THE HORATII AND CURIATII. 135 5. At first it seemed as if the Curiatii were going to win the victory. It is true they were all three wounded; but two of the Horatii lay dead upon the field. The other Horatius was still unhurt. He appeared determined not to perish like his two brothers; for he was seen to turn and flee. At the flight of their champion, the Romans groaned with shame and despair; for if he should lose the battle, they were all to be made slaves. 6. The three Curiatii pursued the fugitive. But their wounds had rendered them feeble. They staggered along, one behind the other, so that they were separated by considerable distances. This was what Horatius desired. Though he could not have beaten all three together, he was more than a match for them singly. 7. He now turned fiercely upon the foremost, and slew him. Then he encountered the second, and smote him dead in a moment. The third met with the same fate. The Alban army now turned pale, and dropped their weapons on the field; for their champions were defeated, and they had lost their freedom. 8. The exulting Romans greeted Horatius with shouts of triumph. He returned toward Rome amid a throng of his countrymen, all of whom hailed him as their benefactor. But as he entered the city, he met a young woman wringing her hands in an agony of grief. This was his sister. She was in love with one of the Curiatii, and when she saw Horatius, she shrieked aloud, and reproached him bitterly for having slain her lover. 9. The victor still held the bloody sword with which he had killed the three Alban champions. His heart was still fierce with the frenzy of the combat. He could not bear that his sister should bewail one of the dead enemies, instead of her two dead brothers; nor that she should darken his triumph with her reproaches. Accordingly, in the frenzy of the moment, he stabbed her to the heart. 10. Horatius was condemned to die for this dreadful crime; but he was afterward pardoned, because his valor had won for Rome such a great deliverance. But the disgrace of his guilt was far more than the honor of his victory. Who fled from the battle? 6. What did the three Curiatii do? What of Horatius? 7. What was the fate of the Curiatii? 8. How was Horatius greeted? What of his sister? 9. Why did Horatius kill her? 10. What of Horatius? Why was he pardoned? CHAPTER LXVIII.-EUROPE-CONTINUED. From the Reign of Ancus Martius, till the Expulsion of the Kings. 1. AFTER the death of Tullus Hostilius, the Romans elected An'-cus Mar'-ti-us to be king. He was succeeded by Tarquin the Elder, whose father had been a rich merchant. The next king was Ser'-vi-us Tul'-li-us. When Servius had reigned forty-four years, he was murdered by Tar-quin, his son-in-law, who was ambitious of being king. 2. Tul'-li-a, the wife of Tarquin and daughter of Servius, rejoiced at her father's death, for she wished to be queen. She rode out in her chariot in order to congratulate her wicked husband. In one of the streets through which the chariot was to pass, lay the dead body of the poor old king. The coachman saw it, and was desirous of turning back. "Drive on!" cried the wicked Tullia. 3. The coachman did so; and as the street was too narrow to permit him to turn out, the chariot passed directly over the murdered king. But Tullia rode on without remorse, although the wheels were stained with her father's blood. 4. Her husband now ascended the throne, and was called Tarquin the Proud. The Romans abhorred him, for he was a hateful tyrant. Several almost incredible stories are told respecting his reign. No 5. One day, it is said, that a woman of singular aspect entered the king's presence, bringing nine large books in her arms. one knew whence she came, nor what was contained in her books. She requested the king to buy them. But the price was so high, that Tarquin refused; especially as he did not know what the books were about. 6. The unknown woman went away and burnt three of her books. She then came back, and again offered the remaining ones to Tarquin. But she demanded as much money for the six as she had before asked for the whole nine; and Tarquin of course refused to buy them. 7. The woman went away a second time. But shortly afterward she was again seen entering the palace. She had now only three volumes left; and these she offered to the king at the same price which she had before asked for the whole nine. CHAP. LXVIII.-1. Who was king after Tullus Hostilius? Who next? Who killed Servius Tullus? 2. 8. What of Tullia? Describe her wicked act. 4. What was Tarquin called? What of him? 5-9. What strange story can you tell of him? STORY OF CORIOLANUS. 137 8. There was something so strange and mysterious in all this, that Tarquin concluded to give the woman her price. She put the three volumes into his hands, and immediately disappeared. 9. The books were found to be the oracles of a sibyl, or prophetess. They were therefore looked upon with superstitious reverence, and were preserved in Rome during many ages; and in all difficult and perplexing cases, the rulers looked into these old volumes, and read, as they supposed, the secrets of their country's fate. 10. The above story is probably a fable. So also is that of the discovery of a man's head, while the workmen were digging the foundation of the temple of Jupiter. Yet the Romans firmly believed that a human head was found there under the earth, and that it looked as fresh as if just cut off. 11. When Tarquin the Proud had reigned more than twenty years, he and his family were driven out of Rome by the people. This event was brought about by the wickedness of his son Sex'-tus, whose conduct had caused a noble Roman lady to commit suicide. Her name was Lu-cre'-ti-a. 12. The expulsion of the Tarquins took place in the year 509 before the Christian era. The Romans never had another king. Beside the senate, the government now consisted of two magistrates called consuls, who were chosen every year. Bru-tus and Col-lati'-nus were the first. 13. Brutus gave a terrible example of his justice and patriotism. His two sons had engaged in a conspiracy to make Tarquin king again. Brutus, who was a judge when they were brought to trial, condemned them both to death, and had them executed in his presence. CHAPTER LXIX.-EUROPE. 1. Aors of heroism were common among the Romans, in those days. A young man, named Mu'-ti-us Scæv-o'-la, gained great credit for his fortitude. He had been taken prisoner by the troops of the king of Etruria, or Tus'-ca-ny, who was at war with Rome. Porsen'-na threatened to torture him, unless he would betray the plans of the Roman general. 10. What of a man's head? 11. How long did Tarquin reign? family? What of Sextus? 12. What took place 509 years B. C.? founding of Rome to the death of her last king? after the Tarquins? Who were the first consuls? What of him and his How long from the What of the government of Rome 18. What act did Brutus perform? 2. A fire was burning close beside the prisoner. He immediately put his hand into the midst of the flames, and held it there till it was burnt off. By this act, he showed Porsenna that no tortures could induce him to turn traitor. 3. Almost from the first foundation of Rome, the inhabitants had been divided into two classes; one called patricians, and the other plebeians. The senate and most of the rich men were included among the patricians. The consuls were also chosen from this class. 4. Thus the patricians had nearly all the power in their hands. This caused frequent quarrels between them and the common people, or plebeians. But at length it was ordained that five magistrates, called tribunes, should be annually chosen by the plebeians. 5. These tribunes took away a great deal of power from the patricians, and were therefore hated by them. Co-ri-o-la'-nus, a valiant, but proud patrician, endeavored to have the office of the tribunes abolished. But they were more powerful than he, and succeeded in procuring his banishment. 6. Coriolanus left the city, and went to the territories of the Vol'-sci, who were bitter enemies of the Romans. There he gathered a large army, and advanced to besiege Rome. were greatly alarmed when they heard that the banished Coriolanus was returning so soon, and in so terrible a manner. His countrymen 7. They therefore sent an embassy to meet him, consisting of the oldest senators. But these venerable men could make no impression on Coriolanus. Next came an embassy of priests; but they met with no better success. 8. Coriolanus still marched onward, and pitched his tent within a short distance of the Roman walls. He was gazing toward the city, and planning an attack for the next day, when a third embassy appeared. It was a mournful procession of Roman ladies. 9. At their head walked Ve-tu'-ri-a, who was the mother of Coriolanus; and Ver-gil'-i-a, his wife, was also there, leading his children by the hand. When they drew near, his mother knelt down at his feet, and besought him not to be the ruin of his native country. 10. Coriolanus strove to resist her entreaties, as he had resisted those of the senators and priests. But though his heart had been proud and stubborn against them, it was not so against his mother. CHAP. LXIX.-1. 2. Relate the anecdote of Mutius Scævola. 3. What two classes were there in Rome? What of the class of the patricians? Who were the plebeians? 4. What caused quarrels between the patricians and plebeians? From which class were the tribunes chosen? 5. What of the tribunes? 6-10. Tell the story of Coriola: nus. INVASION OF THE GAULS. 139 11 Mother," cried he, "I yield! You have saved Rome, but you have destroyed your son!" And so it proved; for the Volsci were enraged at his retreat from Rome, and they murdered him at An'-ti-um. CHAPTER LXX.-EUROPE-CONTINUED. Rome invaded by the Gauls. The first Punic War. 1. In process of time, the Roman government underwent various changes. The will of the plebeians had far greater influence than the will of the patricians. It may be added, that the prosperity of Rome increased at home and abroad. 2. But in the year 385 B. C., a great calamity befell the city. It was taken by an army of Gauls, inhabitants of the country now called France. When Brennus, their general, had entered Rome, he marched with his soldiers to the senate-house. 3. There he beheld an assemblage of gray-bearded senators, seated in a noble hall, in chairs of ivory. Each held an ivory staff 11. What was his fate? CHAP. LXX.-1. What can be said of the prosperity of Rome? 2. What befell the city 385 B. C.? What of Brennus? |