Young Folks History of Rome | Page 8

Charlotte Mary Yonge
second and the third: as he cut down this
last he cried out, "To the glory of Rome I sacrifice thee." As the Alban
king saw his champion fall, he turned to Tullus Hostilius and asked
what his commands were. "Only to have the Alban youth ready when I
need them," said Tullus.
A wreath was set on the victor's head, and, loaded with the spoil of the
Curiatii, he was led into the city in triumph. His sister came hurrying to
meet him; she was betrothed to one of the Curiatii, and was in agony to
know his fate; and when she saw the garment she had spun for him
hanging blood-stained over her brother's shoulders, she burst into loud
lamentations. Horatius, still hot with fury, struck her dead on the spot,
crying, "So perish every Roman who mourns the death of an enemy of
his country." Even her father approved the cruel deed, and would not
bury her in his family tomb--so stern were Roman feelings, putting the
honor of the country above everything. However, Horatius was brought
before the king for the murder, and was sentenced to die; but the people
entreated that their champion might be spared, and he was only made to
pass under what was called the yoke, namely, spears set up like a
doorway.
Tullus Hostilius gained several victories over his neighbors, but he was
harsh and presuming, and offended the gods, and, when he was using
some spell such as good Numa had used to hold converse with Jupiter,
the angry god sent lightning and burnt up him and his family. The
people then chose Ancus Martins, the son of Numa's daughter, who is
said to have ruled in his grandfather's spirit, though he could not avoid
wars with the Latins. The first bridge over the Tiber, named the
Sublician, was said to have been built by him. In his time there came to
Rome a family called Tarquin. Their father was a Corinthian, who had
settled in an Etruscan town named Tarquinii, whence came the family
name. He was said to have first taught writing in Italy, and, indeed, the

Roman letters which we still use are Greek letters made simpler. His
eldest son, finding that because of his foreign blood he could rise to no
honors in Etruria, set off with his wife Tanaquil, and their little son
Lucius Tarquinius, to settle in Rome. Just as they came in sight of
Rome, an eagle swooped down from the sky, snatched off little
Tarquin's cap, and flew up with it, but the next moment came down
again and put it back on his head. On this Tanaquil foretold that her son
would be a great king, and he became so famous a warrior when he
grew up, that, as the children of Ancus were too young to reign at their
father's death, he was chosen king. He is said to have been the first
Roman king who wore a purple robe and golden crown, and in the
valley between the Palatine and Aventine Hills he made a circus, where
games could be held like those of the Greeks; also he placed stone
benches and stalls for shops round the Forum, and built a stone wall
instead of a mud one round the city. He is commonly called Tarquinus
Priscus, or the elder.
[Illustration: ACTORS]
There was a fair slave girl in his house, who was offering cakes to Lar,
the household spirit, when he appeared to her in bodily form. When she
told the king's mother, Tanaquil, she said it was a token that he wanted
to marry her, and arrayed her as a bride for him. Of this marriage there
sprang a boy called Servius Tullus. When this child lay asleep, bright
flames played about his head, and Tanaquil knew he would be great, so
she caused her son Tarquin to give him his daughter in marriage when
he grew up. This greatly offended the two sons of Ancus Martius, and
they hired two young men to come before him as wood-cutters, with
axes over their shoulders, pretending to have a quarrel about some
goats, and while he was listening to their cause they cut him down and
mortally wounded him. He had lost his sons, and had only two baby
grandsons, Aruns and Tarquin, who could not reign as yet; but while he
was dying, Tanaquil stood at the window and declared that he was only
stunned and would soon be well. This, as she intended, so frightened
the sons of Ancus that they fled from Rome; and Servius Tullus,
coming forth in the royal robes, was at once hailed as king by all the
people of Rome, being thus made king that he might protect his wife's

two young nephews,
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