Romes Monarchie, Entitvled The Globe of Renowmed Glorie Briefly comprehending the first foundation and building of Rome by Romulus: The principall warres and conquests of the Romanes after the time of their first choosing Consuls, till Iulius Caesar attaining soly to the Empire, and from him more briefly to Nero. Where in small compasse is described, manie most noble, and vertuous acts, atchieued in their said warres, and conquests; strange Tragedies, secret practises and policies, Ambition, hate, and reuenge: and how insurrections, rebellion, strife, ciuill discord and discention preuailing, was the onely plague, ruine, and vtter destruction of many great Monarchies, Kingdomes, Cities, and Countries. Translated out of the French and Italian histories by E. L |
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 | Romes Monarchie, Entitvled The Globe of Renowmed Glorie |  |
CAP. 10.
The warres with Mithridate King of Pontus, upon which grew the ciuill warres in Rome, betweene Sylla and Marius: of warres in Portugall, and the vtter ouerthrow of Mythridate the great, King of Pontus.
In Kingdomes rule, most strange is fortunes chance,
Fleeting, vnsure, not to be thought with hart:
Euents each day, both to, and'fro, do glance:
Sores thought well salu'd, els where vnknowen do smart
Trust treason proues, and plaies a tragique part
With secret sleights: Ambition worketh wiles,
Faith proueth fraudes, and friendships are but guiles.
Fleeting, vnsure, not to be thought with hart:
Euents each day, both to, and'fro, do glance:
Sores thought well salu'd, els where vnknowen do smart
Trust treason proues, and plaies a tragique part
With secret sleights: Ambition worketh wiles,
Faith proueth fraudes, and friendships are but guiles.
Mythridate King of Pontus, valiant, stout,
With armie strong, did giue two Kings the foile,
Gaue them the chase, their seate and kingdome out:
One of Bythinia, the other of the soyle
Of Gappadoce, their countries both did spoile:
Which warre, so sore the state of Rome did trouble:
First strife, next hate, and after murders double.
With armie strong, did giue two Kings the foile,
Gaue them the chase, their seate and kingdome out:
One of Bythinia, the other of the soyle
Of Gappadoce, their countries both did spoile:
Which warre, so sore the state of Rome did trouble:
First strife, next hate, and after murders double.
These wretched Kings distressed thus with woe,
In league and friendship, were with Romanes knit
Vnto their aide, perforce did drive them to:
But here marke fortune when she list to flit,
Who frowning seemde, on Romanes side to sit,
For warres abroade, to hurt them did begin,
And iarres more ill, at home themselues within.
In league and friendship, were with Romanes knit
Vnto their aide, perforce did drive them to:
But here marke fortune when she list to flit,
Who frowning seemde, on Romanes side to sit,
For warres abroade, to hurt them did begin,
And iarres more ill, at home themselues within.
Strife did arise two captaines stcut,
Which after grew to warre, and deadly wound:
Note here the fruites sedition bringeth out,
And where likewise ambition taketh ground:
The bodies sicke, whereas the heades vnsound.
Rome had good cause to looke both pale and wan,
Neuer so plagude, since first their state began.
Which after grew to warre, and deadly wound:
Note here the fruites sedition bringeth out,
And where likewise ambition taketh ground:
The bodies sicke, whereas the heades vnsound.
Rome had good cause to looke both pale and wan,
Neuer so plagude, since first their state began.
Stout Mythridate with kings chase not content,
But farther runnes, into the Romanes land;
Long t'was before the Senate could consent,
Who for this warre, as leader chiefe should stand:
On partes they were, on this side, and that hand,
Sylla some chose, because of noble race,
Some Marius, rather to supply the place.
But farther runnes, into the Romanes land;
Long t'was before the Senate could consent,
Who for this warre, as leader chiefe should stand:
On partes they were, on this side, and that hand,
Sylla some chose, because of noble race,
Some Marius, rather to supply the place.
Betweene these two, began Romes wofull state:
(Here may be seene what ciuill discords breede)
Sylla had prest his armie at Romes gate,
Marius constrain'd to flye away with speede,
Perforce was such, and so hard grew his meede,
In a small boate, as fast as he could hye,
To Afrique coast, away from Rome did flye.
(Here may be seene what ciuill discords breede)
Sylla had prest his armie at Romes gate,
Marius constrain'd to flye away with speede,
Perforce was such, and so hard grew his meede,
In a small boate, as fast as he could hye,
To Afrique coast, away from Rome did flye.
So Sylla had of Pontus warre the charge,
And thither marcht with Mithridate to fight,
Absent from Rome: Cynna, whose power was large
That time Consull, began the state to spight,
Stirring vp strife, but was soone put to flight
By Octauian, who in office with him was,
Out of the citie to Cynna gaue the chase.
And thither marcht with Mithridate to fight,
Absent from Rome: Cynna, whose power was large
That time Consull, began the state to spight,
Stirring vp strife, but was soone put to flight
By Octauian, who in office with him was,
Out of the citie to Cynna gaue the chase.
Marius on this returned from exile,
His power with Octauian did vnite,
In Rome committing many parts most vile:
Wrong bare the sway, and did orepresse the right,
Murder, and theft, was done in open sight:
They Consuls chose, and did what ere they lust,
Their will was law, that euery thing discust.
His power with Octauian did vnite,
In Rome committing many parts most vile:
Wrong bare the sway, and did orepresse the right,
Murder, and theft, was done in open sight:
They Consuls chose, and did what ere they lust,
Their will was law, that euery thing discust.
Sylla this while in warre gainst Mithridate,
The Romanes losse, in part did get againe:
Hearing of Romes foule broyles and troubled state,
Fast homeward hied, to ease that grieuous paine:
And when he had, for most orecome and slaine
His enemies, that gainst him did resist,
Bare sway alone, and then did what he list.
The Romanes losse, in part did get againe:
Hearing of Romes foule broyles and troubled state,
Fast homeward hied, to ease that grieuous paine:
And when he had, for most orecome and slaine
His enemies, that gainst him did resist,
Bare sway alone, and then did what he list.
Thus one gap stopt, a worser breach is made,
One tempest past, a fouler storme doth rise:
One drowning scapte, a gulfe more ill to wade:
One ill foreseene, a vilder blinds the eyes:
One foe found out, a crueller lurking lyes:
One canker heal'd, out breakes more pestlent sore:
Marius was ill, Sylla could be no more.
One tempest past, a fouler storme doth rise:
One drowning scapte, a gulfe more ill to wade:
One ill foreseene, a vilder blinds the eyes:
One foe found out, a crueller lurking lyes:
One canker heal'd, out breakes more pestlent sore:
Marius was ill, Sylla could be no more.
For when the winde tempestuously doth blow,
Oreturning towers, houses trees and all:
Those harmes past ore, incontinent doth flow
A mightie floud, by raine continuing fall,
Drencheth vp beasts on fields, and in the stall,
Drowning both corne, and fertile medow ground,
One common losse doth make a grieuous wound.
Oreturning towers, houses trees and all:
Those harmes past ore, incontinent doth flow
A mightie floud, by raine continuing fall,
Drencheth vp beasts on fields, and in the stall,
Drowning both corne, and fertile medow ground,
One common losse doth make a grieuous wound.
Marius windlike at first did blow and rage,
Which tempest little calm'd, scarse ouerpast:
Sylla not bent, that so it should asswage:
But after blasts, brings flouds of raine as fast,
The woolfe full pancht, the beare take his repast:
Who hunger bides? but weaker beasts among
The rauening sort, opprest by open wrong.
Which tempest little calm'd, scarse ouerpast:
Sylla not bent, that so it should asswage:
But after blasts, brings flouds of raine as fast,
The woolfe full pancht, the beare take his repast:
Who hunger bides? but weaker beasts among
The rauening sort, opprest by open wrong.
Sylla his en'mies sharply did pursue,
Some banisht were, and on their goods set price,
Their children eke that after should ensue,
He quite despoyl'd for euer to arise
Office, or rule to beare in any wise:
No man what ere might safe enioy his state,
Or life, if once against him he bare hate.
Some banisht were, and on their goods set price,
Their children eke that after should ensue,
He quite despoyl'd for euer to arise
Office, or rule to beare in any wise:
No man what ere might safe enioy his state,
Or life, if once against him he bare hate.
So farre forth was his heart enflam'd with ire,
Marius being dead, part of his carkasse tho,
(Such furie did his raging mind inspire)
He causde into a riuer to be throw:
Behold revenge to mortall men a foe,
Neere satisfied, vntill she haue her will,
Of will restrainde, with griefe her selfe doth kill.
Marius being dead, part of his carkasse tho,
(Such furie did his raging mind inspire)
He causde into a riuer to be throw:
Behold revenge to mortall men a foe,
Neere satisfied, vntill she haue her will,
Of will restrainde, with griefe her selfe doth kill.
Thus Sylla got the victorie at length,
Dictator made, and had the chiefest place
For to command, and now againe in strength:
Rome gan to grow, and mutinies to race,
But yet farre of, an Exile in disgrace
With Sylla, nam'de Sertorius stout and fierce,
With warre did seeke the Romanes state to pierce.
Dictator made, and had the chiefest place
For to command, and now againe in strength:
Rome gan to grow, and mutinies to race,
But yet farre of, an Exile in disgrace
With Sylla, nam'de Sertorius stout and fierce,
With warre did seeke the Romanes state to pierce.
In Portugall an armie he did wage,
Got many townes, in warres hauing great skill:
For to appease this vnlookt for outrage,
Pompee had charge, to worke therein his will:
Betweene these two, each part much bloud did spill,
After great fights, Sertorius was slaine
In treason foule, with craft caught in a traine.
Got many townes, in warres hauing great skill:
For to appease this vnlookt for outrage,
Pompee had charge, to worke therein his will:
Betweene these two, each part much bloud did spill,
After great fights, Sertorius was slaine
In treason foule, with craft caught in a traine.
A few yeares after, Pompee this had wrought,
All Spayne he got, and in that time also
Bythinia king, to earth by death was brought,
Heire to his crowne, he made the Romanes tho:
But Mithridate king of Pontus sayd no:
Who occupied Bythinia all the while,
That Marius, and Sylla, made the broyle.
All Spayne he got, and in that time also
Bythinia king, to earth by death was brought,
Heire to his crowne, he made the Romanes tho:
But Mithridate king of Pontus sayd no:
Who occupied Bythinia all the while,
That Marius, and Sylla, made the broyle.
Against whose pride, Lucullus Consull went
And foyld him oft, speeding so at the last,
His armie all in piecemeale cut and rent,
And from Bythinia made him bye in bast,
In Pontus bounds, shutting him vp full fast,
From whence also, in fight was driuen away,
Flying for ayde to the king of Armenia.
And foyld him oft, speeding so at the last,
His armie all in piecemeale cut and rent,
And from Bythinia made him bye in bast,
In Pontus bounds, shutting him vp full fast,
From whence also, in fight was driuen away,
Flying for ayde to the king of Armenia.
Lucullus still did after him pursue,
And oftentimes with both the powers did fight
Of those two kings, who thought for to subdue
Lucullus force: when each in others sight
Were come, the Romanes oreprest them by might,
The Kings enforsed to forsake the field,
Their people most were slaine, and fled, some yeeld.
And oftentimes with both the powers did fight
Of those two kings, who thought for to subdue
Lucullus force: when each in others sight
Were come, the Romanes oreprest them by might,
The Kings enforsed to forsake the field,
Their people most were slaine, and fled, some yeeld.
But here by meanes of mutinie and jarre
In Romanes campe, which did Lucullus let,
With Pontus king to make an end of warre,
Whereby he might the gaine of glorie get,
The Senate did a message send to set
Lucullus home, and in his roome did place
Pompee, those warres of Mithridate to chase.
In Romanes campe, which did Lucullus let,
With Pontus king to make an end of warre,
Whereby he might the gaine of glorie get,
The Senate did a message send to set
Lucullus home, and in his roome did place
Pompee, those warres of Mithridate to chase.
Who late before,
great fame and credite gainde,
In vanquishing by sea the nauie strong
Of Pirats stout, who had with power attainde
The Soueraigntie of all the coasts along
From Spayne, to Helle spont, there all among
Those Isles: yet further did their force extend
By land also, which Pompee brought to end.
In vanquishing by sea the nauie strong
Of Pirats stout, who had with power attainde
The Soueraigntie of all the coasts along
From Spayne, to Helle spont, there all among
Those Isles: yet further did their force extend
By land also, which Pompee brought to end.
The ouerthrow of whom did much preuaile,
For Romes welfare, and for the common state:
So hard beset till then, they could not saile
Out from their shores: but brought now to this rate,
Pompee prepar'd himselfe for Mithridate,
To Asia sped, making his power there strong,
Those warres to end, which Rome had vexed long.
For Romes welfare, and for the common state:
So hard beset till then, they could not saile
Out from their shores: but brought now to this rate,
Pompee prepar'd himselfe for Mithridate,
To Asia sped, making his power there strong,
Those warres to end, which Rome had vexed long.
Which entred too, he prosecuted so,
As in short space, Mithridate was bereft
Of hope, for ere to rise his state vnto,
When once his forces were asunder left,
Small was the succour tho vnto him cleft:
For after being besieged by his sonne
Pharnaces cal'd, his life he yeelded done,
As in short space, Mithridate was bereft
Of hope, for ere to rise his state vnto,
When once his forces were asunder left,
Small was the succour tho vnto him cleft:
For after being besieged by his sonne
Pharnaces cal'd, his life he yeelded done,
Killing himselfe. O fury foule despayre
That doest inspire, thy selfe in soules distrest:
But, what is life, say such? a blast of ayre:
Foule honors seate, chiefe cause of great vnrest.
The meane estate is ten times happier blest.
O pride of Rome, Ambitions patterne left,
Which neuer will from following race be reft.
That doest inspire, thy selfe in soules distrest:
But, what is life, say such? a blast of ayre:
Foule honors seate, chiefe cause of great vnrest.
The meane estate is ten times happier blest.
O pride of Rome, Ambitions patterne left,
Which neuer will from following race be reft.
But yet a while, behold this mightie king
Stout Mithridate, how fortunes frowning spight,
Did at the last, his warres and conquests bring
To wretched state, that fortie yeares with might,
Most valiantly did with the Romanes fight,
And victor oft, their Captaines many led
With him each where captiu'd, so well he sped.
Stout Mithridate, how fortunes frowning spight,
Did at the last, his warres and conquests bring
To wretched state, that fortie yeares with might,
Most valiantly did with the Romanes fight,
And victor oft, their Captaines many led
With him each where captiu'd, so well he sped.
Treasons he scapte, and murmurings many a one:
Of body strong, to walke on foote, or ride;
No wound did euer make him shrinke, or grone,
To shun the warres, at any time or tide:
Gaynst poysoning, he poyson did prouide,
Wherewith when as he would his life haue ended,
No power at all, by poyson was extended.
Of body strong, to walke on foote, or ride;
No wound did euer make him shrinke, or grone,
To shun the warres, at any time or tide:
Gaynst poysoning, he poyson did prouide,
Wherewith when as he would his life haue ended,
No power at all, by poyson was extended.
His sonne (as is rehearst) Pharnaces nam'de,
Vsurping now his crowne and dignitie,
Mythridate saw his wracke in such sort fram'de,
Fearing to fall, in farther miserie,
Into the Romaines hands by trecherie,
Drew forth the venim, which he euer bare
About his sword, began it to prepare.
Vsurping now his crowne and dignitie,
Mythridate saw his wracke in such sort fram'de,
Fearing to fall, in farther miserie,
Into the Romaines hands by trecherie,
Drew forth the venim, which he euer bare
About his sword, began it to prepare.
Two of his daughters being fast him by,
Did pray the King that they might first of all
Take taste thereof, the potion for to trie,
(Loathing their liues to see their fathers fall)
He would not yeeld, but they would needes enthral
Themselues to death, and dranke and present dyed,
The selfe same thing, by Mythridate was tryed
Did pray the King that they might first of all
Take taste thereof, the potion for to trie,
(Loathing their liues to see their fathers fall)
He would not yeeld, but they would needes enthral
Themselues to death, and dranke and present dyed,
The selfe same thing, by Mythridate was tryed
But would not worke, his body long before
He so prepar'de, against all poison strong,
For to withstand all treason, enuie bore
Against his state, who sought all meanes by wrong
T'abridge his dayes, but fortune made him long
Happie to liue, vnhappie for to die,
From Empire so to fall in miserie.
He so prepar'de, against all poison strong,
For to withstand all treason, enuie bore
Against his state, who sought all meanes by wrong
T'abridge his dayes, but fortune made him long
Happie to liue, vnhappie for to die,
From Empire so to fall in miserie.
Vanquisht with griefe, which long before his hart,
Ne bodie could, the Romanes legions great
Orecome, by practise, policie, or art,
And now (quoth he) loe what doth me most freate:
Faithles souldiers, children vnkind entreate
Me too, my friends vnfaithfull to me are:
These foes I flye, rather then life to spare.
Ne bodie could, the Romanes legions great
Orecome, by practise, policie, or art,
And now (quoth he) loe what doth me most freate:
Faithles souldiers, children vnkind entreate
Me too, my friends vnfaithfull to me are:
These foes I flye, rather then life to spare.
Vnto a Duke that stood vnto him neere,
(Quoth he) to me thou euer hast been iust,
From liuing any longer rid me cleere,
Lest Romanes tread my glorie in the dust,
Ore me a king to triumph as they lust:
Since poyson will not end my wretched life,
Helpe me by bloudie stroke to cease all strife.
(Quoth he) to me thou euer hast been iust,
From liuing any longer rid me cleere,
Lest Romanes tread my glorie in the dust,
Ore me a king to triumph as they lust:
Since poyson will not end my wretched life,
Helpe me by bloudie stroke to cease all strife.
The Duke bewayled Mithridate with teares,
Yeelding his helpe, to rid him of his woe:
To his right breast, with trembling hand he beares
The bloudie blade, that did his life vndoe:
Mithridate with a stroke, draue it into
His breast, when as the liuely sprite outbrast:
Thus this great king, fortune with spight downe cast,
Yeelding his helpe, to rid him of his woe:
To his right breast, with trembling hand he beares
The bloudie blade, that did his life vndoe:
Mithridate with a stroke, draue it into
His breast, when as the liuely sprite outbrast:
Thus this great king, fortune with spight downe cast,
What therefore bootes long life with troubled state,
Though riches, wealth, and honor men possesse?
What doth auaile long life, without debate,
In pleasure, ioy, neuer to feele distresse?
In weale, or woe, let life be more or lesse,
Death is all one, at first, as tarie long,
Since dye we must, mid woes small ioyes among.
Though riches, wealth, and honor men possesse?
What doth auaile long life, without debate,
In pleasure, ioy, neuer to feele distresse?
In weale, or woe, let life be more or lesse,
Death is all one, at first, as tarie long,
Since dye we must, mid woes small ioyes among.
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