30 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



offered violence to Lucretia, the virtuous wife of Lucius Tarquinius Colla- 

 tinus, and she, not able to survive such dishonor, put an end to her life, 

 Brutus threw off the mask, and uniting himself with Publius Valerius, 

 Collatinus, and other patriots, assembled the people, showed them Lucretia's 

 bloody corpse, related the infamy of Sextus, and described all the 

 tyranny of the king, who was just then engaged in a war with the Rutulians. 

 When the enraged people were ripe for vengeance, Brutus proclaimed 

 the banishment of the king and his family, and royalty was abolished, 

 510 B.C. 



Thenceforth Rome became a republic. In the place of king, two consuls 

 at first called jprmtors^ held the chief command. Brutus, and Colla- 

 tinus, the husband of Lucretia, were the first magistrates under the new 

 system. But Home did not long enjoy peace. The banished tyrant was 

 not idle. From his first place of refuge, G-abii, he betook himself to Etruria, 

 planned a conspiracy in Home, and actually succeeded, by the help of an 

 Etrurian delegation, in finding assistants in the city itself, among whom 

 were two nephews of Collatinus, two nephews, and even two sons of 

 Brutus ; but the plot being discovered, the conspirators expiated the crime 

 with their lives. Brutus even pronounced sentence of death upon his sons, 

 and they fell under the axe of the executioner. Collatinus wishing to spare 

 his nephews, suspicion of his patriotism began to be entertained both by 

 Brutus and the people ; he was therefore regularly deposed, and Publius 

 Valerius succeeded to the oflSce. Valerius rendered himself so popular with 

 the masses that they gave him the name of Publicola (friend of the people). 

 He issued an amnesty for all the partisans of Tarquinius, and thus a great 

 number of noble citizens were restored to the Poman state. But 

 Tarquin had not yet relinquished hopes of regaining his throne ; and, 

 with the assistance of the town of Veil, now attacked Pome in person. In 

 the battle which took place near the grove of Orsia, Brutus was killed, but 

 the Pomans obtained the victory, which, however, was not very decisive. 

 While Tarquin was seeking further assistance, Valerius, the remaining 

 •consul, continued to administer the government alone. He did not act from 

 ambition, but from a desire to accomplish his plans of internal improvement 

 without the opposition of another consul. At the expiration of his year, 

 and when he had carried out his plans, he issued orders for the election of 

 two consuls. The choice fell upon himself and T. Lucretius, the brother of 

 Lucretia. 



In the meantime, Tarquin obtained aid from Porsenna, king of Clusium, 

 a powerful city of Etruria. This monarch marched with a great force 

 against Pome. But now the Pomans displayed aU their valor and patriotism. 

 Horatius Codes saved the city, by defending, single-handed, the bridge 

 across the Tiber, until it was cut down behind him. Mucins Scsevola 

 went by stealth into the camp of the enemy, with the intention of killing 

 Porsenna. By mistake, however, he only stabbed his secretary. In conse- 

 quence of this deed, he was sentenced to suffer death by fire ; but the courage 

 which he showed, by holding his right hand, during a speech to the king, 

 over a pan with glowing coals, and suffering it to be entirely consumed, 

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