ee,
But skies and seas doo make most dreadfull warre;
The billowes striving to the heavens to reach, 575
And th'heavens striving them for to impeach*.
[* _Impeach_, hinder.]
"And, in avengement of their bold attempt,
Both sun and starres and all the heavenly powres
Conspire in one to wreake their rash contempt,
And downe on them to fall from highest towres: 580
The skie, in pieces seeming to be rent,
Throwes lightning forth, and haile, and harmful showres,
That death on everie side to them appeares,
In thousand formes, to worke more ghastly feares.
"Some in the greedie flouds are sunke and drent*; 585
Some on the rocks of Caphareus are throwne;
Some on th'Euboick cliffs in pieces rent;
Some scattred on the Hercaean** shores unknowne;
And manie lost, of whom no moniment
Remaines, nor memorie is to be showne: 590
Whilst all the purchase@ of the Phrigian pray,
Tost on salt billowes, round about doth stray.
[* _Drent_, drowned.]
[** _Hercaean_ should probably be AEgean.]
[@ _Purchase_, booty.]
"Here manie other like heroes bee,
Equall in honour to the former crue,
Whom ye in goodly seates may placed see, 595
Descended all from Rome by linage due;
From Rome, that holds the world in sovereigntie,
And doth all nations unto her subdue:
Here Fabii and Decii doo dwell,
Horatii that in vertue did excell. 600
"And here the antique fame of stout Camill
Doth ever live; and constant Curtius,
Who, stifly bent his vowed life to spill
For countreyes health, a gulph most hideous
Amidst the towne with his owne corps did fill, 605
T'appease the Powers; and prudent Mutius,
Who in his flesh endur'd the scorching flame,
To daunt his foe by ensample of the same.
"And here wise Curius, companion
Of noble vertues, lives in endles rest; 610
And stout Flaminius, whose devotion
Taught him the fires scorn'd furie to detest;
And here the praise of either Scipion
Abides in highest place above the best,
To whom the ruin'd walls of Carthage vow'd, 615
Trembling their forces, sound their praises lowd.
"Live they for ever through their lasting praise!
But I, poore wretch, am forced to retourne
To the sad lakes that Phoebus sunnie rayes
Doo never see, where soules doo alwaies mourne;
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