King Tarquin and his son Lucius (for he only remained to him of the
three) fled to Lars Porsenna, king of Clusium, and besought him that he
would help them. "Suffer not," they said, "that we, who are Tuscans by
birth, should remain any more in poverty and exile. And take heed also
to thyself and thine own kingdom if thou permit this new fashion of
driving forth kings to go unpunished. For surely there is that in
freedom which men greatly desire, and if they that be kings defend not
their dignity as stoutly as others seek to overthrow it, then shall
the highest be made even as the lowest, and there shall be an end of
kingship, than which there is nothing more honourable under heaven."
With these words they persuaded King Porsenna, who judging it well for
the Etrurians that there should be a king at Rome, and that king an
Etrurian by birth, gathered together a great army and came up against
Rome. But when men heard of his coming, so mighty a city was Clusium in
those days, and so great the fame of King Porsenna, there was such fear
as had never been before. Nevertheless they were steadfastly purposed to
hold out. And first all that were in the country fled into the city,
and round about the city they set guards to keep it, part thereof being
defended by walls, and part, for so it seemed, being made safe by the
river. But here a great peril had well nigh overtaken the city; for
there was a wooden bridge on the river by which the enemy had crossed
but for the courage of a certain Horatius Cocles. The matter fell out in
this wise.
There was a certain hill which men called Janiculum on the side of the
river, and this hill King Porsenna took by a sudden attack. Which when
Horatius saw (for he chanced to have been set to guard the bridge, and
saw also how the enemy were running at full speed to the place, and how
the Romans were fleeing in confusion and threw away their arms as they
ran), he cried with a loud voice, "Men of Rome, it is to no purpose that
ye thus leave your post and flee, for if ye leave this bridge behind you
for men to pass over, ye shall soon find that ye have more enemies in
your city than in Janiculum. Do ye therefore break it down with axe and
fire as best ye can. In the meanwhile I, so far as one man may do, will
stay the enemy." And as he spake he ran forward to the further end
of the bridge and made ready to keep the way against the enemy.
Nevertheless there stood two with him, Lartius and Herminius by name,
men of noble birth both of them and of great renown in arms. So these
three for a while stayed the first onset of the enemy; and the men of
Rome meanwhile brake down the bridge. And when there was but a small
part remaining, and they that brake it down called to the three that
they should come back, Horatius bade Lartius and Herminius return, but
he himself remained on the further side, turning his eyes full of wrath
in threatening fashion on the princes of the Etrurians, and crying,
"Dare ye now to fight with me? or why are ye thus come at the bidding
of your master, King Porsenna, to rob others of the freedom that ye care
not to have for yourselves?" For a while they delayed, looking each
man to his neighbour, who should first deal with this champion of the
Romans. Then, for very shame, they all ran forward, and raising a great
shout, threw their javelins at him. These all he took upon his shield,
nor stood the the less firmly in his place on the bridge, from which
when they would have thrust him by force, of a sudden the men of Rome
raised a great shout, for the bridge was now altogether broken down, and
fell with a great crash into the river. And as the enemy stayed a while
for fear, Horatius turned him to the river and said, "O Father Tiber, I
beseech thee this day with all reverence that thou kindly receive this
soldier and his arms." And as he spake he leapt with all his arms into
the river and swam across to his own people, and though many javelins of
the enemy fell about him, he was not one whit hurt.
[Illustration: Horatius on the Bridge 126]
Nor did such valour fail to receive due honour from the city. For the
citizens set up a statue of Horatius in the market-place; and they gave
him of the public land so much as he could plough about in one day. Also
there was this honour paid him, that each citizen took somewhat of his
own store and gave it to him, for food was scarce in the city by reason
of the siege.
After these things King Porsenna thought not any more to take the city
by assault, but rather to shut it up. To this end he held Janiculum with
a garrison, and pitched his own camp on the plain ground by the river;
and the river he kept with ships, lest food should be brought into the
city by water. Thus it came to pass in no long time that the famine in
the city was scarcely to be endured, so that the King had good hopes
that the Romans would surrender themselves to him. But being in these
straits, they were delivered by the boldness of a noble youth, whose
name was Caius Mucius. This man at the first purposed with himself to
make his way into the camp of the enemy without the knowledge of any;
but fearing lest if he should go without bidding from the Consuls, no
man knowing his purpose, he might haply be taken by the sentinels and
carried back to the city as one that sought to desert to the enemy--Rome
being in so evil a plight that such an accusation would be readily
believed--he sought audience of the Senate. And being admitted he said,
"Fathers, I purpose to cross the Tiber, and to enter, if I shall be
able, the camp of the enemy; plunder I seek not, but have some greater
purpose in my heart." So the Fathers giving their consent, he hid a
dagger under his garment and set forth; and having made his way into
the camp, he took his stand where the crowd was thickest, hard by
the judgment-seat of the King. Now it chanced that the soldiers were
receiving their wages. There sat by the King's side a scribe, and the
man wore garments like unto the King's garments. And Mucius, seeing that
the man was busy about many things, and that the soldiers for the most
part spake with him rather than with the other, and fearing to ask which
of the two might be the King, lest he should so show himself to be a
stranger, left the matter to chance, and slew the scribe. Then he turned
to flee, making a way for himself through the crowd with his bloody
sword; but the ministers of the King laid hands on him, and set him
before the judgment-seat. Thereupon he cried, "I am a citizen of Rome,
and men call me Caius Mucius. Thou art my enemy, O King, and I sought to
slay thee; and now, as I feared not to smite, so I fear not to die. We
men of Rome have courage both to do and to suffer. Think not that I only
have this purpose against thee; there are many coming after me that seek
honour in this same fashion by slaying thee. Prepare thee, therefore, to
stand in peril of thy life every hour, and know that thou hast an enemy
waiting ever at thy door. The youth of Rome declares war against thee,
and this war it will wage, not by battle, but by such deeds as I would
have done this day."
[Illustration: Mutius before King Porsenna 132]
King Porsenna, when he heard these words, was greatly moved both by
wrath and by fear and bade them bring fire, as though he would have
burned the young man alive, unless he should speedily reveal what that
danger which he threatened against the King might be. Then said Mucius,
"See now and learn how cheaply they hold their bodies that set great
glory before their eyes," and he thrust his right hand into a fire that
had been lighted for sacrifice. And as he stood and seemed to have no
feeling of the pain, the King, greatly marvelling at the thing, leapt
from his seat and bade them take, away the young man from the altar.
"Depart thou hence," he cried, "for I see that thou darest even worse
things against thyself than against me. I would bid thee go on and
prosper with thy courage wert thou a friend and not an enemy. And now I
send thee away free and unharmed." Then said Mucius, as though he would
make due return for such favour, "Hearken, O King; seeing that thou
canst pay due respect unto courage, I will tell thee freely that which
thou couldst never have wrung from me by threats. Three hundred youths
of Rome have banded themselves together with an oath that they will slay
thee as I would have slain thee. And because the lot fell to me I came
first of the three hundred, who all will follow, each in his own time,
according as the lot shall fall."
So Mucius departed; and men called him thereafter Scævola, or the
left-handed, because he had thus burned his right hand in the fire. No
long time after there came ambassadors from King Porsenna to Rome, for
the King was so moved not only by the peril that was past, but also by
that which was to come, so long as any of the three hundred yet lived,
that of his own accord he offered conditions of peace to the Romans.
And in these conditions he made mention of bringing back the Tarquins,
knowing indeed that the men of Rome would not allow it, but because he
was under promise to make such demand. As to other matters, he required,
the Romans consenting, that the land of the men of Veii should be given
back to them, and he would have hostages given to him if he should take
away his garrison from Janiculum.
To this also the Romans agreed by compulsion. So King Porsenna departed
from Rome; and the Senate gave to Mucius certain lands beyond the Tiber
that were called in time to come after his name.
And now were the women of Rome also stirred up to do bold deeds for
their country. For a certain maiden, Cloelia by name, that was one of
the hostages, the camp of the Etrurians having been pitched near unto
the Tiber, escaped from them that kept her, and swam across the river,
the whole troop of her companions following her. These she brought back
to the city and delivered safe to their kinsfolk.
[Illustration: Cloelia and her companions 136]
News of this deed being brought to the King he was at the first moved to
great wrath, and sent ambassadors to Rome who should demand the hostage
Cloelia to be restored; as for the others he cared little for them; but
afterwards, his wrath giving place to wonder, he cried, "Surely this
deed is greater even than the keeping of the bridge by Horatius, or the
burning of his right hand by Scævola. As for the treaty, I shall hold it
to be broken if the Romans give not up the hostage; but if she be given
up I will send her back unharmed to her own kindred." And so indeed it
was done, both parties keeping faith, for the Romans gave up Cloelia
as the treaty commanded, and the King judged valour to be worthy not of
safety alone but also of reward. "I will give thee," he said to her, "a
certain portion of the hostages: thou shalt choose whom thou wilt." Then
she chose such as were of tender age, not only because this best became
the modesty of a maiden, but because such would be in the greater peril
of harm. To her the Romans set up in the Sacred Road a statue, a maiden
sitting on horseback--a new honour, even as the valour that was so
honoured was new also.
So King Porsenna departed from Rome, and departing gave his camp, that
was full of all manner of good things, to the men of Rome, there being
great scarcity in the city by reason of the length of the siege. In the
next year he sent ambassadors yet once again who should deal with the
people of Rome about the bringing back of the King. To them was given
this answer, "that the Senators would send ambassadors about the
matter." These ambassadors, who were the chiefest men in the city, being
arrived, spake in this fashion: "We might have answered thy ambassadors,
O King, in very few words, saying that we take not back the King. But
we are come this day that there may never again be made mention of this
matter, lest there come out of it trouble both to thee and to us, if
thou shouldst ask that which would be against the liberty of the Roman
people, and we should be driven to refuse something to thee who would
gladly refuse thee nothing. The men of Rome are free and serve not
kings, and verily they would the sooner open their gates to their
enemies than to kings. And this is the mind of us all. That day which
shall make an end of our freedom shall make an end also of our city.
If therefore thou wouldst have us live, suffer us, we pray thee, to be
free."
To this the King made answer in these words: "I will weary you no more
by asking that which ye may not grant, nor will I deceive the Tarquins
by show of help that it is not in me to give. As for them, whether
they be minded to have peace or war, let them seek for another place
of exile, that there come not anything to make mischief between you and
me."
To these words he added much kindness in deeds, for he gave back such
of the hostages as yet remained with him; also he restored to the Romans
the land of the men of Veii that had been taken from them by the treaty
of Janiculum.
After this, King Tarquin took up his abode with Mamilius Octavius, his
son-in-law, that dwelt at Tusculum. And Mamilius stirred up the thirty
cities of Latium to make war against Rome. For five years he made great
preparations, and in the sixth year he set forth. And when the Romans
knew of his coming, they made Aulus Postumius Dictator. Now a dictator
was one that had the power, as it were, of a king in the city, only
he might not remain for a greater space than six months. And Postumius
chose Æbutius to be Master of the Horse, for the Master of the Horse
is next under the Dictator. These, having gathered together their army,
marched forth' and met the Latins hard by the Lake Regillus that is in
the land of Tusculum. And so soon as the Romans knew that King Tarquin
was in the army of the Latins, they were full of wrath and would fight
without more delay. Nor indeed was ever battle harder and fiercer than
this; for the chiefs contented themselves not with giving counsel how
it might best be ordered, but themselves fought together, so that scarce
one of them, save the Dictator only, came out of the battle unhurt.
First of all King Tarquin, for all that he was an old man whose force
was somewhat abated, when he saw the Dictator in the front ranks setting
his men in order and bidding them be of good cheer, set spurs to his
horse and rode against him; but some one smote him on the side as he
rode. Nevertheless, his own men running about him, he was carried back
alive into the host. On the other wing the Master of the Horse made at
Mamilius, prince of Tusculum. And when Mamilius saw him coming he also
spurred his horse against him, and the two came together with so great
force that Mamilius was wounded in the breast, and Æbutius was smitten
through the arm. Then the Master of the Horse, because his right arm was
wounded, and he could not hold a weapon in it, departed from the battle,
but Mamilius, caring nought for his wound, still stirred up the Latins
to fight; and because he perceived them to be somewhat troubled with
fear, he bade advance the company of exiles that had gone forth from
Rome with King Tarquin. Very fiercely did they fight, as men that had
been spoiled both of goods and country, and bare back the Romans a
space. And when Valerius that was brother to Publicola (than whom none
but Brutus only had been more zealous in driving out the King) saw the
King's son among the foremost of the exiles, he set spurs to his horse
and made at him with his spear. Nor did the young Tarquin abide his
coming, but turned his back, hiding himself in the company of the
exiles; and as Valerius pursued him and rode, taking no thought of what
he did, into the very ranks of the enemy, one smote him upon the side so
that he fell from his horse dying. And when the Dictator saw that so
brave a champion was dead, and that the exiles were pressing on more
fiercely and that the Romans gave place in great fear, he cried to the
company that followed him, "See that ye deal with any Roman that ye see
fleeing as with an enemy." Then they that fled, seeing this peril behind
them, stayed their steps and addressed themselves again to the battle.
But when Mamilius saw that the company of exiles was well nigh
surrounded by the Dictator and his men (for these were fresh and
vigorous), he brought up sundry companies from the reserve, and would
have assailed them. But Herminius, the same that kept the bridge over
Tiber along with Horatius against the army of King Porsenna, espied him
coming, and knew him for the Chief by his garments. He made at him with
all his might, and with one blow smote him through the side and slew
him. But while he stripped the body of its armour one of the Latins
thrust at him with a spear, and hurt him that he fell to the earth. Men
carried him back to the camp, but when they would have tended his wound
he died. Then the Dictator cried to the horsemen that followed him, "See
now how the foot soldiers are wearied out. Leap down therefore from off
your horses, and fight on foot." And when the foot soldiers saw them
leap down, they took courage again, and made forward against the Latins;
and these, after a while, turned their backs and fled. Then the Dictator
bade them bring again their horses for the horsemen, that they might the
more conveniently pursue the enemy. Also, that no help either from god
or man might be wanting, he made a vow to the Twin Brethren that he
would build them a temple, and he proclaimed that he would give rewards,
one to him who should be first in the camp of the enemy, and another to
him who should be second. So great, indeed, was the courage of the
soldiers that they took the camp of the Latins that very same hour. Thus
did the men of Rome put the Latins to flight at the Lake Regillus, and
the Dictator with the Master of the Horse returned in great triumph to
Rome.