in his hand. These brave old men, though they could make no resistance, considered it beneath their dignity to run away from the invaders.

4. The Gauls were awe-struck by their venerable aspect. But finally, one of the soldiers, being ruder than his companions, took hold of the long gray beard of an aged senator, and pulled it. The old gentleman, whose name was Papyrius, was so offended at this insult, that he uplifted his ivory staff, and hit the soldier a blow on the head.

5. But that blow cost Rome dear. The Gauls immediately massacred Papyrius and the other senators, and set fire to the city; and almost the whole of it was reduced to ashes. You must bear in mind that, at this time, Rome had become an immense city. It contained some fine edifices; the most splendid of these was called the Capitol; this was not taken by the Gauls.

6. All the bravest of the Romans assembled there, and resolved to defend it to the last. Yet the enemy had nearly got possession of it in the night. But as they were creeping toward the gate, they awoke a large flock of geese; and their cackling alarmed the sentinels.

7. In consequence of this fortunate event, a goose was thenceforth considered a very praiseworthy and honorable fowl by the Romans. I am not sure but what they thought it a sin to have roast goose for dinner.

8. The Gauls were driven out of Rome, and were soon vanquished by Ca-mil'-lus, a brave and patriotic Roman. It is said that not a single man of them got back to their own country, to tell the fate of his companions.

Their valor and

9. The Romans were almost continually at war. discipline generally rendered them successful; but sometimes they met with misfortunes. In a war with the Sam-ni'-tes, a Roman army was captured, and forced to pass under the yoke, which was a sign of subjection. This was the highest possible ignominy.

10. But at length all the other states and kingdoms of Italy were reduced under the Roman power. Afterward, the most formidable enemy of Rome was Car'-thage. This was a powerful city on the African coast, near where Tunis now stands. It was situated nearly south of Rome, across the Mediterranean Sea, at the distance of about four hundred miles.

8. 4. What happened in the senate-house? 5. What of Rome at this time? What of the capitol? 6. How was the Capitol saved? 8. Who conquered the Gauls? 9. What of the Romans? What of the war with the Samnites? 10. What of the kingdoms of Italy? Where was Carthage? How far was it from Rome?

11. The wars between Rome and Carthage were called Pu'-nic wars. The first began in the year 264 B. C., and lasted twenty-three years. Many battles were fought on land, and some by sea.

12. The Carthaginians were a cruel people. Whenever their generals lost a battle, they were crucified. Reg'-u-lus, a Roman - general, was taken by them, and underwent horrible torments. They cut off his eyelids, and then exposed his naked eyes to the burning sun. He was afterward put into a barrel, the inner sides of which were set with iron spikes.

13. A peace was at last concluded between Rome and Carthage. The doors of the temple of Ja'-nus, at Rome, had not been shut for five hundred years; for they always stood open while the Romans were at war. But now they were closed and barred; for Rome was at peace with all the world.

CHAPTER LXXI.-EUROPE-CONTINUED.

Second and third Punic Wars.

1. THE doors of the temple of Janus were soon flung wide open again; for a war broke out between the Romans and a tribe of Gauls. It ended in the conquest of the latter.

2. In the year 218 before the Christian era, another war with Carthage began. This was called the second Punic war. The Carthaginians were commanded by Han'-ni-bal, who proved himself one of the greatest generals that ever lived.

3. Hannibal transported his army across the Mediterranean Sea to Spain, and thence marched toward Italy. In his progress it was necessary that he should cross the Alps. The summits of these mountains are many thousand feet in height, and were covered with ice and snow; in some places Hannibal had to cut a passage through the solid rock.

4. After crossing these mountains, several battles were won by the Carthaginians. At length the two Roman consuls, with a large army, encountered Hannibal and his soldiers at Can'-næ. Here the Romans were defeated with dreadful slaughter. One of the consuls

11. When did the first Punic war begin? How long did it last? 12. What of the Carthaginians? What of Regulus? 18. What of the temple of Janus? How long had the doors been open? Why were they now closed? When was the temple of Janus open? When shut?

CHAP. LXXI.-1. What war now broke out? Which side was victorious? 2. When did the second Punic war begin? Who led the Carthaginians? 8. What did Hannibal do? How did his army cross the Alps? 4. Describe the battle of Cannæ.

fled; the other was slain, and forty thousand men were left dead on the field.

5. Rome had now no army to protect it. If Hannibal had marched thither immediately, it is probable that he might have taken the city. But he delayed too long, and the Romans made preparation to defend themselves.

6. Hannibal never won such another victory as that at Cannæ; for the Romans soon enlisted new armies, and fought more successfully than before. Scip'-i-o, their best general, sailed over to Africa, in order to attack Carthage. Hannibal immediately followed him. 7. A battle was fought between him and Scipio at Za'-ma. The Carthaginians had a multitude of elephants. These animals were wounded by the Roman darts, and the pain made them rush through the field, trampling down whole ranks of Hannibal's army.

5. What of Rome at this time? 6. What of Scipio? Who followed him? 7. Where was a battle fought? What of elephants?

SCIPIO'S TRIUMPH.

5143

8. The Carthaginians were entirely defeated, and Hannibal himself barely escaped amid the rout and confusion. This battle put an end to the second Punic war.

9. But a third war between Rome and Carthage broke out in about fifty years. The Romans were commanded by another Scipio, who was as valiant as his namesake, but the Carthaginians had no longer a Hannibal.

10. This third Punic war ended in the destruction of Carthage. The city was set on fire, and continued to burn during seventeen days. Many of the citizens threw themselves into the flames, and perished. This happened in the year 146 before the Christian era.

11. Scipio returned to Rome, and was rewarded with a triumph. As this was the highest honor that a Roman general could attain, and as such triumphs were often given to successful commanders, I will tell my readers, in the next chapter, what Scipio's triumph

was.

CHAPTER LXXII.-EUROPE-CONTINUED.

Scipio's Triumph.

1. SCIPIO, on his return from Carthage, stopped at the Cam'-pus Mar'-ti-us, which was a plain on the outside of Rome. From thence he was escorted into the city by a grand procession.

2. First came a band of musicians, playing their loudest strains on all sorts of instruments. Then followed a drove of oxen, which were to be sacrificed in the temples of the gods. Their horns were gilded, and garlands were wreathed around their heads.

3. Next came a train of cars, heavily laden with the rich spoils that had been taken at Carthage. There was gold and silver in abundance, and statues, pictures, and magnificent garments. The brilliant armor of the vanquished army was likewise piled upon the

cars.

4. Then were seen some elephants, trudging along like moving hills. These huge animals were trained to war, and were able to carry a whole company of soldiers on their backs.

8. Which side were defeated? What of Hannibal? 9. Who led the Romans in the third Punic war? What of the Carthaginians? 10. When was Carthage burnt? 11. How was Scipio rewarded?

CHAP. LXXII.-1. Where was the Campus Martius?

What of the procession?

2. What came first? What was done with the oxen? 8. With what were the cars laden? 4. What of elephants?

5. Next appeared a melancholy troop of the vanquished Carthaginians. Their chains clanked as they walked heavily onward. Among them were all the principal men of Carthage, and they drooped their heads in shame and sorrow, regretting that they had not perished in the flames of their city.

6. Behind the sad troop came another loud band of music, drowning the groans of the captives with the uproar of a hundred instruments. There were likewise dancers, whose garb made them appear like monsters, neither beasts nor men. These wore crowns of gold.

7. Then came a splendid chariot, adorned with ivory, and drawn by four white horses all abreast. In this chariot stood the triumphant Scipio, dressed in a purple robe, which was covered with gold embroidery. His face was painted with vermilion, and he had a crown of laurel on his head.

8. A golden ball hung at his breast; and in his right hand he held an ivory sceptre, with a golden eagle at the top. But in the same chariot stood a slave, who kept whispering to Scipio, "Remember that thou art but a man!" And these words seemed to sadden Scipio's triumph.

9. Around the chariot was a great throng of Scipio's relatives, and other citizens, all clothed in white. Next came the consuls and all the members of the Roman senate, in their robes of ceremony.

10. Last in the procession marched the victorious army. Their helmets were wreathed with laurel. The standard-bearers carried eagles of gold and silver, instead of banners. As they moved onward, they sang hymns in praise of Scipio's valor, and all the Roman citizens joined their voices in the chorus. In this manner, the procession passed through the streets of Rome and entered the doors of the capitol.

CHAPTER LXXIII.-EUROPE-CONTINUED.
Sylla and Marius.

1. THE Romans still continued to make conquests. Not long after the ruin of Carthage, the whole of Spain became a province of

5. Describe the appearance of the captive Carthaginians. In what battle were they taken prisoners? 6. What of musicians and dancers? 7. How did Scipio appear? What did the slave whisper in his ear? What was the effect of what he said? 9. What followed the chariot? 10. Describe the victorious army. Where did the procession stop? CHAP. LXXIII.-1. What of the Romans? What of Spain? Where was Numidia?