Book II
THE FLIGHT OF POMPEIUS
35
'Forged into weapons for his ruffian needs.
'No charge he gave to mere recruits in guilt
'Who brought not to the camp some proof of crime.
'How dread that day when conquering Marius seized
'The city's ramparts! with what fated speed
'Death strode upon his victims! plebs alike 120
'And nobles perished; far and near the sword
'Struck at his pleasure, till the temple floors
'Ran wet with slaughter and the crimson stream
'Befouled with slippery gore the holy walls.
'No age found pity men of failing years,
'Just tottering to the grave, were hurled to death;
'From infants, in their being's earliest dawn,[1]
'The growing life was severed. For what crime?
''Twas cause enough for death that they could die.
'The fury grew: soon 'twas a sluggard's part 130
'To seek the guilty: hundreds died to swell
'The tale of victims. Shamed by empty hands,
'The bloodstained conqueror snatched a reeking head
'From neck unknown. One way of life remained,
'To kiss with shuddering lips the red right hand.[2]
'Degenerate people! Had ye hearts of men,
'Though ye were threatened by a thousand swords,
'Far rather death than centuries of life
'Bought at such price; much more that breathing space
'Till Sulla comes again.[3] But time would fail 140
'In weeping for the deaths of all who fell.
'No charge he gave to mere recruits in guilt
'Who brought not to the camp some proof of crime.
'How dread that day when conquering Marius seized
'The city's ramparts! with what fated speed
'Death strode upon his victims! plebs alike 120
'And nobles perished; far and near the sword
'Struck at his pleasure, till the temple floors
'Ran wet with slaughter and the crimson stream
'Befouled with slippery gore the holy walls.
'No age found pity men of failing years,
'Just tottering to the grave, were hurled to death;
'From infants, in their being's earliest dawn,[1]
'The growing life was severed. For what crime?
''Twas cause enough for death that they could die.
'The fury grew: soon 'twas a sluggard's part 130
'To seek the guilty: hundreds died to swell
'The tale of victims. Shamed by empty hands,
'The bloodstained conqueror snatched a reeking head
'From neck unknown. One way of life remained,
'To kiss with shuddering lips the red right hand.[2]
'Degenerate people! Had ye hearts of men,
'Though ye were threatened by a thousand swords,
'Far rather death than centuries of life
'Bought at such price; much more that breathing space
'Till Sulla comes again.[3] But time would fail 140
'In weeping for the deaths of all who fell.
- ↑ See Ben Jonson's ‘Catiline,' Act i., scene 1, speaking of the Sullan massacre.Cethegus. Not infants in the porch of life were free.
*********
Catiline. 'Twas crime enough that they had lives: to strike but only
those that could do hurt was dull and poor: some fell to make the number
as some the prey. - ↑ Whenever he did not salute a man, or return his salute, this was a signal for massacre. (Plutarch, ‘Marius,' 43.)
- ↑ The Marian massacre was in B.C. 87—86; the Sullar in 82–81.
