which one of them should have that privilege, and so gain the throne, but Brutus understood the prophecy better. He pretended to stumble and fall, kissing the ground beneath him as he did so, for he guessed that the oracle had not meant a person, 5 but the great earth, the mother of them all. In spite of the discontent among the citizens, Tarquin might, perhaps, have been king of Rome until he died, if it had not been for the great wickedness of one of his sons. While the king was away from the city, carrying on war with a neighboring 10 people, this son, Sextus, caused the death of a noble Roman lady named Lucretia. Her husband and her father were overcome with grief and rage, and Brutus, who was with them, threw off his pretended dullness. He seized the bloody dagger that had slain Lucretia, and swore with them that he would 15 never rest until the family of Tarquin had ceased to reign at 20 20 Rome. Then he hurried to the city and told the story there. The people were filled with anger, and when the king and his sons returned, they found the gates closed against them. Their soldiers had already received Brutus with joy, and, having lost both army and city, the king was obliged to leave the lands of Rome and seek refuge among his friends north of the Tiber. After they had cast out the Tarquins, the people took an oath that they would never, from that time on, allow any one to become king of Rome. Then one of the first things which 25 they had to do was to find some other form of government to take the place of the old one. For they knew very well that they must have some one in authority over them, or their enemies would be able to overcome their army, and King Tarquin might seize his throne once more. 30 So the people set up a republic. They agreed that two men, called consuls, should be elected each year; and these consuls, with the senate, should govern Rome in the place of the kings. When the vote was taken for the first consuls, it was found that Brutus was one of the two men who were elected; so the oracle lu krē'shia sex'tus was fulfilled which foretold that he should follow Tarquin as ruler of the city. Tarquin the Proud was not content, however, to see his kingdom slip from him so easily; and the Roman people were soon 5 obliged to fight for the right of governing themselves. Their first trouble came from within the city itself; and this, perhaps, no one had expected. There were some of the people of Rome who were not pleased at the expulsion of the king, and who would have been glad to 10 have him back with them again. These persons were young men of high family and much wealth, who had been the companions of the young princes, and who had enjoyed rights and privileges under the rule of Tarquin which were now taken away from them. They complained bitterly of this, and said that, 15 though the rest of the people had gained by having the Tarquins go, they had lost by it. So, when the opportunity offered itself, they began working selfishly to return the king to power. Their chance came when Tarquin sent men back to Rome to claim the property which he and his sons had left behind 20 them, when they had been driven away. While these men were in the city, they made a plot with the dissatisfied young nobles to place King Tarquin on his throne once more. This was treason on the part of the young nobles; but they cared more for their own pleasures than they did for their country. How25 ever, the plot was discovered by a slave, and from him the consuls learned of it. When the plotters had been seized, it was found that among them were the two sons of the consul, Brutus himself. It was part of the duty of the consul to act as judge in the trial of prisoners, and this made the situation doubly terrible for 30 Brutus. But he was a true Roman, and loved his country even more than he did his own children. He took his seat with the other consul, and, when the young men were led before the judges, he joined in condemning them all to death. Then the prisoners were given into charge of attendants of the consuls, 35 called lictors, who each carried a battle-axe, bound into a bundle of rods, as a sign that the consuls had the right to punish offenders with flogging and with death itself. They made the erring young nobles suffer the full severity of the law, and the Romans saw, with admiration and pity, that the stern virtue of 5 Brutus did not fail him even when the welfare of his country demanded that his sons be put to death before his eyes. Tarquin was only made more angry and determined by the failure of this plot. He now decided that if he could not get back his throne by treachery, he would try to do so by open war. 10 He went about from city to city, begging help from the enemies of Rome to bring his people back under his rule once more. No matter how often he was refused, or how often he was defeated in battle when he did succeed in raising a force to lead against the Romans, he was always ready to try again. 15 At last Tarquin secured the help of Lars Porsena, who ruled over a part of Tuscany, as the district is called which lies north and west of the Tiber. When the Romans heard this news, they were filled with dismay; and from all sides the country people flocked into the city. 20 Never before had so great a danger threatened the place. The senate and consuls prepared as well as they could to meet the attack, and tried to hope that they might still be able to defeat their enemies. Just across the river from Rome was a long, high hill. Here 25 the Romans had built a fort as a protection to the city; and to connect this with Rome, a wooden bridge had long ago been placed across the rapid current of the Tiber. If the Romans could hold this height and the bridge below it the city would be safe. But by a quick march and fierce attack Lars Porsena 30 and the Tarquins seized the hill. Then their soldiers pushed on to gain the bridge also, while many of the Romans who guarded it were struck with fear and turned to take refuge in the city. At this moment a Roman, named Horatius, rushed in among lärs por❜se na tus'kan i his countrymen, laying hold of them, and standing in the way of their flight. Break "Why do you flee?" he cried. "If you give up the bridge there will soon be more of the enemy in Rome than here. 5 down the timbers with fire and sword before you go! guard the entrance for you as well as one man may.” I will Two of At these words the soldiers were seized with shame. their number stepped to Horatius's side to defend the narrow entrance with him, and the others fell to work tearing down the 10 bridge behind them. Until the last beams were ready to fall Horatius and his comrades stood at the end, holding all the army of Lars Porsena in check upon the other side. Though many tried to overcome them, no man proved himself a match for them. Wounded but unflinching, they fought until the bridge 15 began to tremble, and the laboring soldiers warned them to return while there was still a way. At the call Horatius's companions fell back, step by step, but their leader lingered, fighting to the last. Then, just as he had turned to cross, with a mighty crash the bridge fell; and he was left, cut off among his enemies. En20 trusting himself to Father Tiber, he plunged into the river, though he was weary and wounded from the fight, and his armor weighed heavily upon him. Many times he seemed sinking in midstream, but each time he rose again. At last, he felt the bottom under his feet, and safely climbed the other shore. 25 The city was saved, and mainly by Horatius. The state was grateful to him for his brave deed, and the senate ordered that he should have as much of the public land as he could plough around in one day. Later, his statue was set up in the forum, but best of all was the gratitude which the people showed him at 30 the time. Then, when food became scarce because of the war with Lars Porsena, the citizens each brought to the house of Horatius little gifts of grain and wine, so that whatever suffering might come upon themselves, there would still be plenty in the house of the man who had saved Rome. HORATIUS* THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY 1 Lars Porsena of Clusium By the Nine Gods he swore 2 East and west and south and north Have heard the trumpet's blast. Shame on the false Etruscan Who lingers in his home, Is on the march for Rome. 11* And now hath every city Sent up her tale of men; The horse are thousands ten. Before the gates of Sutrium Is met the great array. * Certain stanzas are omitted as indicated by the stanza numbering, but the story of the poem is complete. |