Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) for use in the Lower School | Page 6

story told,

How well Horatius kept the bridge
In the brave days of old.
--Macaulay
[1] Lars. Lord or Chieftain.
[2] Clusium. The modern Chiusi.
[3] Nine Gods. The chief Gods of the Etruscans were nine in number.

[4] trysting day. A day appointed for meeting.
[5] Volaterrae. The modern Volterra. The walls of the ancient fortress
were built of enormous blocks of stone fitted together without cement.
[6] Pisse. Pisa
[7] Massilia. The modern Marseilles, originally a Greek colony and a
flourishing commercial centre. triremes. Vessels with three banks of
oars on each side. fair-haired slaves. Slaves from Gaul.
[8] Clanis. The modern river Chiana.
[9] Auser. A tributary of the Anio.
[10] Ciminian hill. A lofty mountain in the northern Apennines.
[11] Clitumnus. The river Clitumno.
[12] Volsinian mere. A lake which took its name from the town of
Volsinii (modern Bolsena) situated on its banks.
[13] Arretium. Arezzo.
[14] Umbro. A river in Etruria,--the modern Ombrone.
[15] must. new wine.
[16] Written from right to left.
[17] Nurscia. The Etruscan goddess of fortune.
[18] golden shields. Twelve golden shields kept in the temple of Vesta,
and believed by the Romans to be bound up with the safety of their city.
See notes on pp. 68 and 71.
[19] tale. (A. S. talian, "to reckon".) number.
[20] Sutrium. Sutri, a city about thirty miles from Rome.

[21] Tusculan Mamilius. Tusculum is the modern Frascati, a city about
twelve miles from Rome. Mamilius was the son-in-law of Tarquin.
[22] Latium was a province in central Italy, inhabited by the Latins. It
was conquered by Rome in the fourth century B.C.
[23] Tarpeian. The Tarpeian Rock was a cliff on one side of the
Capitoline Hill in Rome. Tarpeia, from whom the cliff took its name,
was the daughter of Tarpeius, the governor of the citadel, on this hill.
She betrayed the fortress to the Sabines, but as they entered, they threw
their shields upon her and she was crushed to death.
[24] Fathers of the City. The senators.
[25] Crustumerium. A Latin city a few miles from Rome.
[26] Ostia. A city at the mouth of the Tiber, fifteen miles from Rome.
[27] Janiculum. A hill on the right bank of the Tiber.
[28] I wis. See H. S. Grammar, p. 176.
[29] Consul. After the expulsion of the Tarquin kings, Rome was
governed by two chief magistrates, known as consuls.
[30] the River-Gate. The gate facing the Janiculum hill.
[31] bridge. The Sublician bridge, which connected Rome with
Janiculum.
[32] twelve fair cities. The Etruscan confederacy was composed of
twelve cities.
[33] Umbrian. Umbria was a division of Italy.
[34] the Gaul. The Gauls were beginning to invade Italy from the north.
[35] port and vest. Bearing and dress.

[36] Lucumo. Etruscan chief.
[37] roan. A roan horse is of a reddish colour, with white hairs thickly
interspersed.
[38] fourfold. With four thicknesses of leather.
[39] Thrasymene. Lake Trasimenus (modern Lake of Perugia). It is
only about twenty feet deep.
[40] holy maidens. The vestal virgins, whose duty it was to keep the
fire burning on the altar in the temple of Vesta. Vesta was the goddess
of the home, and the vestal virgins were bound by oath never to marry.
[41] Ramnian. The Ramnes were one of the three tribes of which the
Roman people were mainly comprised; the Tities were a second of
these tribes; Horatius himself belonged to the Luceres, the third tribe,
so that in the defence of the bridge all three tribes were represented.
[42] The story is supposed to be told by one of the plebeians, or
common people in Rome, about 120 years after the event took place.
[43] The speaker voices the grievances of the Plebeians against the
Patricians.
[44] Tribunes. The officers appointed to defend the rights of the
Plebeians against the encroachments of the Patricians.
[45] beard. openly defy.
[46] harness. armour.
[47] Tifernum. A town on the river Tiber.
[48] Ilva. Elba, an island in the Mediterranean, on the coast of Italy.
[49] Nequinum. Narni, on the Nar, which is a tributary of the Tiber.
[50] Falerii. One of the twelve Etruscan cities.

[51] Urgo. An island in the Mediterranean.
[52] rover of the sea. pirate.
[53] Cosa. A town on the sea-coast.
[54] Albinia. A river in Etruria.
[55] Campania. A district along the sea-coast.
[56] hinds. peasants.
[57] The she-wolf's litter. A reference to the legend, of Romulus and
Remus, the mythical founders of Rome, who were said to have been
suckled by a she-wolf.
[58] Palatinus. The Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome.
[59] changing. exchanging.
[60] ween. think, fancy.
[61] of public right. Belonging to the state.
[62] Comitium. That part of the Roman forum, or public square, where
the Patricians were accustomed to meet.
[63]