Book 8
' I supplicate not, but in death shall take
1
' To other spheres this solace, chief of all;
' His hands, my kinsman's, never shed my blood
' Nor soothed me dying. Yet as my mind in turn
' The varying fortunes of my life recalls,
' How was I glorious in that Eastern world!
' How great my name by far Maeotis marsh
' And where swift Tanais flows! No other land
'Has so resounded with my conquests won,
' So sent me home triumphant. Rome, do thou
' Approve my enterprise! What happier chance
' Could favouring gods afford thee? Parthian hosts
' Shall fight the civil wars of Rome, and share
' Her ills, and fall enfeebled. When the arms
' Of Caesar meet with Parthian in the fray,
' Then must kind Fortune vindicate my lot
'Or Crassus be avenged.' But murmurs rose,
And Magnus speaking knew his words condemned.
Then Lentulus Probably Lucius Lentulus Crus, who had been Consul, for B.C. 49, along with Caius Marcellus. (See Book V., 9.) He was murdered in Egypt by Ptolemy's ministers. answered, with indignant soul,
Foremost to rouse their valour, thus in words
' Broken thy spirit so? One day's defeat
' Condemned the world to ruin? Is the cause
' Lost in one battle and beyond recall?
' Find we no cure for wounds? Does Fortune drive
' Thee, Magnus, to the Parthians' feet alone?
' And dost thou, fugitive, spurn the lands and skies
' Known heretofore, and seek for other poles
' And constellations, and Chaldean gods,
' And rites barbarian, servant of the realm
' Of Parthia? But why then took we arms
' For love of liberty? If thou canst slave
' Thou hast deceived the world! Shall Parthia see
' Thee at whose name, ruler of mighty Rome,
' She trembled, at whose feet she captive saw
' Hyrcanian kings and Indian princes kneel,
' Now humbly suppliant, victim of the fates;
' And at thy prayer her puny strength extol
' In mad contention with the Western world?
