Book III
MASSILIA
75
'Ye rest upon my march: speed though I may
'Towards my western goal, time still remains 410
'To blot Massilia out. Rejoice, my troops!
'Unsought the war ye longed for meets you now:
'The fates concede it. As the tempests lose
'Their strength by sturdy forests unopposed,
'And as the fire that finds no fuel dies,
'Even so to find no foe is Cæsar's ill.
'When those who may be conquered will not fight
'That is defeat. Degenerate, disarmed
'Their gates admit me! Not content, forsooth,
'With shutting Cæsar out they shut him in! 420
'They shun the taint of war! Such prayer for peace
'Brings with it chastisement. In Cæsar's age
'Learn that not peace, but war within his ranks
'Alone can make you safe.'
Fearless he turns
His march upon the city, and beholds
Fast barred the gate-ways, while in arms the youths
Stand on the battlements. Hard by the walls
A hillock rose, upon the further side
Expanding in a plain of gentle slope,
Fit (as he deemed it) for a camp with ditch 430
And mound encircling. To a lofty height
The nearest portion of the city rose,
While intervening valleys lay between.
These summits with a mighty trench to bind
The chief resolves, gigantic though the toil.
But first, from furthest boundaries of his camp,
Enclosing streams and meadows, to the sea
To draw a rampart, upon either hand
Heaved up with earthy sod; with lofty towers
Crowned; and to shut Massilia from the land. 440
Then did the Grecian city win renown
'Towards my western goal, time still remains 410
'To blot Massilia out. Rejoice, my troops!
'Unsought the war ye longed for meets you now:
'The fates concede it. As the tempests lose
'Their strength by sturdy forests unopposed,
'And as the fire that finds no fuel dies,
'Even so to find no foe is Cæsar's ill.
'When those who may be conquered will not fight
'That is defeat. Degenerate, disarmed
'Their gates admit me! Not content, forsooth,
'With shutting Cæsar out they shut him in! 420
'They shun the taint of war! Such prayer for peace
'Brings with it chastisement. In Cæsar's age
'Learn that not peace, but war within his ranks
'Alone can make you safe.'
Fearless he turns
His march upon the city, and beholds
Fast barred the gate-ways, while in arms the youths
Stand on the battlements. Hard by the walls
A hillock rose, upon the further side
Expanding in a plain of gentle slope,
Fit (as he deemed it) for a camp with ditch 430
And mound encircling. To a lofty height
The nearest portion of the city rose,
While intervening valleys lay between.
These summits with a mighty trench to bind
The chief resolves, gigantic though the toil.
But first, from furthest boundaries of his camp,
Enclosing streams and meadows, to the sea
To draw a rampart, upon either hand
Heaved up with earthy sod; with lofty towers
Crowned; and to shut Massilia from the land. 440
Then did the Grecian city win renown
