ROMAN E M P I R E. 



887 



Porsent 

 . . .iik-i 

 Home. 

 1. <'. 507. 



Bravery of 

 Horatius 



Codes. 



Porscna 



makes 

 peace with 

 Rome. 



aloud for Rrutu*, and by a decree of tin- rmmcil, the 

 other traitnr* -ulltt.d the punishment \\hieh they *o 

 justly im-ritcd. Vindirius received his liberty; the 

 res of tin- Tan] u ins were destroyed, and the lands 

 divided among the poor. 



In conseqmMHv of the abdication of CollatiniH, ren- 

 dered necessary by his recent pusillanimity, Valerius 

 was chosen to supply his place. The Volsci and the 

 Tarquinienses now united their forces at the instigation 

 of Tnrquin. Brutus at the bead of the cavalry, and 

 Valerius at the head of tlu- inf-intry, marched out to 

 meet them. A personal combat took place between 

 Brutus and Arunx, one of Tarquin's sons, and both of 

 the combatants fell. The battle raged with the utmost 

 fury till night, when some supposed stratagem of Va- 

 lerius influenced the superstitious minds of the Volsci, 

 and caused them to quit the camp in confusion. 



The great attachment of Valerius to the interests of 

 the people, procured for him the surname of Poplicola, 

 and at the expiration of his consulship he was re-elected 

 along with Titus Lucretius, the brother of Lucretia. 

 While they were providing against an incursion from 

 the Latins, Porsena, king of Clusium, in Hetruria, 

 commanded the Romans either to take back the Tar- 

 quins, or to restore them their estates ; and he supported 

 the demand by a formidable army which marched to- 

 wards Rome, and was joined by the exiles, and by the 

 Latins, under Mamilius, the son-in-law of Tarquin. 

 The Romans were soon driven from the fort Janiculum, 

 but they made a bold stand at the bridge which sepa- 

 rates the fort from the city. Victory, however, de- 

 clared for the H etrurians ; but Horatius Codes, the 

 Consul's nephew, with Sp. Lartius and T. Ilerminius, 

 who had commanded the right wing, posted themselves 

 at the entrance of the bridge, and maintained it for a long 

 time. The defensive arms of Lartius and Herminius 

 having been broken, they retired across the bridge, 

 and Horatius having desired them to have the bridge 

 cut down at the other end, he sustained, single handed, 

 the whole force of the enemy. Being at last wounded 

 in the thigh, and perceiving that the bridge was nearly 

 broken down, he leapt into the river, and swam across 

 k amid a shower of darts. 



The dangerous position in which Rome was now 

 placed, excited a young patrician, Mutius Cordius, to 

 attempt the assassination of Porsena. In the disguise 

 of a peasant he penetrated the king's tent ; but mis- 

 taking the richly dressed secretary for the king, he in- 

 stantly slew him. When seized and brought before 

 Porsena, he expressed in his countenance the disap- 

 pointment which he felt, and he thrust his right hand 

 into a pan of burning coals which stood by. Porsena, 

 admiring his courage, granted him his life and liberty, 

 and even returned the dagger which had been aimed 

 against himself. Mutius, however, deceived the Tus- 

 can king, -by the declaration that 300 young Romans 

 had sworn to take away Porsena's life ; and hence he 

 was induced to enter into an amicable arrangement 

 with the Romans. This wise resolution was confirmed 

 by an act of treachery on the part of the Tarquinian 

 exiles, which had placed his own life in imminent dan- 

 ger. He ordered them to leave his camp, concluded a 

 peace with Rome and left behind him all the corn 

 and provisions which he had accumulated. 



Although the generosity and wisdom of Porsena had 

 thus relieved Rome from the greatest danger that had 

 ever threatened her, yet the persevering ambition of the 

 Tarquins soon succeeded in besetting her with new dif- 

 ficulties. -A conspiracy of the slaves to burn the city 



was no toon i red and put down, than a more 



general one, embracing the lower classes of the citizens 

 was completely organized. Sulpitius, one of the con- 

 suls, having been put in possession of all their plans, 

 contrived by the help of the two informers to have the 

 conspirators assembled in the forum, which he inverted 

 with a body of chosen troops. The people were con- 

 vened by curia?, and mode acquainted with the con- 

 spiracy. The conspirators were unable to make any 

 defence when they were called upon, and sentence of 

 death decreed by the Senate, was approved of by the peo- 

 ple. When these steps were taken, the people were or- 

 dered to retire, and the conspirators were put to tbe 

 sword. The two informers were highly rewarded, 

 and the deliverance of the city was marked by festi- 

 vities, expiations, and public games. The general joy, 

 however, was disturbed by the death of Manlius Tul- 

 lius, the consul, who fell from his chariot when the 

 people were conducting him from the Circus to his own 

 house. 



The reduction of the city of Fidena? by the Ro- 

 mans, incited the Latins to make a vigorous attempt 

 against Rome. A spirit of mutiny, however, arose 

 among the nobles and the lower classes. They loud- 

 ly demanded a remission of their debts; and though 

 various expedients were proposed to quiet this turbulent 

 disposition, yet it was found necessary to place the 

 commonwealth under a dictator, with absolute power. 

 When the popular concurrence was obtained to this Appoint- 

 measure, Titus Lartius, one of the consuls, was elect- n ? ent f* 

 ed to the high office. Lartius chose Sp. Cassius, gene- 3^*! 

 ral of the horse, which gave him the second station 

 in the republic ; and from the pomp and state in which 

 the dictator always appeared, the seditious were over- 

 awed, and the Romans again united against their 

 common enemies. Lartius raised four armies, and 

 having succeeded by his skill and his moderation in 

 restoring the republic to its former tranquillity, he re- 

 signed the dictatorship. 



A new war having been excited by the Tarquins, 

 Posthumius was appointed dictator. With an army of 

 40,000 foot and 3000 horse, commanded by himself, 

 by Virginius, and Ebutius Elva, general of the horse, 

 he encamped on a steep hill, near Lake Regiilus, while Battle of 

 Virginius posted himself on another opposite, and Ebu- Regillu*. 

 tius occupied a third eminence. Lucius Tarquin at- B. C. 495 

 tacked Ebutius, but he was thrice repulsed with great 

 loss. Having learned from two intercepted couriers, 

 that in a few days the Volsci and Hernici were to join 

 the Latin forces, Posthumius immediately gave them 

 battle. At the commencement of the affair Titus Tar- 

 quinius engaged the dictator in single combat; being 

 wounded in the side by Posthumius's javelin, the 

 Latins began to retire ; but being rallied by Sextus 

 Tarquinius, the field was contested with great violence. 

 The generals on both sides displayed great skill and 

 personal bravery ; and when victory was doubtful, it 

 was agreed to decide it by single combat. Ebutius 

 and Mamilius were thus brought into contact, and in a 

 short time both of them were wounded and fell from 

 their horses. Marcus Valerius, who succeeded Ebutius 

 in his command, renewed the general engagement, but 

 he was immediately wounded, and his nephews, the 

 two sons of Poplicola also fell. The Roman left wing 

 thus disheartened by the loss of their leaders, began to 

 give way ; but Posthumius, with a body of Roman 

 knights, brought them back to the charge, and obliged 

 the enemy to retire in confusion. At that critical junc- 

 ture Titus Herminius rallied some of the flying 



