Pharsalia [Civil War] | Page 5

path Spreads havoc, and collects its scattered
fires.
Such were the hidden motives of the chiefs; But in the public life the
seeds of war Their hold had taken, such as are the doom Of potent
nations: and when fortune poured Through Roman gates the booty of a
world, The curse of luxury, chief bane of states, Fell on her sons.
Farewell the ancient ways! Behold the pomp profuse, the houses
decked With ornament; their hunger loathed the food Of former days;
men wore attire for dames Scarce fitly fashioned; poverty was scorned,

Fruitful of warriors; and from all the world Came that which ruins
nations; while the fields Furrowed of yore by great Camillus' plough,
Or by the mattock which a Curius held, Lost their once narrow bounds,
and widening tracts By hinds unknown were tilled. No nation this To
sheathe the sword, with tranquil peace content And with her liberties;
but prone to ire; Crime holding light as though by want compelled: And
great the glory in the minds of men, Ambition lawful even at point of
sword, To rise above their country: might their law: Decrees are forced
from Senate and from Plebs: Consul and Tribune break the laws alike:
Bought are the fasces, and the people sell For gain their favour:
bribery's fatal curse Corrupts the annual contests of the Field. Then
covetous usury rose, and interest Was greedier ever as the seasons
came; Faith tottered; thousands saw their gain in war.
Caesar has crossed the Alps, his mighty soul Great tumults pondering
and the coming shock. Now on the marge of Rubicon, he saw, In face
most sorrowful and ghostly guise, His trembling country's image; huge
it seemed Through mists of night obscure; and hoary hair Streamed
from the lofty front with turrets crowned: Torn were her locks and
naked were her arms. Then thus, with broken sighs the Vision spake:
"What seek ye, men of Rome? and whither hence Bear ye my standards?
If by right ye come, My citizens, stay here; these are the bounds; No
further dare." But Caesar's hair was stiff With horror as he gazed, and
ghastly dread Restrained his footsteps on the further bank. Then spake
he, "Thunderer, who from the rock Tarpeian seest the wall of mighty
Rome; Gods of my race who watched o'er Troy of old; Thou Jove of
Alba's height, and Vestal fires, And rites of Romulus erst rapt to heaven,
And God-like Rome; be friendly to my quest. Not with offence or
hostfie arms I come, Thy Caesar, conqueror by land and sea, Thy
soldier here and wheresoe'er thou wilt: No other's; his, his only be the
guilt Whose acts make me thy foe.' He gives the word And bids his
standards cross the swollen stream. So in the wastes of Afric's burning
clime The lion crouches as his foes draw near, Feeding his wrath the
while, his lashing tail Provokes his fury; stiff upon his neck Bristles his
mane: deep from his gaping jaws Resounds a muttered growl, and
should a lance Or javelin reach him from the hunter's ring, Scorning the
puny scratch he bounds afield.
From modest fountain blood-red Rubicon In summer's heat flows on;

his pigmy tide Creeps through the valleys and with slender marge
Divides the Italian peasant from the Gaul. Then winter gave him
strength, and fraught with rain The third day's crescent moon; while
Eastern winds Thawed from the Alpine slopes the yielding snow. The
cavalry first form across the stream ' To break the torrent's force; the
rest with ease Beneath their shelter gain the further bank. When Csesar
crossed and trod beneath his feet The soil of Italy's forbidden fields,
"Here," spake he, "peace, here broken laws be left; Farewell to treaties.
Fortune, lead me on; War is our judge, and in the fates our trust." Then
in the shades of night he leads the troops Swifter than Balearic sling or
shaft Winged by retreating Parthian, to the walls Of threatened Rimini,
while fled the stars, Save Lucifer, before the coming sun, Whose fires
were veiled in clouds, by south wind driven, Or else at heaven's
command: and thus drew on The first dark morning of the civil war.
Now stand the troops within the captured town, Their standards planted;
and the trumpet clang Rings forth in harsh alarums, giving note Of
impious strife: roused from their sleep the men Rush to the hall and
snatch the ancient arms Long hanging through the years of peace; the
shield With crumbling frame; dark with the tooth of rust Their swords
(10); and javelins with blunted point. But when the well-known signs
and eagles shone, And Caesar towering o'er the throng was seen, They
shook for terror, fear possessed their limbs, And thoughts unuttered
stirred within their souls. "O