An essay Upon the Third Punique War. Lib. I. and II To which are added Theodosius's Advice to his Son. And the phenix; Out of Claudian. By T. R. [i.e. Thomas Ross] |
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Lib. II.
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 | An essay Upon the Third Punique War. Lib. I. and II |  |
Lib. II.
Dispersing Terrors, Fame from Libya flies.
And, is at Rome, as readily, receiv'd,
As Truth it self, and easier, Far, believ'd.
Their long success, crown'd, with so many years,
In Africk check'd, revives, and heightens fears:
Were, now, extinguish'd, or not still the same:
No more the Fam'd Marcelli, Fabii, or
The Scipio's and Pauli, great in War,
In Italy survive. Luxurious Peace
Had made the Memory of their Deeds to cease.
Their sacred Images, alone, declare
Their Vertues, none their Imitators were.
It is enough th'Italian Youth enjoy
Their Wealth, acquir'd, with honour'd Wounds, and cloy
Their wanton appetites so, that even Fate
Seems, now, to change, 'gainst the degenerate,
Who nothing of Themselves, can, justly, boast,
But their great Father's glories, which th'ave lost.
The Race of Mars, and of the Queen of Love,
Beheld, and both the Deities arraigns,
In these mild words: What (Daughter) now remains
To ruin thy great Issue, or (Mars) thine,
If You, your Interest, fo far disjoyn?
You Cytherea may indulge to Love,
Yet suffer that, He Warlike Arts improve.
What will become of your Iulus race?
Where will They, who must this Celestial place
Supply, be found? who must the Heavens with Stars
Adorn, unless they, first, shall shine in Wars?
And next Our Capitol, the Earth commands.
Your Issue (Mars) must that highway pursue,
And though they keep her Temple, in their view,
Yet on those Altars first, their Victims lay,
And then to Her, their lesser Offrings pay.
With which, be you content, if more you claim,
What was for Honour meant, will turn to shame:
Bid then, thatMercury to Earth descend,
And to lascivious Rome this strait commend.
Tell her how weak, her Riot, and Excess,
Have rendred Her; how much, She, now, is less
Since She gave Ear to those Circæan Charms,
And, stood so deaf, to Libya's alarms:
And, that He may, more readily, diffuse
This Our Command, some Noble Heroe chuse,
Who still preserves the Honour of his Race,
Nor will their Glory, by his Vice, deface,
From Us descend, the Rest are lost in lust.
Wings both his Head, and Feet, assumes his Rod,
With which, He can the Pow'rs of Hell subdue,
Imprison'd Shades relieve, make them review
Desired Day: the restless Furies charme
To sleep, and their dire Ministers disarme.
Then, suddenly, to Earth, He takes his flight,
And summons, from the bosome of the Night,
Her Troop of dreams, that fly, in various Shapes,
Through all the World, commit their several Rapes
On Humane Sense. Some with dire Horror fill
The Fancy: Some the Stygian drops distill
Of black despair, into distracted Minds,
And where these fix, th'Afflicted hardly finds
Relief, awake. Others, more lightly, fly
Through all variety of thoughts, and die
As soon as born. Some kind and gentle move,
Off'ring soft pleasures, and delights of Love.
All these, near Earth still hov'ring, strait the God
Dismiss'd, as useless, to their dark Abode;
And, from the numerous Throng, selected One
Of a Celestial Form, which waits Alone
On Souls, that still abstract from all that's vain,
None but divine Idea's entertain.
And when they wake, to what they dream'd aspire,
And cherish in themselves the Sacred Fire.
And tumult, that a Studious Mind destroys,
A Villa stands, in the Campanian Fields,
That, a Fair Image of Elysium yields,
Where a brave Youth, of that Illustrious Line,
To which, the Fates of Libya did resigne
Their pow'r o'r Carthage, the great Acts revolv'd
Of Ages past, and with Himself resolv'd
To imitate, at least, if not exceed
His Ancestors, and each Heroick Deed.
Hither the God conducts the Heav'nly Dream.
The Youth was studious on that Noble Theam,
That Immortality to Souls assigns,
And Man unto the Gods, by Reason, joyns.
Soon as they here descend, th'Arcadian Wand
Sheds Sleep through all the House. From Scipio's hand
Strait Divine Plato fell, and while with swarms
Of thoughts, the Brain his busie Fancy warms,
The Dream great Africanus Shape assumes;
Not such, as when to shun ingrateful Rome's
Impetuous Votes, He to Linternum came,
And on his Tomb engrav'd their lasting Shame.
But like Him, when his Valiant Hand redeem'd
From Libyan Chains, the flatt'ring Tribes, and seem'd
His Lawrel in the Thunderers bosome laid.
Such, and so Great He now appear'd, and while
The Youth, with horror trembled, with a smile
That promis'd safety, to a Starry Place,
(From whence, beneath Him, all of Humane Race
He might survey, conducts Him) Hence, said He,
The World, and thine own Fortune thou shalt see.
Behold that City, which I first subdu'd,
By which a bloody War is now renew'd;
Were Rome as Vertuous now as She was then,
Carthage could ne'r shake off her Yoke agen.
Rebellion never dares her Arms display,
But when the Rulers Vertue doth decay.
Thou shalt this Age redeem; Carthage by Thee
Shall be o'rthrown, and Thou shalt honour'd be,
With envi'd Titles, heretofore by none
Deserv'd, nor due, but unto Us alone.
Thou Syria, Asia, Greece, shalt rule, and while
Fame of a dangerous War, with terror fills
All Latium, to divert impending Ills,
To Thee, when absent, Rome shall recommend
Her Safety, and her unsought Fasces send.
Then Spain shall tremble, and, the vainly proud
Numantia, as with Thunder from a Cloud,
Dash'd by thine Arms to ruin, shall proclaim
Titles as great as Carthage to thy Name.
Thy Trophies then thou shalt in Triumph bring
To Jove, and Rome shall Joyful Pæans sing.
But Envy will on all thou dost attend,
Envy, that never doth the Good commend.
She thy bright Glories, by thy Friends shall wound:
Yet persevere; Thou shalt at length, be crown'd
Her self esteem, till thou Dictator be.
This is thy way to Heav'n, who deviates from
This path, can ne'r to these blest Mansions come.
For know that God, who did create this Place,
Reserves it, only, for that Glorious Race,
Whose Souls from hence descending, while they are
Confin'd to Bodies, which, on Earth, they wear;
Love Vertue, and their Countrey's Good pursue:
Its Wealth and Power augment. Themselves subdue,
And, so the Fury of their Lusts restrain,
That, We, with Joy, receive Them here again.
The Youth, amaz'd, who, at the instant, wakes,
And seems still to behold, with fixed eyes,
The fleeting Shade, to whom, he, thus, replyes:
Whether Thou art a Deity, or Shade,
Or Dream, that thus do'st, now, my Soul invade,
Thine Image I'l retain, and so pursue,
That, though it Fiction seem, it shall be true.
Whether it be the Crime, or Common Fate
Of Rome, so vilely to degenerate,
From what She was; to scorn Immortal Fame,
And Future Bliss, for present Lusts, disclaim;
My single Vertue, shall her Name redeem,
Her Honour raise, revive her lost esteem.
The Actions of Those, of Noble Blood,
Make all beneath Them, either bad, or good.
Example rules the World; and all that She
Should imitate, Rome shall behold in Me.
Or Africanus Shade! to Me impart
All that was thine. I shall desire no more
To make Rome Greater, than She was before.
The Morn arose. He as from Heav'n inspir'd,
To Rome strait posts, in's Mind revolving all
The Dictates of his Dream: the Capitol
First in his prospect, thither He repairs,
And, while He Jove consults, of all his cares,
The Genius of Rome the Senat fills
With Voices, that enumerate the Ills
That by their former Generals were brought
On Roman Arms, while They in Libya fought,
Till Africanus undertook the reins
Of War, and Carthage brought to Rome in chains:
This made Her Mistriss of the World, but now
Since Fate would not the same Success allow
To other Chiefs, and Utica alone
The Roman name, as Soveraign, wou'd own,
Heav'n had no other Hand reserv'd t'efface
Those Stains, but one of that Illustrious Race.
Some for themselves, some for their friends employ'd
Their tedious Harangues, and, some who ne'r
Had merited in Arms, more fierce appear
To undertake the War, and promise more
Then those, who had been Conquerours before.
Dispersing Foggs, and chasing Clouds away,
Young Scipio enters. The Majestick Grace
With which He mov'd, his stout and manly Face
Where all the Lines of sober Courage might
Be seen, and promis'd Victory in fight.
Who now, no more the fierce debate pursue:
But, as when first to the assembled Greeks,
God-like Achilles, did appear (his Cheeks
Then newly cloath'd with down) deep silence through
The Camp was spread, while all admiring view
The vigor of his Eyes, and Limbs, his broad
And lofty Shoulders, like the Oetean god
In all. Him all the Captains strait commend,
As the most fit with Hector to contend;
Whose Fall alone must ruin hapless Troy.
So Scipio, with universal Joy
The Senate entertain, and, by their choice,
Raise acclamations of the Publick Voice,
Which the Consent of Heav'n, doth strait approve;
While from his Shining Arm, by Thunder, Jove
Serene's the Capitol; with dreadful storms
Makes Libya tremble, and with strange alarms
The Carthaginian Walls and Temples shakes,
So that even Dido, in her Mable, quakes.
No place from Terror's free, the neighb'ring Sea
Swells, and with Waves invades, and drowns the Day.
Night intercepts the Hours, and fills the Sky
With Meteors, that in various Figures fly
Towards Saturnus ruin'd Fane, and, there
O'r his neglected Altars disappear.
Religion then (as Fear before) their Minds
Possess'd, and its Effects most bloody finds.
For now Barcinna, whose Ambition fir'd
Her Husband first, and first the War inspir'd
With all the Cunning Arts, that do infect
Her Sex, or can their Minds to Ill direct,
Th'assembled Matrons (like the Theban Dames
At Trieterick Feasts) with zeal inflames,
To turn, and Carthage so from ruin free.
Behold (said she) how the Ausonian god
You summons to his long-destroy'd Abode!
To memory recall, what dire effects
Sicilian Armies, once, for such neglects,
On Africk had, until the god those Rites
Receiv'd, to which He now again invites.
This said, to th'Senate (whom a Pannick Dread
Before had call'd) She (like Agaue) led
Her Frantick Troop. There with redoubled strokes
Her Brest invades, and with wild looks invokes
The cruel god! then to the Fathers thus
Directs her Speech. If, yet, these Walls, and Us
You will secure, if you will expiate
Those Crimes, which these dire prodigies create.
Give to the gods their due; think not your Arms
Shall prosper, while a Foolish Pity charms
Religion thus, and you those Rites forbear
Which to Our Fathers so propitious were.
Twice by Sicilian Bands, hath Libya seem'd
T'expire, as oft by this great god redeem'd:
Had you in pristine Piety not fail'd.
If We are willing that you should exact
These Victims: We, whose Bowels have been wracke
To bring them forth, why should you fondly love
To hugge those Children, may your Ruin prove?
Or if your Consciences too tender are
To see them bleed, why d'ye pursue the War?
Mistaken Piety! What you to Heav'n
Deny, will be to Latium Triumphs giv'n.
This said, the Place, driv'n by Fanatick zeal,
She quits, and boldly doth to Heaven appeal.
Deep silence seiz'd the Senate, who amaz'd
At what she said, upon each other gaz'd.
At length young Hasdrubal; If it become
Your Wisdom (Fathers) to be rul'd at home,
By this weak Sex, 'tis time that you withdraw
Your Armies from the Field, and take the Law
From Men whose Valour hath the World subdu'd;
For what is now by these desir'd, ev'n rude
And barbarous Nations have exploded long,
And when you shall such Rites perform, you wrong
The gods, who now are better understood:
They, kind, all Sacrifice of Humane Blood
Abhor. We 'ave store of Flocks and Heards, with these,
Or pretious Gums, the Angry Gods appease:
For if your Sons on these dire Altars bleed,
Who shall preserve your Temples? who succeed
Or Bounds maintain, for which you now contend.
And though Barcinna may our long neglect
Accuse, as if the Gods all else reject
That we shall do, think how great things, how high
Brave Hannibal perform'd, who did deny
The same. What then her Hasdrubal hath done,
Since, to inaugurate his Command, their Son
They sacrific'd. As this he spake, strait all
Their Eyes reflect, on th'Elder Hasdrubal,
Who near him sate, and, as himself was nam'd
(His rage already at his Speech enflam'd)
Snatch'd up a mighty Beam, and strait his Brains
Dash'd out, and with his Blood the Senate stains.
Is't not enough, that thus Gulusta's spy
Oppose our Rites, but He must all decry
That I have done (said He) I, who (you know)
So lately have repell'd th'insulting Foe;
While Utica, alone, the poor Remains,
In hatred to our Carthage, entertains,
And you with silence (while his Crime doth call
Or for the Cross, or some worse torture) all
Approve! 'tis time (with that he spurns his Face)
That now I leave him to you, and this place.
This said, he strait retires. A sudden Dread
Of his revenge, through the Assembly spread,
They soon dissolve. Confusion through the Streets
Runs like Erinnys, seizeth all she meets,
Some least a Civil Rage (the worst of Ills)
Might the divided City open lay
To th'neighb'ring Foe, some least they should betray
Their Liberty to One, who too elate
With his Command, durst, in a free debate,
With noble Blood, a sacred Council staine;
And, rashly, what was Holy held, profane.
A Fleet (the Burthen of the Libyan Sea)
Beheld, where Scipio, as He approach'd the Rode,
Offer'd warm Entrails to th'Indulgent god;
Who now with Him conspir'd, and drove before
The floating Sacrifice, to seize the Shore.
From his Pretorian Ship the General views,
And to the rest the joyful Omen shews.
Loud Clamors then o'r all the Ocean ring,
They ply their Oars to Land, and Pæans sing.
This to the Walls the City strait invites,
And all against the Common Foe unites,
None are exempt from Arms, each Sex, and Age
For Universal Liberty engage.
Brave Scipio leaps, and seizing in his hand
The barren Earth; Thus in the name of Rome
And all her gods, do I (said He) resume
What Africanus did o'r Carthage gain.
No more shall She with Perjuries profane
Those Altars, where She due Obedience swore.
With that He calls the Army all ashore,
Their Courage, makes them hasty to obey,
And some precipitates into the Sea.
But all, at length, the Field, in Order, crown,
And shew their threatning Eagles to the Town.
T'advance against the Walls, they silent stand,
Fierce Hasdrubal from an adjoyning Wood
That sacred from Eliza's Time had stood,
With his Maurusian Troops (like sudden rain
From Hills swell'd to a Torrent) fills the Plain,
And strikes with barbarous Shouts the Marble Sky.
With which the City from the Walls comply,
And the still silent Roman to the Fight,
Vainly exciting their sad Fate, invite.
To any thing was rash, the Fury broke
Of his Impatient Bands, with these few words:
Reserve (Companions) your Victorious Swords,
For such a Foe as will with Courage fight;
Not such as these, who in their speedy flight,
Or those thick Woods, where they protected are
From your assault, seek to maintain the War.
As you advance, they will retire, they know,
Tis not a Manlius now, but Scipio,
Who leads you on; that now, like Souldiers you,
And not like Robbers, will the War pursue.
Then take your Piles and Axes in your hands,
Possess that ground, where now the Libyan stands;
None there will dare to see a Romans Face:
And, as you them, like Beasts, to Covert chace,
The Wood, before you, fell, and still pursue,
Till Carthage shall stand naked in your view.
And as th'approach the Enemy, his Lance
First Scipio threw, which through Himilco's Head,
(Their Standard-Bearer) pierc'd, and struck him dead:
The Ensigne, with his Body fell, and strait,
As if on Him, Alone, the Common Fate
Of all the Army did depend, they fly.
With that thick Clouds of Piles obscure the Sky
And fall upon their backs; while to the Wood,
They, routed, hast, and various Tracts of Blood,
Detect their flight; the Romans still pursue
The Chace, as Hunters, having lost the view,
Follow the Slatt, till in some open Plain,
From Covert forc'd, the Stagge imbost, is slain.
Employ, and strait tall Pines and Cedars fall,
With aged Oakes, whose mossy branches wore
The Shields of several Nations, who that Shore
Had fatal found: Whether they wrack'd had been
Before they did on Land, the War begin,
While the perfidious Syrts, ashore had cast
Their Ruins, to be there, as Trophies plac'd:
Or that they had their way through Libya fought,
And thither spoils of other Cities brought;
To boast their Victories, while Carthage stood
Safe, in her Walls, alone, and sacred Wood;
Where She, at length, the Enemy subdu'd,
And, oft, with Joy, as in a Temple, view'd
Those boasted Monuments, that now appear
To give new Matter of Revenge, and Fear.
Calls from Atlantick Hills, a sudden Wind
T'assist the Roman Arms, and so conspires,
To ease their Toils. A Pine then Scipio fires,
It self, through all the Woods, the tallest Heads
Of Cedars, Oaks, and Beeches it invades,
And turns to Ashes the delightful Shades;
Where Nymphs did, since the birth of time, resort,
And with the wanton Faunes and Satyrs sport.
Their Ancient Abodes they now forsake,
And with their dreadful lamentations wake
The salvage Beasts, that in their Dens still slept;
Till rouz'd with sudden noise, strait forth they leapt:
But round besieg'd with flames, soon back retir'd,
And roaring in their bloody Beds expir'd.
Like a rough sea, the smoak to Heaven ascends
And over all the Town, it self extends
In Stygian Waves; the Walls, and Towrs, in Clouds
Are lost, while Scipio his Eagles shrowds
Under this ruin, and on Megarian Walls
With his whole force, like a rude Tempest, falls.
The Place, Religion had with strength indu'd,
And in Amilcar's Temple oft renew'd
Their superstitious Rites, since He in fight
Retir'd to sacrifice, and from their sight
Vanish'd to Heav'n. Here nothing could retard
The progress of their Arms, but the reward
Of Valour (wealthy spoils) which they divide
In hast, and vanquish'd Deities deride.
But seem'd his Golden Image to neglect;
While some his Bow, his Shafts, and Quiver share,
Others his Head divide, and shining Hair,
And then to other parts as rich descend,
And who shall most despoil the God contend.
All sense of Piety in desires of Gaine
Is lost, and Avarice doth all profane.
The dangers past, and what might come survayes,
Considers, that when Victory her Wings
Doth slack, the Conquer'd, oft the Pean sings.
Delay of the pursuit, gives strength, and time
To turn the Victors Valour, to his Crime.
His men, He therefore summons from the Prey,
Who, starting, at the Signal, soon obey,
And with their Arms, again, all stain'd with gore,
Threaten a greater slaughter than before;
While killing they went on, till streams of blood
Choak'd up the way, and the pursuit withstood.
'Gainst future dangers, for themselves provide.
Their Cares, nor Night their weary Bodies ease.
Not long before, by Censorinus doom,
Carthage, by fatal Change for Peace with Rome,
Her Elephants, her Arms, her Ships, with all
She or her Glory, or Defence could call,
Had to the Foe given up, and, every where,
Was naked left, till Ruin and Despair,
Arm'd her again, no weapons now remain'd,
But such, whose matter from their Temples gain'd,
Or stately Palaces, were forg'd by night,
And fitted, e'r the following day for fight;
By weak and artless hands their Bulwarks are
From Ruins rais'd, and they maintain the war,
With all that makes them weak. Nothing for Sea
Or Land can be suppli'd, but by the Prey
And Spoil upon themselves. Their Cables were
Compos'd of Mothers, or of Virgins hair,
Who cut the lovely Tresses from their heads,
And firmly interwove the Curling threads,
So, that their little Navy was suppli'd
With Cordage, late their Beauty and their Pride;
Such, as ev'n Cytherea had bewail'd,
Had not the Love of Rome, 'bove all prevail'd.
Whose Miseries no Muse can well relate;
Whose dismal Story do's exceed belief,
And Cruelty it self afflicts with grief.
That City, which seven hundred years had stood;
Which with expence of so much wealth and blood,
Her Walls (first measur'd by an Oxe's Hide)
So high, had rais'd, and stretcht her Bounds so wide,
That ev'n Rome fear'd her Yoak, in a vast Flame,
Must lose, at once, her Empire, and her Name.
As swift, as thought's aveng'd on prosp'rous Crimes,
Their want of Faith, by which they did delude
The gods so oft, their unjust Arms imbru'd
So oft in blood of Innocents, their dire
Excess of Cruelty, by sword and fire,
While they their Arms in Italy employ'd,
And twice two hundred Cities had destroy'd,
Thus to the gods (who then in Counsel sate,
To understand the last resolves of Fate)
With just Complaint declares, If yet (ye gods)
Th'Impieties of Earth, to your Abodes
Have not arriv'd; if their repeated Faults
Have not with horror shook Celestial Vaults;
I, against Carthage, should not now declaim
Above the rest, did not her Impious Fame,
So fill the Universe, that Men begin
To question, that you are, or that yo ave bin.
Your Justice thus deferr'd, makes them grow bold,
And Crimes like Vertues look, while uncontroul'd.
Those Ills, for which you let your Thunder fall
Upon the World, yet can she not forbear
T'excite your Anger, even in her despair.
Not Tygers, nor her Libyan Serpents can
More Rage and Fury, against wretched Man
Express than She. See! what Infernal Arts
She now in practice puts, in all her parts!
Not Scinis Pine, nor dire Procrustes Bed
So cruel were as these; nor Horses fed
With Humane Flesh. See! How around her Walls,
To the Inhumane Spectacle, She calls
The Roman Camp, while tortur'd Captives lie
Kill'd in each limb, not suffer'd, yet, to die;
But are constrain'd, expiring, to revive,
And, Nature by fresh torments kept alive:
'Tis therefore time this City to debell,
And let them know, such Cruelty's for Hell,
Alone reserv'd, and those who practice't there
On Earth, shall greater Plagues for ever bear.
Assigns to Fates, to execute their Pow'r,
Which they to Scipio devolve, and He,
In the pursuit of their severe Decree,
Cotho, their best support, first takes away,
And cuts off all Relief by Land and Sea.
Then Famine from the Libyan Desart comes,
And greedily their Stores, for Food, consumes.
Her gastly looks, more dreadful than the Foe,
A long, protracted Death, and Ruin show.
Through the whole City then she raging flies,
And with nefandous Meats a while supplies
The weak remains of Life. All that before
Sagunthus felt, or angry gods could more
Inflict, poor Carthage suffers, till her strength
Unable to support her Arms, at length,
Twice twenty thousand to the Victor yield,
And treacherous Hasdrubal, who long the Field
Had kept, despairing to afford her aid,
Himself, a vile submissive Captive laid
At Scipio's Feet, and in the publick view,
Enchain'd, for an Inglorious Life doth sue.
Death and Destruction in all Shapes appear.
Offring their throats to slaughter boldly meet
The Conquerour, who now amazed stands,
And do's a while with-hold his cruel hands,
Till Pity the Relief of death affords
To those, who wanted Blood to stain their Swords;
Who this, their chief Felicity do call,
That with their ruin'd Countrey they may fall;
And leave even Scipio to bewail them, while
Carthage in flames, is made their Funeral Pile.
All other sacred held, as that to Jove,
A Temple stood, where the Crotonian God
With Offrings rich, kept his select Abode,
And Libyan Votaries, restor'd to Health.
Here to preserve his Honour, and the Wealth,
A Tower was rais'd, from whence they could explore
The Countrey round, the City, Seas, and Shore.
Thither Barcinna, by her Courage led,
To be more honour'd then her husband, fled.
And, with a few defends the narrow way,
Against the Foe; and while she doth survey
The Stately Palaces, whose lofty Rooms
Enrich'd, with Tapistry from Tyrian Looms,
(To boast her former Wealth) to Vulcan made
A Sacrifice; It well becomes (said She)
(Dear Carthage) thy sad Destiny, and Me,
With Universal Ruin thus to fall;
This Pomp is fittest for Our Funeral.
I cannot wish thee stand, when Rome shall be
Thy Mistriss, and impose her Laws on Thee:
Those who do covet to survive Thee, are
Such, whom not Pity, but Contempt doth spare;
Unworthy, in such glorious Flames to die,
Or mix'd with Thee, as in one Urn to lie
As this She spake, She some, whose little breath,
Could only beg a short Reprieve from death;
Their hands (with Vervin from the Altar fill'd)
Extended to the Roman Camp, beheld,
'Mong these, as chief, her Hasdrubal was seen;
Then, as by Gorgon She surpriz'd had been,
All tears with rage dri'd up; Wretch! worthy all
The Miseries, that can on Carthage fall,
(She cries) perfidious Wretch! who do'st desire
To live, when thy dear Countrey do's expire!
Oh! born to be a Slave! and, what is worst,
Unto the Servitude of Rome accurst.
And most unhappy I, who live to see't!
What shall I say, when Hannibal I meet
In those Abodes where Noble Heroes shine?
How blush, that such degenerate blood, as thine,
I have commixt with His? but this disgrace
With Thee (vile Man) the last of all thy Race,
My last of Sacrifice, since got by Thee;
Worthy to be reserv'd, as they are Thine,
For Roman Triumphs; but as they are Mine,
Most worthy thus to die, and with Me go
To Hannibal's Embrace, in Shades below.
This said, into her hand, Erinnys puts
A Sword, with which their tender throats she cuts.
Then to the Fane her flaming Yew applies,
And, to deprive the Conqueror of his prize,
All that she pretious held, or did esteem
Might to the Enemy a Trophy seem,
Into the Fire she throws: then on them lays
Her bleeding Sons; and, as, a while, she prays
Their hovering Manes to attend her fall;
To thee (said she) brave Scipio may all
The gods propitious be, as now they are;
Thou only dost pursue the Laws of War;
But, may that most Effeminate of Slaves
Long, such, be thine; nor cross the Stygian Waves;
Till he shall wish, that joyn'd unto my side,
As in our Nuptial Bed, with Me h' had dy'd.
The Temple, with the Tow'rs together fall
Upon Her, in one Heap, as if to entomb
Barcinna's Ashes, in despight of Rome;
For her reserv'd, the Wealthiest, and the last,
That so with Carthage, equal in her Fame,
She might perpetuate to the World her Name.
The ill management of this war; under the conduct of the Consul Manlius, much distracted the Romans, till Scipio Æmilianus, who had gain'd a great reputation (even among his Enemies) was chosen Consul and changed the face of affairs; and under him the War was finished. Vid. Appian. Libyc.
The Son of Æneas, from whom Julius Cæsar, whose Star appearing at Noon-day, while Augustus (his adopted Son) celebrated Games to his honour, he was deifi'd, first of the Emperours.
The Temple of Vertue, and that of Honour, were so built one by the other, that they could not pass to that of Honour, but through that of Vertue. It was first built by M. Marcellus (out of his Spoils of Sicily) near the Porta Capena, through which they alwayes entered in Triumph.
Venus was honoured with several Names among the Romans, and with several Temples, but the first dedicated to Her at Rome was by Titus Tatius, in that part of the Forum, where the Romans and Sabines laid down their Arms and sacrificed. Vid. Plin. lib. 15.
The Temple of Mars was very magnificently built near the Porta Capena in the High-way (called Via Appia) and so repaired (when decayed) and enlarged by Sylla the Dictator, that it stood upon 100 Columns.
Scipio Africanus causing himself to be buried at Linternum a small Town in Campania, with this Inscription, Ingrata Patria ne Ossa quidem mea habebis, being persecuted by a Faction, after his great Service to his Countrey.
It was the Custom of the Triumpher, soon as he had dismissed his Captives (at the Gate of the Capitol) either to death, or perpetual prison, to advance into the Temple, and after his thanks paid (before the Statue of Jupiter) to all the gods, and a short prayer for continuance of their favour, to offer his Lawrel, and deposite it, in the Lap of Jupiter, or redeem it, with a Crown of Gold.
Comming to Rome, as Candidate for the Ædileship, he was chosen Consul, with applause of the People, and undertook the War of Carthage which he destroyed. He was Nephew to the great Africanus by Paulus Æmilius his Daughter, and by Adoption his Son. In his first Consulship he had a Dispensation for being chosen before the Age allowed, and was employed as Legat, or Proconsul in all the places mentioned; but most famous (next his destruction of Carthage, for Numantia, in Spain) which he likewise utterly destroyed; being chosen Consul in his absence for that War. Vid. Liv. Appian.
This War of Numantia lasted 13 years, in which several great Captains, had been employed; among others Tiberius Gracchus (whose Sister he had married) who made a Peace with the Numantines, so dishonourable, that the Romans afterward broke it. But Scipio undertaking the War, so closely besieged them, for some time, that to the envy of all other before him, he forced them in one day to burn themselves with all their Wealth together; not one remaining, saith Florus and Justine, to wear Chains in his Triumph; though Appian otherwise.
Those who most envied him were the Gracchi his own Kindred, whom he with Scipio Nasica so opposed in their Popular Faction, that one of the Gracchi was slain in the Capitol; and Our Scipio resolving to harangue the People the next day, his Wife Sempronia (as believed) poison'd him, in revenge, and he was found dead in his Bed, when the Commonwealth, was so distracted, that it was conceived, nothing but his being Dictator could settle it. Vid. Cicer. Somn. Scipion.
It was the Custom of the Carthaginians when in distress, to make these Barbarous Oblations to Saturn; as when Gelon the Sicilian overthrew Amilcar with slaughter of 150000 Carthaginians, which constrained them to beg Peace; and then when Agathocles so cruelly harassed and spoiled their Countrey, that little was left to Them, besides their City, which Barcinna attributes to the Neglect of those Sacrifices of the Noblest Children offer'd by their Predecessors to the number of 200 at a time: after which their City by degrees recover'd. Vid. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 20. Herodot. lib. 7. c. 153.
This Hasdrubal was Gulussa's Sisters Son, whom the other Hasdrubal, suspecting to hold intelligence with his Uncle, took occasion to kill in the Senate, with some piece of one of the Seats. Vid. Appian. de Libyc.
After the defeat given by Hasdrubal to the Consul Manlius, the Romans kept themselves within Utica, till the Arrival of Scipio.
The Roman Army under Manlius (saith Appian) was so loose in their Discipline in Africk, that they lived rather like Robbers than Souldiers, and were alwayes beaten; till Scipio, restoring the Ancient Discipline, made them Conquerors.
This Amilcar commanding in Sicily, while his Army was engaged in fight, with-drew himself, either despairing of Victory, or superstitious to obtain it by Sacrifice; but being never after seen, his Army being Conquerors, entertained an Opinion of his Sanctity, and built a Temple, and honoured him with Sacrifice. Vid. Herodot. in Polymn.
This Image of Apollo (of pure Gold, and very large) the Roman Souldiers took and divided; which Sacriledge Scipio (after Carthage was taken) punished, by refusing those that were guilty of it, to have any share in the spoil of the City. Appian.
At their entrance of Megara the Romans made so great slaughter, that the blood of the Carthaginians made the way so slippery, that they could not pursue them, as they fled into the other retreats of the City. Vid. Appian. Libyc.
Censorinus the Consul, had before perswaded the Carthaginians to deliver up all their Arms and Ships, with promise that they should enjoy their Laws, but this done pronounc'd the destruction of their City, and their removal higher into the Countrey, that they might be wholly Strangers to the Sea, by which they had rais'd their Empire. This Sentence drove them to that Despair, which made them renew the war more fiercely, than when in a better condition. Appian. ibid.
Scinis a famous Robber in Thessaly, tyed such as he took Captive, to Branches of a Pine, bowing them to be fastened to their Legs and Arms, and then letting them fly back, suddenly, to their Natural Position, tore the Bodies in pieces.
Procrustes another Robber, who tortured such as he took, on a Bed; to the length whereof he fitted all Bodies; which if too long he cut shorter, if too short he extended by the Rack.
Hasdrubal to put the Carthaginians past all hopes of mercy from the Romans, with several exquisite and most barbarous torments, put to death all Captives upon the Walls, in view of the Camp. Vid. Appian. ibid.
Cotho was the strongest part of the Haven, encompassed by a Wall, which Lælius took by assault in the night; and this taken, there was no possibility of relief by Sea.
The City being reduced to the last extremity by famine, forty thousand (among whom the Chief was Hasdrubal) came out and submitted to Scipio.
Hasdrubal was placed in Chains, at Scipio's Feet, sitting on a high Tribunal, that he might be seen, by his Wife, and those with Her, in the Temple of Æsculapius.
When Scipio saw the City first a fire, he (considering the instability of Fortune, and that the same thing might happen to his Countrey) wept. Appian.
This Temple of Æsculapius (the most wealthy in all Carthage) with a Tower of great strength, by reason of the narrow passage to it, was situate on eminent Rocks, and had sixty steps to ascend to it, and was the last place of Retreat, when the rest of the City was taken and fired.
| An essay Upon the Third Punique War. Lib. I. and II | |