-day our fortune lies,
The vileft punishment, and nobleft prize.
Confider well the captive's loft eftate,
Chains, racks, and croffes, for the vanquish'd wait.
My limbs are each allotted to its place,
And my pale head the Roftrum's height fhall grace:
But that's a thought unworthy Cæfar's care,
More for my friends than for myself I fear.
On my good fword fecurely I rely,
And, if I conquer not, am fure to die.
But oh! for you my anxious foul foresees,
Pompey fhall copy Sylla's curft decrees;
The Martian field fhall blush with gore again,
And maffacres once more the peaceful Septa stain. Hear, oh! ye gods, who in Rome's ftrugglings fhare, Who leave your heaven, to make our earth your care; Hear, and let him the happy victor live,
Who fhall with mercy ufe the power you give;
Whofe rage for flaughter with the war fhall cease,
And fpare his vanquifh'd enemies in peace.
Nor is Dyrrhachium's fatal field forgot,
Nor what was then our brave companions lot;
When, by advantage of the ftraiter ground,
Successful Pompey compafs'd us around ;
When quite difarm'd your useless valour stood,
Till his fell fword was fatiated with blood.
But gentler hands, but nobler hearts you bear,
And, oh! remember 'tis your leader's prayer,
Whatever Roman flies before you, spare.
But, while oppos'd and menacing they stand,
Let no regard withhold the lifted hand:
Let friendship, kindred, all remorfe, give place, 480 And mangling wounds deform the reverend face:
Still let refiftance be repaid with blood,
And hoftile force by hoftile force fubdued;
Stranger, or friend, whatever be the naine,
Your merit ftill, to Cæfar, is the fame.
Fill then the trenches, break the ramparts round,
And let our works lie level with the ground;
So thall no obftacles our mai ch delay,
Nor stop one moment our victorious way.
Nor spare your camp; this night we mean to lie
In that from whence the vanquish'd foe shall fly.
Scarce had he spoke, when, fudden at the word,
They feize the lance, and draw the shining sword:
At once the turfy fences all lie waste,
And through the breach the crouding legions hafte; 495
Regardless all of order and array
They stand, and trust to fate alone the day.
Each had propos'd an empire to be won,
Had each once known a Pompey for his fon;
Had Cæfar's foul inform'd each private breast,
A fiercer fury could not be exprefs'd.
With fad prefages, Pompey, now, beheld
His foes advancing o'er the neighbouring field:
He faw the gods had fix'd the day of fate,
And felt his heart hang heavy with new weight.
Dire is the omen when the valiant fear,
Which yet he ftrove to hide, with well-diffembled cheer. High on his warrior fteed, the chief o'erran
The wide array, and thus at length began :
The time to eafe your groaning country's pain, 510 Which long your eager valour fought in vain ; The great deciding hour at length is come,
To end the ftrivings of diftracted Rome :
For this one last effort exert your power,
Strike home to day, and all your toils are o'er.
If the dear pledges of connubial love,
Your houfhold-gods, and Rome, your fouls can move,
Hither by fate they feem together brought,
And for that prize, to-day, the battle fhall be fought.
Let none the favouring gods affiftance fear;
They always make the juster cause their care.
The flying dart to Cæfar fhall they guide,
And point the fword at his devoted fide:
Our injur'd laws fhall be on him made good,
And liberty establish'd in his blood.
Could heaven, in violence of wrath, ordain
The world to groan beneath a tyrant's reign,
It had not fpar'd your Pompey's head fo long,
Nor lengthen'd out my age to fee the wrong.
All we can wish for, to fecure fuccefs,
With large advantage, here, our arms poffefs:
See, in the ranks of every common band,
Where Rome's illuftrious names for foldiers ftand.
Could the great dead revifit life again,
For us, once more, the Decii would be flain;
The Curii, and Camilli, might we boast,
Proud to be mingled in this noblest host.
If men, if multitudes, can make us strong,
Behold what tribes unnumber'd march along!
Where-e'er the Zodiac turns its radiant round,
Where-ever earth, or people, can be found;
To us the nations iffue forth in fwarms,
And in Rome's caufe all human nature arms.
What then remains, but that our wings inclofe,
Within their ample folds, our fhrinking foes?
Thousands, and thousands, ufelefs, may we fpare ;
Yon handful will not half employ our war.
Think, from the fummit of the Roman wall,
You hear our loud-lamenting matrons call;
Think with what tears, what lifted hands, they fue, 550
And place their laft, their only hopes in you.
Imagine kneeling age before you spread,
Each hoary reverend majestic head;
Imagine, Rome herself your aid implor'd,
To fave her from a proud imperious lord.
Think how the prefent age, how that to come,
What multitudes from you expect their doom:
On your fuccefs dependent all rely;
Thefe to be born in freedom, thofe to die.
Think (if there be a thought can move you more, 560
A pledge more dear than thofe I nam'd before)
Think you behold (were fuch a posture meet)
Ev'n me, your Pompey, proftrate at your feet.
Myfelf, my wife, my fons, a fuppliant band,
From you our lives and liberties demand ;
Or conquer you, or I, to exile born,
My laft difhonourable years shall mourn,
Your long reproach, and my proud father's scorn.
From bonds, from infamy, your general save,
Nor let his hoary head descend to earth a slave.
Thus while he spoke, the faithful legions round,
With indignation caught the mournful found;
Falfely, they think, his fears those dangers view,
But vow to die, ere Cæfar proves them true.
What differing thoughts the various hofts incite,
And urge their deadly ardour for the fight!
Those bold ambition kindles into rage,
And these their fears for liberty engage.
How fhall this day the peopled earth deface,
Prevent mankind, and rob the growing race!
Though all the years to come should roll in peace,
And future ages bring their whole increase;
Though nature all her genial powers employ,
All shall not yield what these curft hands destroy.
Soon fhall the greatness of the Roman name,
To unbelieving ears, be told by fame;
Low fhall the mighty Latian towers be laid,
And ruins crown our Alban mountain's head;
While yearly magiftrates, in turns compell'd
To lodge by night upon th' uncover'd field,
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