attempted, with some loss, to besiege it, he was obliged to direct his efforts by stratagem, contrary to the usual practice of the Romans. He caused his son Sextus to counterfeit desertion, upon pretence of barbarous usage, and to seek refuge among the inhabitants of the place. By artful complaints and studied lamentations, he so prevailed on the pity of the people as to be chosen their governor, and soon after, general of their army. At first, he was successful in every engagement, till at length, finding himself possessed of the confidence of the state, he sent to his father for instructions. Tarquin made no other answer, than by taking the messenger into the garden, and cutting down before him, the tallest poppies. Sextus readily understood the meaning of this reply; and one by one, found means to destroy, or remove, the principal men of the city, confiscating their effects, and dividing them among the people. Thus keeping the giddy populace blind to their approaching ruin, till they found themselves, at last, without counsellors or head; and, in the end, fell under the power of Tarquin, without even striking a blow. But while engaged in wars abroad, he did not suffer the people to continue in idleness at home. He undertook to build the capitol, the foundation of which had been laid in a former reign; and an extraordinary event contributed to hasten the execution of his design. It is said, that during this reign, a woman in strange attire, made her appearance at Rome, and came to the king, offering to sell nine books, which she said were of her own composing. Not knowing the abilities of the seller, or that she was in fact one of the celebrated Sybils, whose prophecies were never found to fail, Tarquin refused to buy them. Upon this, she departed, and burning three of her books, returned again, demanding the same price for the remainder. Being once more despised as an impostor, she again departed, and burning three more, she returned with those remaining, still asking the same price as at first. Tarquin surprised at the inconsistency of her conduct, consulted the augurs to advise him what to do. These much blamed him for not buying the nine, and commanded him to buy the three remaining at whatever price they were to be had. woman, says the historian, after selling and delivering the three prophetic volumes, vanished from before him, and was never seen after, The The people, having been four years employed in building the capitol, began to wish for something new, to engage them. Tarquin, therefore, upon some frivolous pretences, proclaimed war against the Rutulians. Sextus, the king's son, while his father was at the head of the army, besieging the city of Ardea, violated the honor of Lucretia, a Roman lady of great spirit and still greater virtue. The illustrious heroine survived the disgrace long enough to acquaint her husband and friends with her misfortune, and to entreat them, as they regarded her memory, to take vengeance on her destroyer. She then drew a poniard from her robe, and plunging it into her bosom, expired before their eyes. Collatinus her husband, and her friends stood round her, petrified with grief, and distracted with rage and despair. But their grief was for a moment arrested and turned into astonishment, when Brutus, the reputed fool, seized the bloody dagger, and, lifting it toward heaven, exclaimed, "Be witness, ye gods, that from this moment, I proclaim myself the avenger of the chaste Lucretia's cause. From this moment, I declare myself the enemy of Tarquin and his bloody house. Henceforth, my life shall be employed in opposition to tyranny, and for the freedom and happiness of my country. He then told them, that tears and entreaties must now give way to the sterner sentiments of just revenge; and delivering them the poniard, still reeking with Lucretia's blood, caused each of them to swear the same oath, that he had sworn. The Roman people flocked from all quarters, and were struck with horror at the deplorable spectacle; and were equally amazed to behold the authority and wisdom of Junius Brutus. The revolt from the tyrant was general; and the senate passed a decree depriving the king of all authority, and banishing him and his family forever from the Roman state. He lived, however, to give his country much trouble; for though a detestable tyrant, void of every principle of humanity and justice, yet he was bold, active and vigorous, and found means to excite frequent disturbances, and even to enkindle dangerous wars against his country.] . We have now passed over 245 years from the founding of the Roman state. Duing this period, the Assyrian empire had fallen; Babylon was become a province of Persia; and Cyrus had extended his dominions from the Indian to the Atlantic ocean; and a power was already pre pared to eclipse forever the glory of the Persians. Greece was fast rising; the morning of her brightest day evidently dawned. Before the fall of Tarquin, Miltiades, Leonidas and Themistocles were born. During this period, also, the Jews, having experienced a captivity of 70 years, were restored by Cyrus, and had returned, and rebuilt their temple at Jerusalem. * CHAPTER XII. THE ROMAN EMPIRE, FROM THE EXPULSION OF TARQUIN TO THE CONQUEST OF CARTHAGE. THE great and vigorous spirit of Lucius Junius Brutus, displayed in avenging the death of Lucretia, may be regarded as a brilliant specimen of that power and grandeur of mind, in which the Romans surpassed all other nations, both ancient and modern. In variety of genius and taste, the Greeks certainly excelled them; but in a masculine boldness in a grave, dignified, martial energy, the Romans were never equalled. Brutus and his associates were able to dethrone a powerful tyrant; to abolish a monarchy, which had existed several centuries; and to organize, and put in operation, a new form of government, under which the Roman people rose to the sublimest heights of power, prosperity and splendor. The Roman government, during the reigns of the kings, had, in its original spirit and design, embraced many of the principles of freedom. The king was assisted by a council, consisting of a hundred senators, which number was increased at various times. These were men advanced in years, and venerable for their knowledge, prudence and integrity. The most important acts of government were generally sanctioned by an assembly of the people, or plebeians, particularly acts relative to peace or war, the raising of money, the appointment of chief magistrates, and the election of the monarch. But the kings, and especially Tarquin, had, in a great measure, acted independently of all these salutary checks. To avoid these inconveniences, the kingly office was now * The word empire is here used in its popular sense, to represent merely government, or dominion, without reference to its form. abolished; and, in the place of it, two officers were substituted, styled consuls. Their power was nearly as great as that of the king; but the division of it, and the frequency of election, which was once a year, were considered as sufficient checks. Junius Brutus and Collatinus, the husband of the celebrated Lucretia, were first chosen consuls. This new form of government was brought to the brink of ruin, almost in the moment of its formation. The deposed monarch found means to organize a dangerous conspiracy among the young nobility of Rome; the object of which was to effect a counter revolution, and replace himself on the throne; and the brave and patriotic Brutus had the unhappiness to discover, that two of his sons were among the ringleaders in this daring plot. The nature of his office compelled him to sit in judgment upon them; and while, in this deeply interesting scene, all the spectators were melted into tears, in him the most powerful pleas of natural affection were overruled by a sense of duty; the parent was lost in the judge, and the agonies of parental sensibility disregarded before the tribunal of public justice. He pronounced sentence upon his sons, condemning them to death. He But this great man did not live long to enjoy either the liberty, which he procured for his country, or the honors, which he so justly merited. Tarquin, failing to recover his throne by intrigue, next attempted it by arms. prevailed on the Veians, a neighboring state, to espouse his cause, and to furnish him with an army. Óf this army he took the command, and gave the cavalry to be commanded by Aruns, his son. They were met by the consul with an equal force; and a general battle was fought, in which the Romans claimed the victory, although dearly bought; for, together with a number of their bravest citizens, the illustrious Brutus fell in the first of the action. Aruns, the son of Tarquin, had singled him out; and they encountered each other with such fury, that both were slain, and fell dead together by mutual wounds. The Veians, sufficiently humbled by this rebuke, were willing to make peace. But of all the enemies, whom Tarquin brought against his country, Porsenna, king of Etruria, was the most formidable. This prince, who was then, probably, one of the most powerful in Italy, seems, from motives of jealousy, to have been willing to engage in a war with the Romans. To him Tarquin applied; and was soon furnished with a force, which at first bid fair to reseat him on his throne. Porsenna marched immediately toward Rome, at the head of a powerful army; and, meeting with no resistance, he laid siege to the city. After several furious assaults and sallies, the siege was terminated by one of those singular events, which strongly mark the savage ferocity and wonderful patriotism of the heroic ages. The length and strictness of the siege had reduced the city to the utmost distress of famine, when Mutius Scevola, a Roman youth of the most daring courage and desperate resolution, approached the camp of Porsenna, and finding access to the place where the king stood with some of his officers, he proceeded to the group, and stabbed the person, whom he supposed to be the king; but it was the king's secretary. Mutius was seized; and it was demanded of him, who he was, and what were his designs. He told them, that he was a Roman, and that there were three hundred Roman youths, who, like himself, had determined to effect the king's destruction. "Therefore," said he, "prepare for their attempts; and you shall see that the Romans know how to suffer as well as to act." At this, he thrust his hand into the fire, and suffered it to burn with great composure. Porsenna, amazed at such intrepid bravery, was seized with a fit of generosity quite as enthusiastic and extraordinary, and ordered him to be conducted back to Rome, and, at the same time, offered the besieged conditions of peace, which they accepted; and a period was put to the war. The Roman commonwealth, in every part of its duration, was incessantly harassed with internal disputes, broils, divisions, intrigues and conspiracies; and they were generally settled by the mediation of the sword; though not always by the sword of civil war. Their bold, restless, active spirits were best gratified, and soonest quieted, in martial exercises; and could only be controlled by martial law. Of course, theirs was, in most respects, military govern ment. Ten years from the commencement of the Roman republic Largius was appointed first dictator. The title itself explains the general nature of this office. The dictator was clothed with power to dictate, i. e. to direct all the branches, and all the officers of the government. His power was sovereign and absolute, as that of the most unlimited monarch. He was only chosen in times of difficulty |