Cornelia, the daughter of Metellus Scipio, a young Roman lady, as much accomplish'd with the graces of the body and the virtues of the mind as ever any was, was first married to young Crassus, who died with his father in the discomfiture of the Romans against the Parthians; afterward she took to second husband Pompey the Great, who (three years after), upon the first fires of the civil wars betwixt him and CÆsar, sent her from thence to Mitilen, there to attend the uncertain success of those affairs. And when he saw that he was vanquish'd at Pharsalia, returned to find her out, and carry her with him into Egypt, where his purpose was to have re-enforced a new army, and give a second assault to CÆsar.

In this voyage he was murdered by Achillus and Septimius the Roman before her eyes, and in the presence of his young son Sextus and some other Senators his friends. After which, she retired herself to Rome. But Scipio her father (being made general of those that survived after the battle,) assembled new forces, and occupied the greater part of Afric, allying himself to Juba, king of Numidia. Against all whom CÆsar (after he had ordered the affairs of Egypt and the state of Rome) in the end of winter marched. And there (after many light encounters) was a fierce and furious battle given amongst them, near the walls of Tapsus. Where Scipio seeing himself subdued and his army scattered, he betook himself with some small troop to certain ships, which he caused to stay for him.

Thence he sailed toward Spain, where Pompey's faction commanded, and where a sudden tempest took him on the sea, that drave him back to Hippon, a town in Afric, at the devotion of CÆsar, where (lying at anchor) he was assailed, beaten and assaulted by the adverse fleet; and for he would not fall alive into the hands of his so mighty enemy, he stabb'd himself, and suddenly leapt overboard into the sea, and there died.

CÆsar (having finished these wars, and quietly reduced the towns and places thereabout to his obedience) returned to Rome in triumph for his victories; where this most fair and miserable lady, having overmourn'd the death of her dear husband, and understanding of these cross events and hapless news of Afric, together with the piteous manner of her father's end, she took (as she had cause) occasion to redouble both her tears and lamentations, wherewith she closeth the catastrophe of this their tragedy.

CORNELIA