Nen. But our looks kill. [Fight. Laberius falls.
Die, slave, by Cæsar's sword! Thou art his friend.
Die as the ransom of his greater ghost;
And learn, as well as I, how venom smarts.
Be thou my post to the Tartarian prince,
And tell him Nennius comes: but first I'll send
More of you headlong home, a nearer way
Than by the cloudy Alps. [Exit. A retreat sounded.
SCENE III.
Cassibelanus, Belinus, Lantonus.
Cas. Now hot alarums die in fainter notes:
Tempestuous night is gone: victorious joy—
As when pale Eos[306] cleaves the eastern fogs,
And, blushing more and more, opes half her eye,
With holy water sprinkling all the meads,
Whose clear reflex serves as her morning glass—
Doth paint with gaudy plumes the chequer'd sky.
The only name of victory sounds sweeter
Than all mellifluous rhetoric.
Lat. Thanks to Andates,[307] whose power kingdoms feel—
Andates, greatest goddess: in whose train
Fear, red-fac'd anger, and confusion's wheel,
Murder and desolation run before:
But joyful shouts, mirth, olive-budding peace,
And laurel-crowned triumph at her back
Do pace with stately steps. Thy temple is
The earth, where furious monarchs play the priests:
Armies of men imbrue thy altar-stones.
Thanks also to the trident-shaker's mace,[308]
Drawn by two rampant sea-horses, at whose beck
The waters wrinkled frown or smoothly smile.
But thou, heav'n's diamond, fair Phœbus' sister,
Nor Delian dames nor the Ephesian towers
Shall blazon more thy praise. Thy influence strong
Struck up the sandy ooze, that madding waves
Batter'd their ships, and dash'd their bended sails,
And with a tempest turn'd them round in scorn.
Cas. But where's the answer which her idol gave?
Can you expound the sense?
Lan. Dread sovereign, thus runs the oracle—
Loud doth the king of beasts roar,
High doth the queen of birds soar:
But her wings clipp'd soon grow out;
Both repent they are so stout.
Till C. 'gainst C. strike a round,
In a perfect circle bound.
The meaning, wrapp'd up in cross doubtful terms,
Lies yet thus open. That disastrous fate
Must be the prologue to a joyful close.
The rest we'll search out, if our skill don't fail.