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

Embarks now Cæsar, in high-pooped swift ship,
Of triple banks; which urged of chosen rowers.
Cæsar takes Sabine; who, of the blue Britons,
Can best great battle-shows devise, in Rome.

But come victorious Claudius, to mainland;
By long paved street, he rides, in speedy chariot,
Now, towards Lugdunum; city, in Togate Gaul,
Of his nativity; (where him bare Antonia,
After her flight and fear, to Claudius Drusus.)

He, journeying, draws, the sixth eve, nigh that town;
Whose noblest citizens, with the magistrates,
Be come forth, to third milestone, from their gates,
Of street called Sacra; (which, on either hand,
Proud sepulchres border, of chief Gaulish houses,
Both of this city and the Romans' Province;)

With concourse great, to welcome Cæsar Claudius,
Whom all salute, Our great Britannicus!

To Claudius, sith, much people, with the Senate;
Being come together, in their theatre,
Decree, with public games, triumphal arc;
And statua, with a golden Victory, winged,
In the imperator Claudius' high right hand.

Upon the morrow, Cæsar wends, with pomp;
To altar of Augustus, twixt the streams.
And, lo, one purpled, by that sacred path,
Him waits, whose forehead girt with golden bend;
But, as murk twilight, be this stranger's looks.
And knew him Claudius, Herod Antipas!
(Was sometime tetrarch of a Roman province:)
Caligula him exiled. Is he that fox,
Which John beheaded: he whose ward of soldiers,
Spit on God's lowly Jesus; Whom they bruised,
Ah! and buffeted! and Him mocked, with sceptrereed,
(Him, before worlds, All-ruler!) in his hand;
And diadem of sharp spines, and purple robe!

Now this, which built Tiberias, by the Lake,
Dwells, in a Roman villa, by Rhone's stream;
Where, of an evil spirit, is vext his mind:
And his adulterous wife, and she him, hath

In deadly hate. Abhors this royal wretch,
In Gaul, each day's returning cheerful light.

To Cæsar, bending, wisheth Herod gladness,
Of glorious Victory! But ill omen Claudius
Deems salutation of this Jew; nor spake
He word again; nor will receive his boon:
But gathering up his purple, on his face,
Cæsar, impatient, hastes, by him, to pass.

Were, three days, plays made, in their theatre;
Where men, condemned to death, did fight with beasts.
The sixth eve, at Vienne, embarked hath Claudius;
In barge, which falls, by day and night, down Rhone.

To rich Massilia, Cæsar now arrives;
Where mighty vessel, to receive him in,
With gilded poop, of many stories, lies.
That ship, by pulse is urged, of thousand oars.
The overmost, so are they great, be wrought
By wheels and pulley's force. With martial pomp,
Claudius, the great Poseidon, goes aboard;
For so is named this hull, that seems a town.

Fair blows the wind; and loosed from Gaul's great haven,
So they have towards Italia, prosperous voyage,
That the fifth eve, at Ostia, they arrive.
At dawn, behold, be come that city's Senate,

To salute Cæsar: and him, laurel-crowned,
Convey. Then, with them, Claudius rides to Rome;
Where garlanded now all temples of the gods!
And thronging citizens, in her Sacred street;
And banquets be set-out at every porch.

Erst, in the Curia, a naval crown, Rome's Senate
Decreed to Claudius; who Gaul's Ocean Stream
Had sent under the yoke! and yearly games,
To memory of Isle Britannia's great conquest.
And be that haven, in Gaul, whence Cæsar sailed,
Adorned, it pleased, with high triumphal arc:
And be, of Roma, advanced, towards the North,
The city wall; and Claudia the new port,
Therein, be named; for Roma, upon that part,
Enlarged Britannicus! Ending, then, new month,
Those captive thousands are, of wayworn Britons,
Come to the City Sovereign: through wide Gaul,
Scourged, like fierce beasts, their weary soles have marched.
Last were they, at Julii Forum, stived in ships.

Then Claudius, makes, for Romans, warlike games;
In that large field, without their city walls,
This side the stream, by yellow Tiber's brinks;

Which named of Marspiter, Rome's father-god.
Semblant prepared hath Sabine, of a dune,
In Britain, with her walls of wattled trees,
And stones and hoarded earth; and wicker streets.

There Claudius, (now surnamed Britannicus,)
On set day, his war-spectacle shows to Romans!
Britons, with Britons, in two opposed bands,
Shall fight to death. Two thousand, armed as Romans,
(Cæsar his freedom promiseth, to each one,
Which, in that battle, should have slain a man!)
Assail then, at third clarion: who within
Defending, glast-stained Britons; till last won
The wall, all perish, in their burning town!

Now Frejus.