Lot Essay
This painting is a close illustration of lines 185-93 of Book 1 of Lucan's Pharsalia, or, more correctly, De Bello Civile, left unfinished at Lucan's death in Rome on 30 April 65 A.D. at the age of twenty-five:
'Now near the Banks of Rubicon he stood;
When lo! as he survey'd the narrow Flood,
Amidst its dusty Horrors of the Night,
A wondrous vision stood confest in sight.
Her awful Head Rome's rev'rend Image seas'd,
Trembling and sad the Matron Form appear'd;
A tow'ry Crown her heavy Temples Bound,
And her torn Tresses rudely hung around:
Her naked Arms uplifted ere she spoke,
Then groaning, thus the mournful Silence broke.
Presumptuous Men! Oh whither do you run?
Oh wither bear you these my Ensigns on?
If Friends do Right, if Citizens of Rome,
Here to your utmost Barrier are you come.
She said; and sank within the closing Shade.
Astonishment and Dread the Chief invade;
Stiff rose his starting Hair, he stook dismay'd,
And on the Bank his slackening Steps were stay'd.'
(from the translation by Nicholas Rowe, 1718)
The incident was the turning-point of Julius Caesar's return to Rome to over throw Pompey. The Rubicon was the border between Cisalpine Gaul, Caesar's province, which he used as a base for the conquest of continental Gaul, and Rome proper. Pompey and the 'optimates', working to frustrate Caesar's reappointment as Consul, finally secured the passing by the senate of the 'Ultimate Decree' on 7 January 49 B.C.; this instructed the magistrates to protect the Republic from harm. Three days later Caesar crossed the Rubicon, a small river flowing into the Adriatic mouth of Rimini. By law no Roman General could enter Rome at the head of any army so this act was an act of war; according to Suetonius, Caesar used the words 'alea iacta est' ('the die is cast') and the incident has become proverbial for an irrevocable decision.
'Now near the Banks of Rubicon he stood;
When lo! as he survey'd the narrow Flood,
Amidst its dusty Horrors of the Night,
A wondrous vision stood confest in sight.
Her awful Head Rome's rev'rend Image seas'd,
Trembling and sad the Matron Form appear'd;
A tow'ry Crown her heavy Temples Bound,
And her torn Tresses rudely hung around:
Her naked Arms uplifted ere she spoke,
Then groaning, thus the mournful Silence broke.
Presumptuous Men! Oh whither do you run?
Oh wither bear you these my Ensigns on?
If Friends do Right, if Citizens of Rome,
Here to your utmost Barrier are you come.
She said; and sank within the closing Shade.
Astonishment and Dread the Chief invade;
Stiff rose his starting Hair, he stook dismay'd,
And on the Bank his slackening Steps were stay'd.'
(from the translation by Nicholas Rowe, 1718)
The incident was the turning-point of Julius Caesar's return to Rome to over throw Pompey. The Rubicon was the border between Cisalpine Gaul, Caesar's province, which he used as a base for the conquest of continental Gaul, and Rome proper. Pompey and the 'optimates', working to frustrate Caesar's reappointment as Consul, finally secured the passing by the senate of the 'Ultimate Decree' on 7 January 49 B.C.; this instructed the magistrates to protect the Republic from harm. Three days later Caesar crossed the Rubicon, a small river flowing into the Adriatic mouth of Rimini. By law no Roman General could enter Rome at the head of any army so this act was an act of war; according to Suetonius, Caesar used the words 'alea iacta est' ('the die is cast') and the incident has become proverbial for an irrevocable decision.