MESSENGER. Cæsar, that wisely knew his soldiers' hearts, And their desire to be approv'd in arms, Sought nothing more than to encounter us. And therefore, (faintly skirmishing) in craft Lamely they fought, to draw us further on. Oft (to provoke our wary, well-taught troops) He would attempt the entrance on our bars: Nay, even our trenches, to our great disgrace, And call our soldiers cowards to their face. But when he saw his wiles nor bitter words Could draw our captains to endanger us, Coasting along and following by the foot, He thought to tire and weary us fro' thence; And got his willing hosts to march by night With heavy armour on their hard'ned backs, Down to the sea-side, where before fair Thapsus,[372] He made his pioneers, poor weary souls, The selfsame day to dig and cast new trenches, And plant strong barricades; where he encamp'd, Resolv'd by force to hold us hard at work. Scipio no sooner heard of his designs, But, being afraid to lose so fit a place, March'd on the sudden to the selfsame city; Where few men might do much, which made him see Of what importance such a town would be. The fields are spread, and as a household-camp Of creeping emmets in a country-farm, That come to forage when the cold begins, Leaving their crannies to go search about, Cover the earth so thick, as scarce we tread, But we shall see a thousand of them dead. Even so our battles, scatter'd on the sand, Did scour the plains in pursuit of the foe. One while at Thapsus we begin t' entrench, To ease our army, if it should retire; Another while we softly sally forth; And wakeful Cæsar that doth watch our being, (When he perceives us marching o'er the plain) Doth leap for gladness; and (to murder vow'd) Runs to the tent, for fear we should be gone, And quickly claps his rusty armour on. For true it is, that Cæsar brought at first An host of men to Afric, meanly arm'd; But such as had brave spirits, and (combating) Had pow'r and wit to make a wretch a king. Well, forth to field they marched all at once, Except some few that stay'd to guard the trench. Them Cæsar soon and subtly sets in rank, And every regiment, warned with a word Bravely to fight for honour of the day. He shows that ancient soldiers need not fear Them that they had so oft disordered: Them that already dream'd of death or flight; That (tir'd) would ne'er hold out, if once they see, That they o'erlaid them in the first assault. Meanwhile our emperor, at all points arm'd, Whose silver hairs and honourable front Were (warlike) lock'd within a plumed casque, In one hand held his targe of steel emboss'd, And in the other grasp'd his coutelace,[373] And with a cheerful look survey'd the camp; Exhorting them to charge, and fight like men,