le doubt respecting the Pharaoh
meant--whether the Pharaoh, whose daughter adopted Moses, or the Pharaoh
who was drowned in the Red Sea. The tale suits the latter king far
better than it does the first.

=Pharsa'lia= (_The_), a Latin epic in ten books, by Lucan, the subject
being the fall and death of Pompey. It opens with the passage of Caesar
across the Rub[)i]con. This river formed the boundary of his province,
and his crossing it was virtually a declaration of war (bk. i.). Pompey
is appointed by the senate general of the army to oppose him (bk. v.).
Caesar retreats to Thessaly; Pompey follows (bk. vi.), and both prepare
for war. Pompey, being routed in the battle of Pharsalia, flees (bk.
vii.), and seeking protection in Egypt, is met by Achillas, the Egyptian
general, who murders him, cuts off his head, and casts his body into the
sea (bk. viii.). Cato leads the residue of Pompey's army to Cyr[=e]n[^e],
in Africa (bk. ix.); and Caesar, in pursuit of Pompey, landing at
Alexandria, is hospitably entertained by Cleopatra (bk. x.). While here,
he tarries in luxurious dalliance, the palace is besieged by Egyptians,
and Caesar with difficulty escapes to Pharos. He is closely pursued,
hemmed in on all sides, and leaps into the sea. With his imperial robe
held between his teeth, his commentaries in his left hand, and his sword
in his right, he buffets the waves. A thousand javelins are hurled at
him, but touch him not. He swims for empire, he swims for life; 'tis
Caesar and his fortunes that the waves bear on. He reaches his fleet; is
received by his soldiers with thundering applause. The stars in their
courses fought for Caesar. The sea-gods were with him, and Egypt with her
host was a by-word and a scorn.

[Asterism] Bk. ix. contains the account of the African serpents, by far
the most celebrated passage of the whole poem. The following is a pretty
close translation of the passage in question. It would have occupied
too much room to give their onslaught also:--

Here all the serpent deadly brood appears;
First the dull Asp its swelling neck uprears;
The huge Hemor'rho[:i]s, vampire of the blood;
Chersy'ders, that pollute both field and flood;
The Water-serpent, tyrant of the lake;
The hooded Cobra; and the Plantain snake;
Here with distended jaws the Prester strays;
And Seps, whose bite both flesh and bone decays;
The Amphisbaena with its double head,
One on the neck, and on