_César, de ta victoire écoute moins le bruit;_ _Elle n'est que l'effet du malheur qui me suit._--ID. Cæsar, rejoice not in thy victory; For my misfortune was its only cause. What a poor artifice! what a false as well as impudent notion! Cæsar conquered at Pharsalia only because Pompey married Cornelia! What labor to say that which is neither true, nor likely, nor fit, nor interesting! _Deux fois du monde entier j'ai causé la disgrâce._--ID. Twice have I caused the living world's disgrace. This is the "_bis nocui mundo_" of Lucan. This line presents us with a very great idea; it cannot fail to surprise; it is wanting in nothing but truth. But it must be observed, that if this line had but the smallest ray of verisimilitude--had it really its birth in the pangs of grief, it would then have all the truth, all the beauty, of theatrical fitness: _Heureuse en mes malheurs, si ce triste hyménée_ _Pour le bonheur du monde à Rome m'eût donnée_ _Et si j'eusse avec moi porté dans ta maison._ _D'un astre envenimé l'invincible poison!_ _Car enfin n'attends pas que j'abaisse ma haine:_ _Je te l'ai déjà dit, César, je suis Romaine;_ _Et, quoique ta captive, un cœur tel que le mien,_ _De peur de s'oublier, ne te demande rien._--ID. Yet happy in my woes, had these sad nuptials Given me to Cæsar for the good of Rome; Had I but carried with me to thy house The mortal venom of a noxious star! For think not, after all, my hate is less: Already have I told thee I am a Roman; And, though thy captive, such a heart as mine, Lest it forget itself, will sue for nothing. This is Lucan again. She wishes, in the "Pharsalia," that she had married Cæsar. _Atque utinam in thalamis invisi Cæsaris essem_ _Infelix conjux, et nulli læta marito!_ --_Lib._, viii, v. 88, 89. Ah! wherefore was I not much rather led A fatal bride to Cæsar's hated bed, etc. --ROWE. This sentiment is not in nature; it is at once gigantic and puerile: but at least it is not to Cæsar that Cornelia talks thus in Lucan. Corneille, on the contrary, makes Cornelia speak to Cæsar himself: he makes her say that she wishes to be his wife, in order that she may carry into his house "the mortal poison of a noxious star"; for, adds she, my hatred cannot be abated, and I have told thee already that I am a Roman, and I sue for nothing. Here is odd reasoning: I would fain have married thee, to cause thy death; and I sue for nothing. Be it also observed, that this widow heaps reproaches on Cæsar, just after Cæsar weeps for the death of Pompey and promises to avenge it.