THE THIRD OBSERVATION.
AMongst these memorialls Crastinus may not be forgotten, being the first man that began the battel;* 1.1 whom Plutarch calleth C. Crassinius, and saith, that Caesar seeing him in the morning as he came out of his Tent, asked him what he thought of the successe of the battel. Crastinus, stretching out his right hand unto him, cried out aloud, O Caesar, thine is the vi∣ctory; and this day shalt thou commend me ei∣ther alive or dead. And accordingly, he brake afterwards out of the ranks; and running a∣mongst the midst of his Enemies, with many that followed him, made a great slaughter. At last one ran him into the mouth, that the swords point came out at his neck, and so slew him.
By him, and others of like courage and worth, was Caesar raised from the extremity of his wants, and the disgrace of his former los∣ses, to the chiefest height of earthly glory: and herein might well assume unto himself, that which was formerly said of the people, Mag∣na populi Romani fortuna, sed semper in ma∣lis major resurrexit; Great is the fortune of the people of Rome; but it still growes greater & increaseth by troubles: together with that of Plutarch,* 1.2 Res invicta Romanorum arma, The Roman Arms are things invincible. Lucan speaking of Scaeva formerly mentioned,* 1.3 saith,* 1.4 He shewed a great deal of valour to get Rome a Lord. But upon Crastinus he laieth a heavy doom.
D••i tibi non mortem, quae cunctis poena pa∣ratur, Sed sensum post fata tuae dent, Crastine, morti, Cujus torta manu commisit lancea bellum, Primaque Thessaliam Romano sanguine tinxit. Maist thou not only dy, which all men do; But dy, and have thy senses after too. A lance thrown by thy hand the fight began. When with brave Roman bloud Thessalia ran.