---
title: "Pharsalia · De Bello Civili"
author: "Lucan"
translator: "Sir Edward Ridley"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 8 of 21
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucan-pharsalia/8/
cite: "Lucan, tr. Sir Edward Ridley, Pharsalia · De Bello Civili, section 8. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucan-pharsalia/8/"
---

# Pharsalia · De Bello Civili

*Lucan, tr. Sir Edward Ridley*

The civil war between Caesar and Pompey as dark epic, written under Nero by a poet he forced to die at twenty-five.

> Latin: ed. Karl Hermann Weise, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-latinLit, phi0917.phi001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Sir Edward Ridley, from the Perseus Digital Library (phi0917.phi001.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 8. Book IV · lines 583–824

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucan-pharsalia/8/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucan-pharsalia/8/#p-N

[¶0] For Curio rash from Lilybaean coast
Sailed with his fleet, and borne by gentle winds
Betwixt half-ruined Carthage, mighty once,
And Clupea's cliff, upon the well-known shore
His anchors dropped. First from the hoary sea
Remote, where Bagra slowly ploughs the sand,
He placed his camp: then sought the further hills
And mazy passages of cavernous rocks,
Antaeus' kingdom called. From ancient days
This name was given; and thus a swain retold
The story handed down from sire to son:
'Not yet exhausted by the giant brood,
'Earth still another monster brought to birth,
'In Libya's caverns: huger far was he,
'More justly far her pride, than Briareus
With all his hundred hands, or Typhon fierce,
Or Tityos: 'twas in mercy to the gods
'That not in Phlegra's fields Antaeus grew,
'But here in Libya; to her offspring's strength,
'Unmeasured, vast, she added yet this boon,
'That when in weariness and labour spent
'He touched his parent, fresh from her embrace
'Renewed in vigour he should rise again.
'In yonder cave he dwelt, 'neath yonder rock
'He made his feast on lions slain in chase:
'There slept he; not on skins of beasts, or leaves,
'But fed his strength upon the naked earth.
Perished the Libyan hinds and those who came,
'Brought here in ships, until he scorned at length
'The earth that gave him strength, and on his feet
'Invincible and with unaided might
'Made all his victims. Last to Afric shores,
' Drawn by the rumour of such carnage, came
' Magnanimous Alcides, he who freed
'Both land and sea of monsters. Down on earth
'He threw his mantle of the lion's skin
' Slain in Cleone; nor Antaeus less
'Cast down the hide he wore. With shining oil,
'As one who wrestles at Olympia's feast,
'The hero rubbed his limbs: the giant feared
' Lest standing only on his parent earth
'His strength might fail; and cast o'er all his bulk
' Hot sand in handfuls. Thus with arms entwined
'And grappling hands each seizes on his foe;
'With hardened muscles straining at the neck
'Long time in vain; for firm the sinewy throat
' Stood column-like, nor yielded; so that each
' Wondered to find his peer. Nor at the first
'Divine Alcides put forth all his strength,
' By lengthy struggle wearing out his foe,
'Till chilly drops stood on Antaeus' limbs,
'And toppled to its fall the stately throat,
'And smitten by the hero's blows, the legs
' Began to totter. Breast to breast they strive
'To gain the vantage, till the victor's arms
'Gird in the giant's yielding back and sides,
'And squeeze his middle part: next 'twixt the thighs
' He puts his feet, and forcing them apart,
'Lays low the mighty monster limb by limb.
'The dry earth drank his sweat, while in his veins
'Warm ran the life-blood, and with strength refreshed,
'The muscles swelled and all the joints grew firm,
'And with his might restored, he breaks his bonds
'And rives the arms of Hercules away.
'Amazed the hero stood at such a strength.
'Not thus he feared, though then unused to war,
'That hydra fierce which, smitten in the marsh
'Of Inachus, renewed its severed heads.
'They fought as peers, the giant with the powers
'Which earth bestowed, the hero with his own:
' Nor did the hatred of his step-dame find
'In all his conflicts greater room for hope.
' She sees bedewed in sweat the neck and limbs
'Which once had borne the burden of the heavens
' Nor knew the toil: and when Antaeus felt
' His foeman's arms close round him once again,
' He flung his wearying limbs upon the sand
' To rise with strength renewed; all that the earth,
'Though labouring sore, could breathe into her son
'She gave his frame. But Hercules at last
' Saw how his parent gave the giant strength.
'" Stand thou," he cried; "no more upon the ground
' "Thou liest at thy will-here must thou stay
'" Within mine arms constrained; against this breast,
'" Antaeus, shalt thou fall." He lifted up
' And held by middle girth the giant form,
'Still struggling for the soil: but she no more
'Could give her offspring vigour. Slowly came
'The chill of death upon him, and 'twas long
'Before the hero, of his victory sure,
'Trusted the earth and laid the giant down.
'Hence, hoar antiquity that loves to prate
'And wonders at herself, this region called
'Antaeus' kingdom. But a greater name
' Yon hills from Scipio gained, when he recalled
'From Roman citadels the Punic chief.
'Here was his camp; here canst thou see the trace
' Of that most famous rampart whence at length
'Issued the Eagles of triumphant Rome.'
But Curio rejoiced, as though for him
The fortunes of the spot must hold in store
The fates of former chiefs: and on the place
Of happy augury placed his tents ill-starred;
Took from the hills their omens; and with force
Unequal, challenged his barbarian foe.
All Africa that bore the Roman yoke
Then lay 'neath Varus. He, though placing first
Trust in his Latian troops, from every side
And furthest regions, summons to his aid
The nations who confessed King Juba's rule.
Not any monarch over wider tracts
Held the dominion. From the western belt
Near Gades, Atlas parts their furthest bounds;
But from the southern, Hammon girds them in
Hard by the whirlpools; and their burning plains
Stretch forth unending 'neath the torrid zone,
In breadth its equal, till they reach at length
The shore of ocean upon either hand.
From all these regions tribes unnumbered flock
To Juba's standard: Moors of swarthy hue
As though from Ind; Numidian nomads there
And Nasamon's needy hordes; and those whose darts
Rival the flying arrows of the Mede:
Dark Garamantians leave their fervid home;
And those whose coursers unrestrained by bit
Or saddle, yet obey the rider's hand
Which wields the guiding switch: the hunter, too,
Who wanders forth, his home a fragile hut,
And blinds with flowing robe (if spear should fail)
The angry lion, monarch of the steppe.
Not eagerness alone to save the state
Stirred Juba's spirit: private hatred too
Roused him to war. For in the former year,
When Curio all things human and the gods
Polluted, he by tribune law essayed
To ravish Libya from the tyrant's sway,
And drive the monarch from his father's throne,
While giving Rome a king. To Juba thus,
Still smarting at the insult, came the war,
A welcome harvest for his crown retained.
These rumours Curio feared: nor had his troops
(Ta'en in Corfinium's hold) in waves of Rhine
Been tested, nor to Caesar in the wars
Had learned devotion: wavering in their faith,
Their second chief they doubt, their first betrayed.
Yet when the general saw the spirit of fear
Creep through his camp, and discipline to fail,
And sentinels desert their guard at night,
Thus in his fear he spake: ' By daring much
' Fear is disguised; let me be first in arms,
'And bid my soldiers to the plain descend,
While still my soldiers. Idle days breed doubt.
' By fight forestall the plot. Soon as the thirst
'Of bloodshed fills the mind, and eager hands
' Grip firm the sword, and pressed upon the brow
' The helm brings valour to the failing heart-
' Who cares to measure leaders' merits then?
' Who weighs the cause? With whom the soldier stands,
'For him he fights; as at the fatal show
No ancient grudge the gladiator's arm
' Nerves for the combat, yet as he shall strike
' He hates his rival.' Thinking thus he led
His troops in battle order to the plain.
Then victory on his arms deceptive shone
Hiding the ills to come: for from the field
Driving the hostile host with sword and spear,
He smote them till their camp opposed his way.

> Latin: Namque rates audax Lilybaeo litore solvit
Curio: nec forti velis Aquilone recepto
Inter semirutas magnae Carthaginis arces
Et Clupeam tenuit stationis litora notae:
Primaque castra locat cano procul aequore, qua se
Bagrada lentus agit, siccae sulcator arenae.
Inde petit tumulos exesasque undique rupes,
Antaei quae regna vocat non vana vetustas.
Nominis antiqui cupientem noscere caussas
Cognita per multos docuit rudis incola patres,
Nondum post genitos Tellus effeta gigantes,
Terribilem Libyeis partum concepit in antris.
Nec tam iusta fuit terrarum gloria Typhon,
Aut Tityos Briareusque ferox: coeloque pepercit,
Quod non Phlegraeis Antaeum sustulit arvis.
Hoc quoque tam vastas cumulavit munere vires
Terra sui foetus, quod, cum tetigere parentem,
Iam defecta vigent renovato robore membra.
Haec illi spelunca domus: latuisse sub alta
Rupe ferunt, epulas raptos habuisse leones.
Ad somnos non terga ferae praebere cubile
Adsuerunt, non silva torum: viresque resumit
In nuda tellure iacens. Periere coloni
Arvorum Libyes: pereunt, quos adpulit aequor,
Auxilioque diu virtus non usa cadendi,
Terrae spernit opes: invictus robore cunctis,
Quamvis staret, erat. Tandem vulgata cruenti
Fama mali, terras monstris aequorque levantem
Magnanimum Alciden Libycas excivit in oras.
Ille Cleonaei proiecit terga leonis,
Antaeus Libyci. Perfudit membra liquore
Hospes, Olympiacae servato more palaestrae:
Ille, parum fidens pedibus contingere matrem,
Auxilium membris calidas infundit arenas.
Conseruere manus et multo brachia nexu.
Colla diu gravibus frustra tentata lacertis:
Immotumque caput fixa cum fronte tenetur:
Miranturque habuisse parem. Nec viribus uti
Alcides primo voluit certamine totis,
Exhausitque virum: quod creber anhelitus illi
Prodidit, et gelidus fesso de corpore sudor.
Tunc cervix lassata quati: tunc pectore pectus
Urgeri: tunc obliqua percussa labare
Crura manu. Iam terga viri cedentia victor
Adligat, et medium, compressis ilibus, arctat:
Inguinaque insertis pedibus distendit, et omnem
Explicuit per membra virum. Rapit arida tellus
Sudorem: calido complentur sanguine venae.
Intumuere tori, totosque induruit artus,
Herculeosque novo laxavit corpore nodos.
Constitit Alcides stupefactus robore tanto:
Nec sic Inachiis, quamvis rudis esset, in undis
Desectam timuit, reparatis anguibus, hydram.
Conflixere pares, telluris viribus ille,
Ille suis. Numquam saevae sperare novercae
Plus licuit. Videt exhaustos sudoribus artus
Cervicemque viri siccam, qua ferret Olympum.
Utque iterum fessis iniecit brachia membris,
Non exspectatis Antaeus viribus hostis
Sponte cadit, maiorque, accepto robore, surgit.
Quisquis inest terris, in fessos spiritus artus
Egeritur; tellusque viro luctante laborat.
Ut tandem auxilium tactae prodesse parentis
Alcides sensit: standum est tibi, dixit, et ultra
Non credere solo, sternique vetabere terra.
Haerebis pressis intra mea pectora membris:
Huc, Antaee, cades. Sic fatus, sustulit alte
Nitentem in terras iuvenem. Morientis in artus
Non potuit nati tellus submittere vires.
Alcides medium tenuit: iam pectora pigro
Stricta gelu: terrisque diu non credidit hostem.
Hinc, aevi veteris custos, famosa vetustas
Miratrixque sui signavit nomine terras.
Sed maiora dedit cognomina collibus istis,
Poenum qui Latiis revocavit ab arcibus hostem,
Scipio. Iam sedes Libyca tellure potito
Haec fuit. En, veteris cernis vestigia valli.
Romana hos primum tenuit victoria campos.
Curio laetatus, tamquam fortuna locorum
Bella gerat, servetque ducum sibi fata priorum,
Felici non fausta loco tentoria ponens,
Indulsit castris, et collibus abstulit omen,
Sollicitatque feros non aequis viribus hostes.
Omnis Romanis quae cesserat Africa signis,
Tunc Vari sub iure fuit: qui, robore quamquam
Confisus Latio, regis tamen undique vires
Excivit Libycae gentis, extremaque mundi
Signa, suum comitata Iubam. Non fusior ulli
Terra fuit domino: qua sunt longissima regna,
Cardine ab occiduo vicinus Gadibus Atlas
Terminat: a medio confinis Syrtibus Hammon:
At qua lata iacet vasti plaga fervida regni,
Distinet Oceanum, zonaeque exusta calentis
Sufficiunt spatio. Populi tot castra sequuntur:
Autololes, Numidaeque vagi, semperque paratus
Inculto Gaetulus equo: tunc concolor Indo
Maurus, inops Nasamon, mixti Garamante perusto
Marmaridae volucres, aequaturusque sagittas
Medorum, tremulum cum torsit missile, Mazax:
Et gens quae nudo residens Massylia dorso
Ora levi flectit frenorum nescia virga:
Et solitus vacuis errare mapalibus Afer
Venator, ferrique simul fiducia non est,
Vestibus iratos laxis operire leones.
Nec solum studiis civilibus arma parabat,
Privatae sed bella dabat Iuba concitus irae.
Hunc quoque, quo superos humanaque polluit anno,
Lege tribunicia solio depellere avorum
Curio tentarat, Libyamque auferre tyranno,
Dum regnum te, Roma, facit. Memor ille doloris
Hoc bellum sceptri fructum putat esse retenti.
Hac igitur regis trepidat iam Curio fama,
Et quod Caesareis numquam devota iuventus
Illa nimis castris, nec Rheni miles in undis
Exploratus erat, Corfini captus in arce,
Infidusque novis ducibus, dubiusque priori,
Fas utrumque putat. Sed postquam languida segni
Cernit cuncta metu, nocturnaque munia valli
Desolata fuga, trepida sic mente profatur:
Audendo magnus tegitur timor: arma capessam
Ipse prior: campum miles descendat in aequum,
Dum meus est: variam semper dant otia mentem.
Eripe consilium pugna. Cum dira voluntas
Ense subit presso, et galeae texere pudorem,
Quis conferre duces meminit? quis pendere caussas?
Qua stetit, inde favet: veluti fatalis arenae
Muneribus non ira vetus concurrere cogit
Productos: odere pares. Sic fatus, apertis
Instruxit campis acies: quem blanda futuris
Deceptura malis belli fortuna recepit.
Nam pepulit Varum campo, nudataque foeda
Terga fuga, donec vetuerunt castra, cecidit.

[¶1] But after Varus' rout, unseen till then,
All eager for the glory to be his,
By stealth came Juba: silent was his march;
His only fear lest rumour should forestall
His coming victory. In pretended war
He sends Sabura forth with scanty force
To tempt the enemy, while in hollow vale
He holds the armies of his realm unseen.
'Tis thus the sly ichneumon with his tail
Waving, allures the serpent of the Nile
Drawn to the moving shadow: he, with head
Turned sideways, watches till the victim glides
Within his reach, then seizes by the throat
Behind the deadly fangs: forth from its seat
Balked of its purpose, through the brimming jaws
Gushes a tide of poison. Fortune smiled
On Juba's stratagem; for Curio
(The hidden forces of the foe unknown)
Sent forth his horse by night without the camp
To scour more distant regions. He himself
At earliest peep of dawn bids carry forth
His standards; heeding not his captains' prayer
Urged on his ears: ' Beware of Punic fraud,
' The craft that taints a Carthaginian war.'
Hung over him the doom of coming death
And gave the youth to fate; and civil strife
Dragged down its author.
On the lofty tops
Where broke the hills abruptly to their fall
He ranks his troops and sees the foe afar:
Who still deceiving, simulated flight,
Till from the height in loose unordered lines
The Roman forces streamed upon the plain,
In thought that Juba fled. Then first was known
The treacherous fraud: for swift Numidian horse
On every side surround them: leader, men-
All see their fate in one dread moment come.
No coward flees, no warrior bravely strides
To meet the battle: nay, the trumpet call
Stirs not the charger with resounding hoof
To spurn the rock, nor galling bit compels
To champ in eagerness; nor toss his mane
And prick the ear, nor prancing with his feet
To claim his share of combat. Tired, the neck
Droops downwards: smoking sweat bedews the limbs:
Dry from the squalid mouth protrudes the tongue,
Hoarse, raucous panting issues from their chests;
Their flanks distended: and on every curb
Dry foam of blood; the ruthless sword alone
Could move them onward, powerless even then
To charge; but giving to the hostile dart
A nearer victim. But when the Afric horse
First made their onset, loud beneath their hoofs
Rang the wide plain, and rose the dust in air
As by some Thracian whirlwind stirred; and veiled
The heavens in darkness. When on Curio's host
The tempest burst, each footman in the rank
Stood there to meet his fate-no doubtful end
Hung in the balance: destiny proclaimed
Death to them all. No conflict hand to hand
Was granted them, by lances thrown from far
And sidelong sword-thrusts slain: nor wounds alone,
But clouds of weapons falling from the air
By weight of iron o'erwhelmed them. Still drew in
The straightening circle, for the first pressed back
On those behind; did any shun the foe,
Seeking the inner safety of the ring,
He needs must perish by his comrades' swords.
And as the front rank fell, still narrower grew
The close crushed phalanx, till to raise their swords
Space was denied. Still close and closer forced
The armed breasts against each other driven
Pressed out the life. Thus not upon a scene
Such as their fortune promised, gazed the foe.
No tide of blood was there to glut their eyes,
No members lopped asunder, though the earth
Was piled with corpses; for each Roman stood
In death upright against his comrade dead.
Let cruel Carthage rouse her hated ghosts
By this fell offering; let the Punic shades,
And bloody Hannibal, from this defeat
Receive atonement: yet 'twas shame, ye gods,
That Libya gained not for herself the day;
And that our Romans on that field should die
To save Pompeius and the Senate's cause.
Now was the dust laid low by streams of blood,
And Curio, knowing that his host was slain,
Chose not to live; and, as a brave man should,
He rushed upon the heap, and fighting fell.
In vain with turbid speech hast thou profaned
The pulpit of the forum; waved in vain
From that proud citadel the tribune flag:
And armed the people, and the Senate's rights
Betraying, hast compelled this impious war
Betwixt the rival kinsmen. Low thou liest
Before Pharsalus' fight, and from thine eyes
Is hid the war. 'Tis thus to suffering Rome,
For arms seditious and for civil strife
Ye mighty make atonement with your blood.
Happy were Rome and all her sons indeed,
Did but the gods as rigidly protect
As they avenge, her violated laws!
There Curio lies; untombed his noble corpse,
Torn by the vultures of the Libyan wastes.
Yet shall we, since such merit, though unsung,
Lives by its own imperishable fame,
Give thee thy meed of praise. Rome never bore
Another son, who, had he right pursued,
Had so adorned her laws; but soon the times,
Their luxury, corruption, and the curse
Of copious wealth swept o'er his wavering mind
In stream transverse; and, bribed by spoils of Gaul
And golden gifts of Caesar, Curio changed
Turned with his change the scale of human things.
True, mighty Sulla, cruel Marius,
And bloody Cinna, and the long descent
Of Caesar and of Caesar's house became
Lords of our lives. But who had power like him?
All others bought the state: he sold alone.

> Latin: Tristia sed postquam superati proelia Vari
Sunt audita Iubae: laetus, quod gloria belli
Sit rebus servata suis, rapit agmina furtim,
Obscuratque suam per iussa silentia famam,
Hoc solum metuens, incautus ab hoste timeri.
Mittitur, exigua qui proelia prima lacessat
Eliciatque manu, Numidis a rege secundus,
Ut sibi commissi simulator Sabura belli.
Ipse cava regni vires in valle retentat:
Aspidas ut Pharias cauda sollertior hostis
Ludit, et iratas incerta provocat umbra:
Obliquusque caput vanas serpentis in auras
Effusae tuto comprendit guttura morsu
Letiferam citra saniem: tunc irrita pestis
Exprimitur, faucesque fluunt pereunte veneno.
Fraudibus eventum dederat fortuna: feroxque,
Non exploratis occulti viribus hostis,
Curio nocturnum castris erumpere cogit
Ignotisque equitem late discurrere campis.
Ipse sub aurorae primos excedere motus
Signa iubet castris, multum frustraque rogatus
Ut Libycas metuat fraudes, infectaque semper
Punica bella dolis. Leti fortuna propinqui
Tradiderat fatis iuvenem: bellumque trahebat
Auctorem civile suum. Super ardua ducit
Saxa, super cautes, abrupto limite, signa:
Cum procul e summis conspecti collibus hostes
Fraude sua cessere parum, dum colle relicto
Effusam patulis aciem committeret arvis.
Ille, fugam credens, simulatae nescius artis,
Ut victor, medios aciem proiecit in agros.
tunc primum patuere doli, Numidaeque fugaces
Undique completis clauserunt montibus agmen.
Obstupuit dux ipse simul, perituraque turba.
Non timidi petiere fugam, non proelia fortes:
Quippe ubi non sonipes motus clangore tubarum
Saxa quatit pulsu, rigidos vexantia frenos
Ora terens, spargitque iubas, et subrigit aures,
Incertoque pedum pugnat non stare tumultu.
Fessa iacet cervix. Fumant sudoribus artus,
Oraque proiecta squalent arentia lingua:
Pectora rauca gemunt, quae creber anhelitus urguet:
Et defecta gravis longe trahit ilia pulsus:
Siccaque sanguineis durescit spuma lupatis.
Iamque gradum neque verberibus stimulisque coacti,
Nec quamvis crebris iussi calcaribus addunt.
Vulneribus coguntur equi. Nec profuit ulli
Cornipedis rupisse moras: neque enim impetus illis
Incursusque fuit: tantum profertur ad hostes,
Et spatium iaculis oblato vulnere donat.
At vagus Afer equos ut primum emisit in agmen,
Tunc campi tremuere sono: terraque soluta,
Quantus Bistonio torquetur turbine, pulvis
Aera nube sua texit, traxitque tenebras.
Ut vero in pedites fatum miserabile belli
Incubuit, nullo dubii discrimine Martis
Ancipites steterunt casus, sed tempora pugnae
Mors tenuit. Neque enim licuit procurrere contra,
Et miscere manus. Sic undique septa iuventus
Cominus obliquis et rectis eminus hastis
Obruitur: non vulneribus nec sanguine, solum
Telorum nimbo peritura, ac pondere ferri.
Ergo acies tantae parum spissantur in orbem:
Ac, si quis metuens medium correpsit in agmen,
Vix impune suos inter convertitur enses:
Densaturque globus, quantum pede prima relato
Constrinxit gyros acies. Non arma movendi
Iam locus est pressis: stipataque membra teruntur:
Frangitur armatum colliso pectore pectus.
Non tam laeta tulit victor spectacula Maurus,
Quam fortuna dabat: fluvios non ille cruoris,
Membrorumque videt lapsum, et ferientia terram
Corpora: compressum turba stetit omne cadaver.
Excitet invisas dirae Carthaginis umbras
Inferiis fortuna novis: ferat ista cruentus
Hannibal et Poeni tam dira piacula manes.
Romanam, superi, Libyca tellure ruinam
Pompeio prodesse nefas, votisque senatus.
Africa nos potius vincat sibi. Curio fusas
Ut vidit campis acies, et cernere tantas
Permisit clades compressus sanguine pulvis,
Non tulit adflictis animam producere rebus,
Aut sperare fugam: ceciditque in strage suorum,
Impiger ad letum, et fortis virtute coacta.
Quid nunc rostra tibi prosunt turbata, forumque,
Unde tribunicia plebeius signifer arte
Arma dabas populis? quid prodita iura senatus.
Et gener atque socer bello concurrere iussi?
Ante iaces, quam dira duces Pharsalia confert,
Spectandumque tibi bellum civile negatum est.
Has urbi miserae vestro de sanguine poenas
Nempe datis? luitis iugulo sic arma, potentes?
Felix Roma quidem, civesque habitura beatos,
Si libertatis superis tam cura placeret,
Quam vindicta placet. Libycas, en, nobile corpus,
Pascit aves nullo contectus Curio busto.
At tibi nos (quando non proderit ista silere,
A quibus omne aevi senium sua fama repellit,)
Digna damus, iuvenis, meritae praeconia vitae.
Haud alium tanta civem tulit indole Roma,
Aut cui plus leges deberent recta sequenti.
Perdita tunc urbi nocuerunt saecula, postquam
Ambitus, et luxus, et opum metuenda facultas
Transverso mentem dubiam torrente tulerunt:
Momentumque fuit mutatus Curio rerum,
Gallorum captus spoliis, et Caesaris auro.
Ius licet in iugulos nostros sibi fecerit ense
Sulla potens, Mariusque ferox, et Cinna cruentus,
Caesareaeque domus series: cui tanta potestas
Concessa est? Emere omnes, hic vendidit urbem.