Pharsalia [93]
Haskins's note).
(17) Comp. Herodotus, Book iii. 27. Apis was a god who appeared
at intervals in the shape of a calf with a white mark on his
brow. His appearance was the occasion of general rejoicing.
Cambyses slew the Apis which came in his time, and for this
cause became mad, as the Egyptians said.
(18) That is, by Achoreus, who had just spoken.
(19) Compare Ben Jonson's "Sejanus", Act ii., Scene 2: --
The prince who shames a tyrant's name to bear
Shall never dare do anything, but fear;
All the command of sceptres quite doth perish
If it begin religious thoughts to cherish;
Whole empires fall, swayed by these nice respects,
It is the licence of dark deeds protects
E'en states most hated, when no laws resist
The sword, but that it acteth what it list."
(20) He was drowned in attempting to escape in the battle on the
Nile in the following autumn.
(21) Dionysus. But this god, though brought up by the nymphs of
Mount Nysa, was not supposed to have been buried there.
(22) See Book VII., line 20.
(23) This warning of the Sibyl is also alluded to by Cicero in a
letter to P. Lentulus, Proconsul of Cilicia. (Mr. Haskins'
note. See also Mommsen, vol. iv., p. 305.) It seems to
have been discovered in the Sibylline books at the time when
it was desired to prevent Pompeius from interfering in the
affairs of Egypt, in B.C. 57.
(24) That is, by their weeping for Iris departure they treated
him as a mortal and not as a god. Osiris was the soul of
Apis (see on line 537), and when that animal grew old and
unfit for the residence of Osiris the latter was thought to
quit it. Then began the weeping. which continued until a
new Apis appeared, selected, of course, by Osiris for his
dwelling-place. Then they called out "We have found him,
let us rejoice." For a discussion on the Egyptian
conception of Osiris, and Iris place in the theogony of that
nation, see Hegel's "Lectures on the Philosophy of History":
Chapter on Egypt.
(25) It may be noted that the Emperor Hadrian raised a monument
on the spot to the memory of Pompeius some sixty years after
this was written (Durny's 'History of Rome,' iii., 319).
Plutarch states that Cornelia had the remains taken to Rome
and interred in a mausoleum. Lucan, it may be supposed,
knew nothing of this.
(26) There was a temple to Jupiter on "Mount Casius old".
(27) The legend that Jove was buried in Crete is also mentioned
by Cicero: "De Natura Deorum", iii., 21.
BOOK IX
CATO
Yet in those ashes on the Pharian shore,
In that small heap of dust, was not confined
So great a shade; but from the limbs half burnt
And narrow cell sprang forth (1) and sought the sky
Where dwells the Thunderer. Black the space of air
Upreaching to the poles that bear on high
The constellations in their nightly round;
There 'twixt the orbit of the moon and earth
Abide those lofty spirits, half divine,
Who by their blameless lives and fire of soul
Are fit to tolerate the pure expanse
That bounds the lower ether: there shall dwell,
Where nor the monument encased in gold,
Nor richest incense, shall suffice to bring
The buried dead, in union with the spheres,
Pompeius' spirit. When with heavenly light
His soul was filled, first on the wandering stars
And fixed orbs he bent his wondering gaze;
Then saw what darkness veils our earthly day
And scorned the insults heaped upon his corse.
Next o'er Emathian plains he winged his flight,
And ruthless Caesar's standards, and the fleet
Tossed on the deep: in Brutus' blameless breast
Tarried awhile, and roused his angered soul
To reap the vengeance; last possessed the mind
Of haughty Cato.
He while yet the scales
Were poised and balanced, nor the war had given
The world its master, hating both the chiefs,
Had followed Magnus for the Senate's cause
And for his country:
(17) Comp. Herodotus, Book iii. 27. Apis was a god who appeared
at intervals in the shape of a calf with a white mark on his
brow. His appearance was the occasion of general rejoicing.
Cambyses slew the Apis which came in his time, and for this
cause became mad, as the Egyptians said.
(18) That is, by Achoreus, who had just spoken.
(19) Compare Ben Jonson's "Sejanus", Act ii., Scene 2: --
The prince who shames a tyrant's name to bear
Shall never dare do anything, but fear;
All the command of sceptres quite doth perish
If it begin religious thoughts to cherish;
Whole empires fall, swayed by these nice respects,
It is the licence of dark deeds protects
E'en states most hated, when no laws resist
The sword, but that it acteth what it list."
(20) He was drowned in attempting to escape in the battle on the
Nile in the following autumn.
(21) Dionysus. But this god, though brought up by the nymphs of
Mount Nysa, was not supposed to have been buried there.
(22) See Book VII., line 20.
(23) This warning of the Sibyl is also alluded to by Cicero in a
letter to P. Lentulus, Proconsul of Cilicia. (Mr. Haskins'
note. See also Mommsen, vol. iv., p. 305.) It seems to
have been discovered in the Sibylline books at the time when
it was desired to prevent Pompeius from interfering in the
affairs of Egypt, in B.C. 57.
(24) That is, by their weeping for Iris departure they treated
him as a mortal and not as a god. Osiris was the soul of
Apis (see on line 537), and when that animal grew old and
unfit for the residence of Osiris the latter was thought to
quit it. Then began the weeping. which continued until a
new Apis appeared, selected, of course, by Osiris for his
dwelling-place. Then they called out "We have found him,
let us rejoice." For a discussion on the Egyptian
conception of Osiris, and Iris place in the theogony of that
nation, see Hegel's "Lectures on the Philosophy of History":
Chapter on Egypt.
(25) It may be noted that the Emperor Hadrian raised a monument
on the spot to the memory of Pompeius some sixty years after
this was written (Durny's 'History of Rome,' iii., 319).
Plutarch states that Cornelia had the remains taken to Rome
and interred in a mausoleum. Lucan, it may be supposed,
knew nothing of this.
(26) There was a temple to Jupiter on "Mount Casius old".
(27) The legend that Jove was buried in Crete is also mentioned
by Cicero: "De Natura Deorum", iii., 21.
BOOK IX
CATO
Yet in those ashes on the Pharian shore,
In that small heap of dust, was not confined
So great a shade; but from the limbs half burnt
And narrow cell sprang forth (1) and sought the sky
Where dwells the Thunderer. Black the space of air
Upreaching to the poles that bear on high
The constellations in their nightly round;
There 'twixt the orbit of the moon and earth
Abide those lofty spirits, half divine,
Who by their blameless lives and fire of soul
Are fit to tolerate the pure expanse
That bounds the lower ether: there shall dwell,
Where nor the monument encased in gold,
Nor richest incense, shall suffice to bring
The buried dead, in union with the spheres,
Pompeius' spirit. When with heavenly light
His soul was filled, first on the wandering stars
And fixed orbs he bent his wondering gaze;
Then saw what darkness veils our earthly day
And scorned the insults heaped upon his corse.
Next o'er Emathian plains he winged his flight,
And ruthless Caesar's standards, and the fleet
Tossed on the deep: in Brutus' blameless breast
Tarried awhile, and roused his angered soul
To reap the vengeance; last possessed the mind
Of haughty Cato.
He while yet the scales
Were poised and balanced, nor the war had given
The world its master, hating both the chiefs,
Had followed Magnus for the Senate's cause
And for his country: