Of Cato

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Title:     Of Cato
Author: Richard Lovelace [More Titles by Lovelace]

DE CATONE.

Invictus victis in partibus omnia Caesar
Vincere qui potuit, te, Cato, non potuit.

OF CATO.

The world orecome, victorious Caesar, he
That conquer'd all, great Cato, could not thee.

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ITEM.

Ictu non potuit primo Cato solvere vitam;
Defecit tanto vulnere victa manus:
Altius inseruit digitos, qua spiritus ingens
Exiret, magnum dextera fecit iter.
Opposuit fortuna moram, involvitque, Catonis
Scires ut ferro plus valuisse manum.

ANOTHER.

One stabbe could not fierce Cato's<1> life unty;
Onely his hand of all that wound did dy.
Deeper his fingers tear to make a way
Open, through which his mighty soul might stray.
Fortune made this delay to let us know,
That Cato's hand more then his sword could do.

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ITEM.

Dextera, quid dubitas? durum est jugulare Catonem;
Sed modo liber erit: jam puto non dubitas!
Fas non est vivo quenquam servire Catone,
Nedum ipsum vincit nunc Cato si moritur.

ANOTHER.

What doubt'st thou, hand? sad Cato 'tis to kill;
But he'l be free: sure, hand, thou doubt'st not still!
Cato alive, 'tis just all men be free:
Nor conquers he himself, now if he die.

<1> Cato of Utica.

[The end]
Richard Lovelace's poem: Of Cato

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