vii. 593,
‘nondum attigit arcem
iuris et humanum columen, quo cuncta premuntur,
egressus meruit fatis tam nobile letum.
Vivat et, ut Bruti procumbat victima, regnet.’
Caesar’s acts are sometimes unfairly represented, as in vii. 798 sqq., ix. 1035 sqq. (on viewing Pompeius’ corpse); ll. 1038-9,
‘lacrimas non sponte cadentis
effudit gemitusque expressit pectore laeto.’
Lucan’s philosophical and religious views.—His Stoicism comes out strongly in the poem, ix. 566-84 (speech of Cato), especially 578-80,
‘Estque dei sedes, nisi terra et pontus et aër
et caelum et virtus? Superos quid quaerimus ultra?
Iuppiter est, quodcumque vides, quodcumque moveris?’
vii. 814,
‘Communis mundo superest rogus ossibus astra
mixturus.’
Note especially the very frequent references to fate; i. 263-4,
‘cunctasque pudoris
rumpunt fata moras.’