Describe the land's extent, what humours fway The people's minds, and to what powers you pray,

What customs keep, and what devotion pay.
Whate'er your ancient monuments contain,
Produce to light, and willing gods explain.
If Plato once obtain'd a like request,
To whom your fires their myftic rites confest,
This let me boaft, perhaps you have not here
A meaner gueft, or lefs judicious ear.
Fame of my rival led me first, 'tis true,
To Egypt's coaft, yet join'd with fame of you.
I ftill had vacant hours amidft my wars,
To read the heavens, and to review the stars;
Henceforth all kalendars must yield to mine,
And ev'n Eudoxus fhall the palm refign.
But more than all, the love of truth, which fires
My glowing breast, an ardent with infpires
To learn what numerous ages ne'er could know,
Your river's fource, and caufes of its flow.
Indulge my hope Nile's fecret birth to view,
No more in arms I'll civil ftrife pursue.

He paus'd; when thus Achoreus made reply; Ye reverend fhades of our great ancestry! While I to Cæfar nature's works explain, And open ftores yet hid from eyes profane, Be it no crime your fecrets to reveal! Let others hold it pious to conceal I think the gods defign'd ́ Such mighty truths. Works such as these to pass all human kind, And teach the wondering world their laws and heavenly mind.

At nature's birth, a various power was given
To various stars that crofs the poles of heaven,
And flack the rolling sphere. With fovereign rays
The fun divides the months, the rights, the days,
Fix'd in his orb, the wandering coarse restrains
Of other stars, and the great dance ordains.
The changeful moon attends th' alternate tides,
Saturn o'er ice and fnowy zones presides ;
Mars rules the winds, and the wing'd thunder
guides;

Jove's is a fky ferene, and temperate air;
The feeds of life are Venus's kindly care.
O'er fpreading ftreams, Cyllenius, is thy reign :
And when that part of heaven thou doft attain,
When Cancer with the lion mingles rays,
And Sirius all his fiery rage difplays,
Beneath whose hot survey, deep in his bed,
Obfcure from fight, old Nilus veils his head;
When thou, from thence, in thy celeftial course,
Ruler of floods, dost strike the river's course,
The conscious ftreams break out, and flowing soon
Obey thy call, as ocean does the moon;

Nor check their tide, till night has from the fun
Regain'd those hours th' advancing fummer won.

Befides, fuch torrents as by fnows increase,
Begin to fwell when fpring does first release
Those wintery ftores; Nile ne'er provokes his
ftreams,

Till the hot Dog-ftar fhoot his angry beams;
Nor then refumes his banks, till Libra weighs
In equal fcale the measur'd nights and days.
Hence he the laws of other streams declines,
Nor flows in winter, when at diftance shines
The moderate fun; commanded to repair,
In fummer's heat, to cool th' intemperate air.
When fcorch'd Siene feels her Cancer's fire,
Then left the world, confum'd in flame, expire,
Nile to its aid his watery forces draws,
And fwells against the Lion's burning jaws,
Moistening the plains, till Phoebus late defcends
To autumn's cooler couch, and Meroe's shade ex-
tends.

Who can the caufe of fuch great changes read?
Ev'n fo our parent nature had decreed
Nile's conftant courfe, and fo the world has need.

And every age has labour'd to attain

The wondrous truth, but labour'd still in vain,
For nature lurks obfcure, and mocks their pain.
Philip's great fon, whose confecrated name
Memphis adores, the first in regal fame,
Envious of this, detach'd a chosen band
To range th' extreme of Ethiopia's land!
They pass the fcorching foil, and only view
Where hotter streams their conftant way pursue.
The fartheft weft our great Sefoftris faw,
While harmless kings his lofty chariot draw,
Yet drank your Rhodanus and Padus first
At both their springs, ere Nile obey'd his thirst.
Cambyfes, mad with luft of power t'o'er-run
The long-liv'd nations of the rising fun,
To promis'd spoils a numerous army led;
His famifh'd foldiers on each other fed,
Exhausted he return'd, nor faw great Nilus'

head;

Nor boasting fame pretends to make it known; Where'er thou flow'ft, thy fprings poffeft by

none,

And not one land can call thee, Nile, her own.
Yet what the god, who did thy birth conceal,
Has giv'n to know, to Cæfar I'll reveal.

First from the fouthern pole thy ftream we trace,
Which rolling forward with a speedy pace,
Under hot Cancer is directly driven

Against Bootes' wain, far in the north of heaven.
Yet winding in thy courfe from east to west,
Arabia now, now Libya's fands are blest
With thy cool flood; which first the Seres spy,
Yet feek thee too; thy current, rolling by,
Through Ethiopia next, a stranger, flows.
Nor can the world perceive to whom it owes
Thy facred birth, which nature hid from all,
Left any nation should behold thee small,
And, covering deep thy infant head, requir'd
That none fhould find what is by all admir'd.

Thy gulf. With spacious arms thou doft em-
Hot Meroe, fruitful to a footy race,
And proud of eben woods; yet no retreat
Their useless fhades afford to fhun th' exceffive heat.
Then through the regions of the fcorching fun,
Not leffen'd by his thirft, thy waters run.
O'er barren fands they take a tedious courfe,
Now rolling in one tide their gather'd force;'
Now wandering in their way, and fprinkled round,
O'er yielding banks thy wanton billows bound.
Thy channel here its scatter'd troops regains,
Between th' Egyptian and Arabian plains,
Where Philas bounds the realm; with eafy pace
Thy flippery waves through deferts cut their race,
Where nature by a tract of land divides
Our sea, distinguish'd from the Red Sea's tides.

Who that beholds thee here fo gently flow,
Would think thou ever could'ft tempestuous grow?
But when o'er rugged cliffs and ways unev'n
In steepy cataracts thou'rt headlong driv'n.
Thy rushing waves, refifted, fiercer fly,
And batter'd froth rebounding fills the sky.
The hills remurmur with the dashing found,
Thy billows ride triumphant far around,
And rear their conquering heads with hoary ho-
nours crown'd.

Hence fhaken Abatos first feels thy rage,
And rocks, which in our great forefathers age
Were call'd the river's veins; because they fhow
His first increase, and symptoms of his flow.
Vaft piles of mountains here encompass wide
His ftreams, to Libya's thirsty lands deny'd,
Which thus enclos'd in a deep valley glide.
At Memphis first he fees the open plains,
Then flows at large, and his low banks difdains.

New monsters there; and furies add their fire.
He hopes ignoble hands shall wear those stains,
Which heaven for injur'd Roman chiefs ordains,
And that blind fortune to a slave that day
The fenate's vengeance fhould bequeath away,
The debt for civil war, which Cæfar once fhall
pay.

|

But oh! ye righteous powers, exert your care!
The guilty life in Brutus' absence spare!
Nor let vile Egypt Rome's great justice boast,
And this example to the world be lost!

Vain is th' attempt; yet, fcorning secret snares,
Steel'd by his crimes, the defperate villain dares
With open war th' unconquer'd chief provoke,
And dooms his head already to the ftroke,
Defigns to bid the flaughter'd father go,
And feek his fon in dreary fhades below.
Yet first he fends a trusty slave, to bear
This hafty meffage to Achilles' ear,
His partner-ruffian in great Pompey's fall,
Whom the weak king had made his general,
And thoughtless of his own defence, refign'd
A power against himself and all mankind.

Go, fluggard, to thy bed of down, and steep Thy heavy eyelids in luxurious sleep! While Cleopatra does the court invade, And Pharos is not privately betray'd, But giv'n away; doft thou alone forbear To grace the nuptial of thy mistress here? Th' incestuous fifter fhall her brother wed, Ally'd already to the Roman's bed, And sharing both by turns; Egypt's her hire, Already paid, and Rome the may require. Could Cleopat: forceries decoy

Ev'n Cæfar's age, and fhall we truft a boy?

Whom if one night the fold within her arms,
Drunk with lewd joys, and fascinating charms,
Whatever pious name the crime allay,
Between each kifs, he'll give our heads away,
And we by racks or flames must for her beauty
pay.

In this diftrefs fate no relief allows;
Cæfar's her lover, and the king her spouse;
And she herself, no doubt, the doom has paft
On us, and all who would have left her chaste.
But by the deed which we together shar'd,
In vain, if not by new attempts repair'd,
By that ftrict league a hero's blood has bound,
Bring speedy war, and all their joys confound,
Rush boldly on; with flaughter let us ftain
Their nuptial torch; the cruel bride be flain
Ev'n in her bed, and which foe'er fupplies
In prefent turn the husband's place, he dies.
Nor Cæfar's name our purpofe fhall appall;
Fortune's the common miftrefs of us all,
And fhe, that lifts him now above mankind,
Courted by us, may be to us as kind.
We share his brightest glory, and are great
By Pompey's death, as he by his defeat.
Look on the fhore, and read good omens there,
And ask the bloody waves what we may dare.
Behold what tomb the wretched trunk fupplics,
Half hid in sands, half naked to the fkies!
Yet this was Cæfar's equal whom we flew ;
And doubt we then new glory to purfue?
Grant that our birth's obfcure; yet, fhall we need
Kings or rich states confederate to the deed?
No, fate's our own, and fortune in our way,
Without our toil, prefents a nobler prey;
Appeafe we now the Romans while we may !
This fecond victim fhall their rage remove
For Pompey's death, and turn their hate to love.
Nor dread we mighty names, which flaves adore;
Stripp'd of his army, what's this foldier more
Than thou or I?—To night then let us end
His civil wars; to-night the fates fhall fend
A facrifice to troops of ghofts below,
And pay that head, which to the world they owe.
At Cæfar's throat let the fierce foldier's fly,
And Egypt's youth with Ronie's their force
apply,

Those for their king, and these for liberty.
No more, but haste, and take the foe fupine,
Prepar'd for luft, and gorg'd with food and wine.
Be bold, and think the gods to thee commend
The cause which Brutus' prayers, and Cato's will
defend.

Like ruffians brib'd, they ne'er the cause inquire, That fide's the juft, which gives the largest hire. If by your fwords proud Cæfar was to bleed, Strike for yourselves, ye flaves! nor fell the deed? Oh wretched Rome where'er thy eagle flies, New civil wars, new fury, will arise;

Ev'n on Nile's banks, far from Theffalian plains, Amidst thy troops their country's madness

reigns.

What more could the bold houfe of Lagus dare,
Had Pompey found a juft protection there?
No Roman hand's exempt, but each must spill
His fhare of blood, and heaven's decrces fulfil.
Such vengeful plagues it pleas'd the gods to fend,
And with fuch numerous wounds the Latian state
to rend.

Not for the fon or father now they fight;
A base born-flave can civil arms excite,
Achillas mingles in the Roman ftrife;
And, had not fate protected Cæfar's life,
These had prevail'd; each villain ready ftood,
This waits without, and that within, for blood,
The court, diffolv'd in feafting, open lay
To treacherous fnares, a carelefs eafy prey.
Then o'er the royal cups had Cæfar bled,
And on the board had fall'n his fever'd head.
But left, amid the darkness of the night,
Their fwords unconfcious, in the huddled fight,
Might flay the king, the flaves a while took
breath,

And flipp'd th' important hour of Cæfar's death.
They thought to make him foon the lofs repay,
And fall a facrifice in open day.

One night is given him; by Pothinus' grace
He fees the fun once more renew his race.

Now the fair morning. ftar began to fhow The fign of day from Caflia's lofty brow, And ev'n the dawn made fultry Egypt glow, When from afar the marching troops appear, Not in loafe fquadrons fcatter'd here and there, But one broad front of war, as if that day To meet an equal force, and fight in just array. While Cæfar thinks not the town-walls fecure, He bars the palace-gates, compell'd t'endure Th' inglorious fiege, and in a corner hide. Enclos'd, nor dares to the whole court confide. In hafte he arms his friends; bis anxious breast, Now fir'd with fury, now with doubt depreft, Much fears th' affault, yet more that fear difdaina; So when fome generous favage, bound with chains Is thut within his den, he howls with rage, And breaks his teeth against the mally cage : And thus, if by new weight of hills intpos'd Sicilian Ætna's breathing jaws were clos'd, Ev'n thus th' imprifon'd god of fire would rave, And drive his flames rebellowing round the cave, Behold the man, who lately fcorn'd to dread て [head, The fenate's army to juft battle led, The flower of Roman lords, and Pompey at their Who, in a cause forbidding hope, could truft That Providence for him thould prove unjuft, Behold him now oppreft, forlorn of aid, Driv'n to a house, and of a flave afraid?.

He, whom rough Scythians had not dar'd abuse,
Nor favage Moors, who barbarously use
In fport, to try inhofpitable arts

On strangers bound, their living mark for darts Though Rome's extended world, though India join'd

With Tyrian Gades feems a realm confin'd,
A space too fcanty to his vafter mind,
Now, like a boy or tender maid, he flies,
When fudden arms th' invaded works surprise;
He traverses the court, each room explores,
His hope is all in bars and bolted doors.
Yet doubtful while he wanders here and there,
He leads the captive kings his fate to share,
Or expiate that death the flaves for him
prepare.
If darts or miffive flames fhall fail, he'll throw
Their fovereign's head against th’advancing foe.
So, when Medea fled her native clime,
And fear'd just vengeance on her impious crime,
With ready feel the cruel forceress stood,
To greet her father with her brother's blood,
Prepar'd his head, to stop, with dire affright,
A parent's speed, and to affure her flight.

Yet Cæfar, that unequal arms might ceafe,
Sufpends his fury, and effays a peace.
A herald from the king is fent, t'affuage
His rebel fervants, and upbraid their rage,
And in their absent tyrant's name t'inquire
The fecret author of this kindled fire.
But, fcornful of reproach, th' audacious crew
The facred laws of nations overthrew,
And for his fpeech the royal envoy flew.
Inhuman deed that fwells the guilty score
Of Egypt's monsters, well increas'd before.
Not Theffaly, not Juba's favage train,
Pharnaces' impious troops, not cruel Spain,
Nor Pontus, nor the Syrtes' barbarous land,
Dar'd an attempt like this voluptuous band.

Th' attack is form'd, the palace clofely pent;
Huge javelins to the fhaken walls are fent,
A form of flying fpears; yet from below
No battering rams refittless drive the blow,
No engine's brought, no fires; the giddy crowd
In parties roam, and with brute clamours loud,
In feveral bands their wafted strength divide,
And here and there to force an entrance try'd;
In vain, for Fortune fights on Cæfar's fide,

Then, where the palace 'midft furrounding waves
Projects luxuriant, and their fury braves,
The ships too their united force apply,
And swiftly hurl the naval war on high,
Yet, prefent every where with fword or fire,
Cæfar th' approaches guards, and makes the foes
retire.

To all by turns he brings fuccessful aids,
Inverts the war, and though befieg'd, invades.
Fireballs, and torches dreft with unctuous fpoil
Of tar combuftible, and frying oil,

Kindled he launch'd against the fleet; nor flow
The catching flames inveft the fmouldering tow.
The pitchy planks their crackling prey become
The painted fterns, and rowers feats confume.
VOL, VII.

i

There, hulks half burnt fink in the main; and here

Arms on the waves and drowning men appear.

Nor thus fuffic'd, the flames from thence afpire,

And feize the buildings with contagious fire.
Swift o'er the roofs by winds increas'd, they fly;
So fhooting meteors blaze along the sky,
And lead their wandering courfe with fudden
glare,

By fulphurous atoms fed in fields of thinneft air.

Affrighted crowds the growing ruin view;
To fave the city from the fiege they flew,
When Cæfar, wont the lucky hour to choofe
Of fudden chance in war, and wifely ufe,
Lost not in flothful reft the favouring night,
But fhipp'd his men, and fudden took his flight.
Pharos he feiz'd, an island heretofore,
When prophet Proteus Egypt's fceptre bore,
Now by a chain of moles contiguous to the
fhore.

Here Cæfar's arms a double use obtain ;
Hence from the ftraiten'd foe he bars the main,
While to his friends the important harbour lies
A fafe retreat, and open to fupplies.
Nor longer now the doom fufpended ftands,
Which juftice on Pothinus' guilt demands.
Yet not as guilt, unmatch'd like his, requires,
Not by the fhameful crofs, or torturing fires,
Nor torn by ravenous beasts, the howling wretch