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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 consent 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 you lie.

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Oh Theffaly! what stars, what powers divine,

To thy distinguish'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 estate,

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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 sword securely I rely,

And, if I conquer not, am fure to die.

But oh! for you my anxious foul foresees,

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Pompey fhall copy Sylla's curft decrees ;

The Martian field shall blush with gore again,

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And massacres 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,

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Who shall with mercy use the power you give ;
Whose rage for slaughter with the war shall cease,
And fpare his vanquish'd enemies in peace.

Nor

Nor is Dyrrhachium's fatal field forgot,
Nor what was then our brave companions lot;
When, by advantage of the straiter ground,
Successful Pompey compass'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:

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}

Let friendship, kindred, all remorse, give place, 480
And mangling wounds deform the reverend face:
Still let resistance be repaid with blood,

And hoftile force by hostile force fubdued ;
Stranger, or friend, whatever be the name,
Your merit ftill, to Cæfar, is the fame.

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Fill then the trenches, break the ramparts round,
And let our works lie level with the ground;
So thall-no obftacles our march 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 seize the lance, and draw the shining sword:
At once the turfy fences all lie waste,

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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

Had Cæfar's foul inform'd each private breast,
A fiercer fury could not be express'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,

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Which yet he strove 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 ease 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 strivings of distracted Rome :
For this one laft effort exert your power,

Strike home to day, and all your toils are o'er.
If the dear pledges of connubial love,

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Your houfhold-gods, and Rome, your fouls can move, Hither by fate they seem together brought,

And for that prize, to-day, the battle shall be fought. Let none the favouring gods afsistance fear;

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They always make the jufter cause their care.
The flying dart to Cæfar fhall they guide,
And point the fword at his devoted fide:
Our injur'd laws shall 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.

525

All

All we can wish for, to fecure fuccefs,
With large advantage, here, our arms possess :
See, in the ranks of every common band,

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Where Rome's illuftrious names for foldiers ftand.

Could the great dead revisit life again,

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;

For us, once more, the Decii would be slain;
The Curii, and Camilli, might we boast,
Proud to be mingled in this noblest hoft.
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 thoufands, 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;

you.

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Think with what tears, what lifted hands, they fue, 550
And place their laft, their only hopes in
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;

These to be born in freedom, thofe to die.

X

555

Think

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Think (if there be a thought can move you more, 560
A pledge more dear than those I nam'd before)
Think you behold (were fuch a pofture meet)
Ev'n me, your Pompey, proftrate at your
Myfelf, my wife, my fons, a fuppliant band,
From you our lives and liberties demand;
Or conquer you, or I, to exile born,
My last dishonourable years shall mourn,
Your long reproach, and my proud father's scorn.
From bonds, from infamy, your general fave,

Nor let his hoary head descend to earth a slave.
Thus while he spoke, the faithful legions round,
With indignation caught the mournful sound;
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!
Thofe 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 greatnefs 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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