The Dawn in Britain :: :: University of Virginia Library

The day before, to gratify the army,
And Claudius, emperor, Asiaticus;
(Who now should journey forth, towards Rome, with Cæsar,)
In Camulus' meads, all at his proper cost,
Some little thing, a stage-play, would set forth.
Sence devised it, the philosophaster:
Yet somewhat, joining Asiaticus,
Thereto, of his own hand, had made his own;
As who would vaunt him also gentle poet.

Sit down, enranged, then, as in theatre;
In bosom of that hill of Camulus,
Lo, purpled Cæsar, laurel-crowned, and legions.
The scena, a scaffold large, where, pictured round,
Much wilderness is, of Britain's field and wood.
Masque shall, of Britain's Orpheus, there, be played.

Seemed then the choiréd Muses sit above,
In clouds, framed of the Isle's fine lawn; and aye,
Those sisters nine seem Orpheus to inspire;
Who, on a golden lyre, plays with his hands.
Seem, when, with clear note, like the heavenly lark,
He chants, the very forest rocks remove;

Incline the stedfast oaks, to him, their heads;
As pierced, by music, were their rinded ears.

To him, outran, then, salvage naked brood,
Of men; with whom leap beasts of several kinds;
Forgot their wildness, from a painted grove.
Bears Orpheus also, in a mask of wood,
Such countenance, as seemed Claudius, in his youth.
Sith, all that brutish rout, that Satyrs seemed,
And pictured nations of cerulean Britons;
Louting, in clownish sort, approached to Claudius;
Loud hail him, Second Founder of great Rome.

Still Orpheus chants: and seemed blue warlike crew,
Dance forth their mazy rounds, of vanquished Britons;
Treading strange wreathéd measures with swift feet:
He stayed his hand; and run all back to wood!
Again he plays: those turn then, in new kind,
Now like a people of Gaul, togata gens,
Bearing, with Latin cries! in, beams and stones;
Wherewith they temple found, to godded Claudius!
Whereof large fundaments gin those cast around.
In midst whereof, is Claudius' statua seen;
Which priests proclaim, is fallen, from stars, tonight;

And smokes, before him, incense, from the ground:
And all the army admire, and loud applaud!

Then other four pass forth, like heroes clad,
Companions, on the earth, of heavenly god;
Are friends to Orpheus, with high tragic tread.
Of the four tribunes, those bear visages.
And Aulus, all, and Geta and great Vespasian,
By name, acclaim; by whom these things were done

And, straight, is raised up, of some hidden engine,
(Minerva seems!) Colonia Nova, Claudia;
Like shielded goddess, with high turrets crowned.
A sea-god's three-forked mace, her other hand
Upholds: and lead those heroes her to Orpheus.
And Orpheus' front, with leaves of bays, she binds.
Gan loud, then, Orpheus chant, with deeper note!
And the four dukes, with him, of manly throats;
New Romulus, our divus Claudius,
Hath conquered, for great Rome, another world!
Then mightily all the army and long applaud!
So rise; for trumps, to meat, call legionaries.

In Colne's green leas, is portsale later made,
Without the dune, of weeping multitude;
(Were they so many, that, is told, their chains
Had fraught a carrack:) who of tender age;

(Were crowned, with the field flowers, their innocent heads!)
And feebler sex, erst. Seemed their piteous voice,
Cries of penned suckling lambs, and mother ewes;
Which turn, heavy with milk, to fold, at eve:
When gin them herdsmen, with loud curs, divide.
To divers masters, parted from their babes,
Under the Roman spear, were mothers sold.
Sith captive men, of all blue Britons' tribes,

Droves are, like pounded beasts, seen of bound warriors!
The most be those, (since, of this island nation,
Men wont not yield them to their adversaries;)
Who smitten in battle-fields, and left for dead,
Were gathered, or else purchased, for base price,
Of Gaul's slave-merchants; and sith, in the camps
Of legions, were those cured of their war-wounds.
Now slaves, at their vile list, them taunt and smite,
As their spears' captives! Yond, in hurdlepens,
Those stand; they wait, (which, for their foster-soil,
Have bled, and Briton gods; young drooping warriors;)
Now, at a Roman outcry, in their own land,
Ah, to be sold! Have merchants, from the Main,

Rich in this traffic; young men of good stature,
Esteemed of price, apt to ward great men's doors;
And should the more be sent, to marble Rome.
For now the merchant fleet shall sail, with Cæsar;
To Gaul's mainland. The imperial procurator,
Five thousand, the most tall war-hable youth,
Purchased for Claudius. These should be reserved,
For that magnific triumph spectacle;
Which shall make Claudius soon, in sovereign Rome!