The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-11-04


terranean. The wind though hoiserous was fair
the sea- though to landsmen it might have seemed
perilous, had no errors to the exile who bes its
roughness for the speed it gave" The boat was
hauled down to the beach, moment it launch
ed into the boiling SURF the mast was shipped
the long yard hosted and, ere the canvass was
fairly spread to the influence of the gale, she was
already dancing over the billows at rate that
barely seemed sufficient the fears or wishes of her
crew.
! A week had not elapsed from his departure, ere
he had collected few scattered galeys of his yet
powerful fleet, had armed a petty force of scarce
two thousand men,-all that adhered to the
fortunes of him, who had lately boastcd, that by
the mere stamping of his foot upon the earth he
could create army,-above all he had taken on
board, at Mitylene, his heroic wife Cornelia, with
Sextus the youngest of those brave boys who were,
in after days, destined to perish, like their sire, in
the vain hope of victory and vengeance.
The mind of the bold Roman had been shaken,
it is true, by his late disasters, but it unsub
dued. No thought of base submission, no thought
of withdrawal from the contest, or REIMBURSEMENT
of his ambitious views, had crossed his daring spirit.
His army was, indeed, broken-his party scattered
to the four winds of heaven, while the power of his
rival was only increased by victory, and by the
fidence arising thence but actually reinforced
by the deseron of his own dspirited and faithless
legions Still there was hope for Pompey. While
Rome should stand, and Cato breathe-while
twenty patriots, who preferred patriotic death for
liberty to the base trappings of delegated sway,
should tread the earth, he knew that Caesar could
not be firmly seatad on the throne, which was evi-
denty the ultcrior object of his undoubted though
covert policy. For a few days. for few bitter days,
he had been plunged in deep abstraction the alb
straction not of doubt nor of despondency, but Of
anxious debate, and high consideration. Bat that
debate was ended-consideration had yielded to
eye Brilliant AS though he had never known defeat
or sorrow.
On the tenth morning after his disastrous conflict,
while the stars yet wnking in the gentle sky,
the galley of the fatcd cheftnin dropped its anchor
in the deep blight formed by the Pelusac, or eastern
estuary of the Nile. The low and swampy shores
were yelled from sight by thick bank of fog, above
which few solitary palm trees reared their lofty
stems and feathercd foliage against the transparent
atmosphere OF the upper regions. Three other
tiremes, the whole Of Pompcy's armament, might be
seen 10 windward looming up one by one from tho
horizon, till they stood into the little bay, and
to their mornings little way to scaward of the
lenders vessel. On the deck of that low vessel
n war-gallcy Of the commoncst construction, bear
ing no marks of its commanders dignity, save in
the gdcd coronas cncircling its elevated Prov and
the reriltum square banner, that iluttcrcd from
the turrct on the stcrn-on the deck of that low
vessel was collected small group, anxiously gaz-
ing forth upon the shores, eager To pierce the mis-
ty wrcaths that obscured their view of those shores
whcrcon they hoped to re-nstate themselves in nll
their former glory.
The principal parsonage of that group was fig-
rc that well might realize the nobIest conception,
that can be formed, of perhaps, tho noblest specimen
of the human race--an ancient Roman. Tall and
superbly formed with a natural dignity of motion
and of manner that would have seemed the result
If study, had not been that study must have failed
m the production of any thing perfect-iirm, yet
courteous, graceful, yet unbending-possessing all
he grandeur of the Stole with all the gcncncss of
he Epicurcan, Pompcy the Great, in action or re-
pose, still the =" man perfect, and chastc, and
yravc," of his renowned admirer, the immortal
Cicero. Splenddly clad in the rich armor of n
Roman oificcr-ihe brilliant corsIct gancing from
beneath the fringcd and studded cassoc, which he
,orc above it, and the trpccrested casquc of pol
shed brass, rich with the sculptures of the Grccian
,hscl, setting off his intellectual head and features
stern almost to severity--thc conqucror of Mithr-
latcs stood the prow-now his sole space of en-
with one extended arm TO the camp
md royal cnsigns that were by degrees becoming
visible the Egyptian beach while with the 9TH
cr he encircled the waste of her, who clung not to
him in the fra dependency of modern females, but
bore herself erect, though pale and fearful, be-
came Roman matron, daughter of the proudest
race in that proud climc-thc hundrcd-hcrocd clan
IF the Cornell.
I" Cneus'-shc said, in tones that fatercd not,
though they were low and urnfu in their sweet
ness" Yours is it to command, mine to obey-and
to complain or murmur becomes not the daughter
of Scipio. Yet hear me, ere you go-hear me, my
Cncius, ere you go--never--l know it--ncycr to
return"
Now, may the Gods avert i"-cried the youth
ful Sexus, who listened to their words at respect
full distance" avert it, and grant better things 7"
Away"-shc burst forth into high and spirited
eloquencc-" away with depreciation, and with o.
mems, and with all the senseoss mummery Of augurs
whom the Gods purpose to destroy, they first de-
prive of reason !-Pyrrhus believed in augury, and
fell-Php made use of it, and conquered! Away
with augury and omcns-they the terror and the
ruin of the fool-thc mockery and the weapons of