Lucans First Booke Translated Line for Line, By Chr. Marlow. At London, Printed by P. Short, and are to be sold by Walter Burre at the Signe of the Flower de Luce in Paules Churchyard, 1600, 4to. According to the title-page of the second edition of Hero and Leander (see p. 276), this translation ought to have accompanied it: but, I believe, the two pieces are never found in conjunction. TO HIS KIND and true FRIEND, EDWARD BLUNT.⚫ BLUNT, I purpose to be blunt with you, and, out of my dulness, to encounter you with a Dedication in the memory of that pure elemental wit, Chr. Marlowe, whose ghost or genius is to be seen walk the Church-yard + in, at the least, three or four sheets. Methinks you should presently look wild now, and grow humorously frantic upon the taste of it. Well, lest you should, let me tell you, this spirit was sometime a familiar of your own, Lucan's First Book translated; which, in regard of your old right in it, I have raised in the circle of your patronage. But stay now, Edward: if I mistake not, you are to accommodate yourself with some few instructions, touching the property of a patron, that you are not yet possessed of; and to study them for your better grace, as our gallants do fashions. First, you must be proud, and think you have merit enough in you, though you are ne'er so empty; then, when I bring you the book, take physic, and keep state; assign me a time by your man to come again; and, afore the day, be sure to have changed your lodging; in the mean time sleep little, and sweat with the invention of some pitiful dry jest or two, which you may happen to utter, with some little, or not at all, marking of your friends, when you have found a place for them to come in at; or, if by chance something has dropped from you worth the taking up, weary all that come to you with the often repetition of it; censure ‡ scornfully enough, and somewhat like a traveller; commend nothing, lest you discredit your (that which you would seem to have) judgment. These things, if you can mould yourself to them, Ned, I make no question but they will not become you. One special virtue in our patrons of these days I have promised myself you shall fit excellently, which is, to give nothing; yes, thy love I will challenge as my peculiar object, both in this, and, I hope, many more succeeding offices. Farewell: I affect not the world should measure my thoughts to thee by a scale of this nature: leave to think good of me when I fall from thee. Thine in all rites of perfect friendship, THOMAS THORPE. & * Edward Blunt] The bookseller.-So old ed. here (and see Dedication prefixed to Hero and Leander, p. 277); but, immediately after, it has "Blount, I purpose," &c., to the injury of a valuable pun. the Church-yard] i. e. Paul's church-yard, which abounded in booksellers' shops. ↑ censure] i. e. judge. $ Thomas Thorpe] The bookseller. THE FIRST BOOK OF LUCAN. WARS worse than civil on Thessalian plains, Armies allied, the kingdom's league uprooted, Eagles alike display'd, darts answering darts. Romans, what madness, what huge lust of war, Hath made barbarians drunk with Latin blood? Now Babylon, proud through our spoil, should stoop, While slaughter'd Crassus' ghost walks unreveng'd, Italy many years hath lien untill'd And chok'd with thorns; that greedy earth wants Fierce Pyrrhus, neither thou nor Hannibal We plain not, heavens,+ but gladly bear these For Nero's sake: Pharsalia groan with slaughter, Will ye wage war, for which you shall not Add, Cæsar, to these ills, Perusian famine, Ay me! O, what a world of land and sea The Mutin toils, the fleet at Leuca § sunk, Might they have won whom civil broils have Yet Rome is much bound to these civil arms, Which made thee emperor. Thee (seeing thou, slain ! As far as Titan springs, where night dims heaven, &c. lanc'd' Old ed. "launcht." See note II, p. 11. ↑ like) i. e. alike. 1 Scythia, &c.] But Lucan has "Sub juga jam Seres," being old, Must shine a star) shall heaven (whom thou lovest) Receive with shouts; where thou wilt reign as king, Or mount the Sun's flame-bearing chariot, * These plagues arise from wreak of civil power] “alta sedent civilis vulnera dextræ." We plain not, heavens] “Jam nihil, O Superi, querimur." Carthage' souls] "Pœni ... manes." $ Leuca] Should be "Leucas." Nor yet the adverse reeking * southern pole, Whence thou shouldst view thy Rome with squinting beams. If any one part of vast heaven thou swayest, Then men from war shall bide in league and ease, Peace through the world from Janus' fane shall fly, And bolt the brazen gates with bars of iron. To crave Apollo's aid or Bacchus' help; Thy power inspires the Muse that sings this war. The causes first I purpose to unfold Of these garboils, whence springs a long discourse; And what made madding people shake off peace. All great things crush themselves; such end the gods Allot the height of honour; men so strong While th' earth the sea, and air the earth sustains, While Titan strives against the world's swift course, Or Cynthia, night's queen, waits upon the day, Shall never faith be found in fellow kings: Dominion cannot suffer partnership. This need[s] no foreign proof nor far-fet* story: Rome's infant walls were steep'd in brother's blood; Nor then was land or sea, to breed such hate; Stepp'd Crassus in. Even as the slender isthmos, them, Had fill'd Assyrian Carra's || walls with blood, Govern the earth, the sea, the world itself, Bare down to hell her son, the pledge of peace, rage, Yea, and thy father too, and, swords thrown down, Old triumphs, and that Cæsar's conquering Would dash the wreath thou war'st for pirates' wreck : Thee war's use stirr'd, and thoughts that always scorn'd A second place. Pompey could bide no equal, *far-fet) i. e. far-fetched. A town with one poor church set them at odds] “exiguum dominos commisit asylum." ↑ Egaan] So old ed. in some copies which had been corrected at press; other copies "Aezean." § whenas] i. e. when. Carra's] Should be "Carrie's" or "Carrhe's" ¶ Bach side had great partakers] "magno se judice quisque tuetur." |