Book II
THE FLIGHT OF POMPEIUS
49
'Swift as ye can, the bridge that spans the stream;
'And thou, O river, from thy mountain source
'With all thy torrents rushing, planks and beams
'Ruined and broken on thy foaming breast
'Bear onward to the sea. The war shall stop
'Here, to our triumph; for this headlong chief
'Here first at our firm bidding shall be stayed.'
He bade his squadrons, speeding from the walls,
Charge on the bridge: in vain: for Cæsar saw
They sought to free the river from his chains[1] 550
And bar his march; and roused to ire, he cried:
'Were not the walls sufficient to protect
'Your coward souls? Seek ye by barricades
'And streams to keep me back? What though the flood
'Of swollen Ganges were across my path?
'Now Rubicon is passed, no stream on earth
'Shall hinder Cæsar! Forward, horse and foot,
'And ere it totters rush upon the bridge.'
Urged in their swiftest gallop to the front
Dashed the light horse across the sounding plain; 560
And suddenly, as storm in summer, flew
A cloud of javelins forth, by sinewy arms
Hurled at the foe; the guard is put to flight,
And conquering Cæsar, seizing on the bridge,
Compels the enemy to keep the walls.
Now do the mighty engines, soon to hurl
Gigantic stones, press forward, and the ram
Creeps 'neath the ramparts; when the gates fly back,
And lo! the traitor troops, foul crime in war,
Yield up their leader. Him they place before 570
His proud compatriot; yet with upright form,
And scornful features and with noble mien,
'And thou, O river, from thy mountain source
'With all thy torrents rushing, planks and beams
'Ruined and broken on thy foaming breast
'Bear onward to the sea. The war shall stop
'Here, to our triumph; for this headlong chief
'Here first at our firm bidding shall be stayed.'
He bade his squadrons, speeding from the walls,
Charge on the bridge: in vain: for Cæsar saw
They sought to free the river from his chains[1] 550
And bar his march; and roused to ire, he cried:
'Were not the walls sufficient to protect
'Your coward souls? Seek ye by barricades
'And streams to keep me back? What though the flood
'Of swollen Ganges were across my path?
'Now Rubicon is passed, no stream on earth
'Shall hinder Cæsar! Forward, horse and foot,
'And ere it totters rush upon the bridge.'
Urged in their swiftest gallop to the front
Dashed the light horse across the sounding plain; 560
And suddenly, as storm in summer, flew
A cloud of javelins forth, by sinewy arms
Hurled at the foe; the guard is put to flight,
And conquering Cæsar, seizing on the bridge,
Compels the enemy to keep the walls.
Now do the mighty engines, soon to hurl
Gigantic stones, press forward, and the ram
Creeps 'neath the ramparts; when the gates fly back,
And lo! the traitor troops, foul crime in war,
Yield up their leader. Him they place before 570
His proud compatriot; yet with upright form,
And scornful features and with noble mien,
- ↑ That is to say, by the breaking of the bridge, the river would become a serious obstacle to Cæsar.
