city which they had conquered, and which wanted even the good fortune of defending itself. 17. By these, and such like remonstrances, he prevailed upon the people to go contentedly to work; and Rome soon began to rise from its ashes 1. 18. We have already seen the bravery of Man'lius in defending the Capitol, and saving the last remains of Rome. For this the people were by no means ungrateful. They built him a house near the place where his valour was so conspicuous, and appointed him a public fund for his support. 19. But he aspired at being more than equal to Camil'lus, and to be sovereign of Rome. With this view he laboured to ingratiate himself with the populace, paid their debts, and railed at the patricians, whom he called their oppressors. 20. The senate was not ignorant of his speeches or his designs, and created Cornelius Cossus dictator, with a view to curb the ambition of Man'lius. 21. The dictator soon called Man'lius to an account for his conduct. Man'lius, however, was too much the darling of the populace to be affected by the power of Cossus, who was obliged to lay down his office, and Man lius was carried from confinement in triumph through the city. 22. This success only served to inflame his ambition. He now began to talk of a division of the lands among the people, insinuated that there should be no distinctions in the state; and to give weight to his discourses, always appeared at the head of a large body of the dregs of the people, whom largesses had made his followers. 23. The city being thus filled with sedition and clamour, the senate had recourse to another expedient, which was, to oppose the power of Camil'lus to that of the demagogue. Camil'lus accordingly, being made one of the military tribunes, appointed Man'lius a day to answer for his life. 24. The place in which he was tried was near the Capitol, whither, when he was accused of sedition, and of aspiring at sovereignty, he turned his eyes, and pointing to that edifice, put them in mind of what he had there done for his country. 25. The multitude, whose compassion or 1 So little taste, however, for order and beauty, did those display who had the direction of the works, that the city, when rebuilt, was even less regular than in the time of Romulus. 2 Man'lius omitted nothing that was likely to move his judges to compassion; he appeared in deep mourning; he produced above four hundred plebeians, whose debts he had paid; he showed the people whose justice seldom springs from rational motives, refused to condemn him so long as he pleaded in sight of the Capitol; but when he was brought from thence to the Peteline grove, where the Capitol was no longer in view, they condemned him to be thrown headlong from the Tarpe'ian rock'. 26. Thus, the place which had been the theatre of his glory, became that of his punishment and infamy. His house, in which his conspiracies had been secretly carried on, and which had been built as the reward of his valour, was ordered to be razed to the ground, and his family were forbidden ever after to assume the name of Man'lius. 27. Thus the Romans went gradually forward, with a mixture of turbulence and superstition within their walls, and successful enterprises without 28. With what implicit obedience they submitted to their pontiffs, and how far they might be impelled to encounter even death itself at their command, will evidently appear from the behaviour of Cur'tius, about this U.C. time. Upon the opening of the gulf in the forum, 392. which the augurs affirmed would never close till the most precious things in Rome were thrown into it, this heroic man, clad in complete armour, and mounted on horseback, boldly leaped into the midst, declaring that thirty suits of armour, the spoils of thirty enemies, whom he had killed in single combat; he had been honoured with one mural and eight civic crowns, and been seven-and-thirty times rewarded for his extraordinary valour; the people, unwilling either to acquit or condemn, put off his trial from day to day, but at length determined as in the text. Scarcely, however, was Man'lius dead, when his loss was generally lamented, and a plague which soon followed was ascribed to the anger of Jupiter against the authors of his death. (Plut. in Camillo.) 1 This account appears so absurd as to be scarcely credible; in fact, Manlius was first tried by the "comitia centuriata," and acquitted. His second trial was before the "comitia curiata," where his enemies, the patricians, alone had the right of voting. See Introduction, Chap. III. 2 The principal of these were, their wars with the Vol'sci, Prænes'tines (a), the Latins, the Veliterni (b), and the Gauls; the chief domestic occurrence was, the law which permitted one of the consuls to be chosen from among the plebeians; this concession was not obtained by that order without much opposition, tumult, and confusion. L. Sextus was the first plebeian consul. (a) The inhabitants of Prænes'te, a town of Latium, about 21 miles from Rome. (b) The inhabitants of Veli'træ, an ancient town of Latium, on the Appian road, 20 miles eastward of Rome. nothing was more truly valuable than patriotism and mili tary virtue./29./The gulf, say the historians, closed immediately upon this, and Cur'tius was seen no more 1 30. This year died the great Camillus, de- U.C. servedly regretted by all He was styled a second 396. Romulus, the first having founded, and he having restored the city. He is said never to have fought a battle without gaining a victory; never to have besieged a city without taking it. He was a zealous patriot, ever ready to dismiss his just resentments for the affronts he received, when the necessities of his country required his services. Questions for Examination. 1. What was the state of Rome at this period? X2. What was the next step taken by Brennus, and how did it succeed? 3. In what manner was the siege carried on? 4. Did he consider the attempt as hopeless? 5. What advantage did he take of this information? 6. Was the attempt successful? 7. What was the consequence? 8. Was there any particular instance of valour? 9. What effect had this failure on the mind of Brennus? 10. In what manner was this agreement carried into execution? 11. What inference did the Romans draw from this insolent speech? 12. What agreeable news did they now hear? 13. Was this information correct? 14. What followed? 15. What was the first measure proposed after this deliverance? 16. Was this proposal carried into effect? 17. Were his remonstrances successful? 18. Was the bravery of Manlius rewarded? 19. Was he content with these favours? 20. What measures were taken to oppose his designs? 21. Was this expedient attended with success? 22. What was the conduct of Manlius after this? 23. What farther measures were taken to punish his ambition? 24. What defence did he set up? 25. Was his plea successful? 26. What is remarkable in his punishment? 27. How did the Roman affairs proceed at this time? 23. Relate a memorable instance of the obedience paid by the Romans to their pontiffs or priests. 29. What was the consequence of this heroic act? 30. What happened this year, and what was the character of Camillus ? 1 Some judicious writers, however, acknowledge that the chasm was afterwards filled up with earth and rubbish. (Livy, l. 7. c. 6. Val. Maximus, l. 5. c. 6. et al.) CHAPTER XIII. SECT. I. FROM THE WARS WITH THE SAMNITES, AND THOSE WITH PYRRHUS, TO THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST PUNIC WAR; WHEN THE ROMANS BEGAN TO EXTEND THEIR CONQUESTS BEYOND ITALY. The brave man is not he who feels no fear, But he, whose noble soul his fear subdues, And bravely dares the danger nature shrinks from. BAILLIE. 3. Gigan'tic, a. very large, like a giant. | 18. Intim'idated, part. rendered afraid 5. Athlet'ic, a. strong, vigorous. 8. Unwa'rily, ad. incautiously, un awares. 9. Mu'tinying, part. rising against lawful authority. 12. Host'ile, a. as an enemy. 13. Defec'tion, s. a revolt, a falling away. 21. Deplo'rable, a. lamentable, sad. Alternative, s. choice. 22. Man'date, s. a command. Execra'tions, &. curses. 23. Animos'ity, s. extreme hatred, rage 29. Car'nage, s. slaughter, havoc. a 1. THE Romans had triumphed over the Sab ́ines, the Etrurians, the Latins, the Her'nici, the Æ'qui, and the Vol'sci; and now began to look for greater conquests They accordingly turned their arms against the Sam'nites, a people descended from the Sabines, and inhabiting large tract of southern Italy which at this day makes a considerable part of the kingdom of Naples 2. Vale'rius Corvus, and Cornelius were the two consuls to whose care it first fell to manage this dreadful contention between the rivals. 2 3. Valerius was one of the greatest commanders of his time; he was surnamed Corvus, from the strange circumstance of being assisted by a crow in a single combat, in which he killed a Gaul of gigantic stature. 4. To his colleague's care it was consigned to lead an army t Sam'nium, the enemy's capital, while Cor'vus was sent to 1 About this time (A.U. 415: A.C. 333), ambassadors arrived from Carthage, to conclude an alliance with the Romans. 2 The occasion of the war was this: the Sam'nites having attacked the Campa'nians, the latter threw themselves upon the protection of the Romans. The Romans immediately sent ambassadors to the Sam'nites, requesting them to desist from hostilities against a people under the protection of Rome; this the Sam'nites haughtily refused, in consequence of which war was immediately declared against them. (Livy, 1. 17. c. 31, 32.) relieve Cap'ua, the capital of Campania. 5. Never was a captain more fitted for command than he. To a habit naturally robust and athletic, he joined the gentlest manners; he was the fiercest, and yet the most goodnatured man in the army; and, while the meanest sentinel was his companion, no man kept them more strictly to their duty; but to complete his character, he constantly endeavoured to preserve his dignity by the same arts by which he gained it. 6. Such soldiers as the Romans then were, hardened by their late adversity, and led on by such a general, were unconquerable The Samnites were the bravest men they ever had yet encountered, and the contention between the two nations was managed on both sides with the most determined resolution. 7. But the fortune of Rome prevailed; the Samnites at length fled, averring, that they were not able to withstand the fierce looks and the fire-darting eyes of the Romans. 8. Corne'lius, however, was not at first so fortunate; for having unwarily led his army into a defile, he was in danger of being cut off, had not De'cius possessed himself of a hill which commanded the enemy; so that the Samnites, being attacked on both sides, were defeated with great slaughter; not less than thirty thousand of them being left dead upon the field. 9. Some time after this victory, the forces stationed at Cap'ua mutinying', compelled Quin'tius, an eminent old soldier, to be their leader; and, conducted by their rage more than by their general, came within six miles of the city. 10. So terrible an enemy, almost at the gates, not a little alarmed the senate, who immediately created Vale'rius dictator and sent him forth with an army to oppose 11. two armies were now drawn up against them. The truth armind sons beheld themselves prepared to engage in opposite causes 12. Any other general than Corvus would, perhaps, have brought this civil war to extremity; but he, knowing his influence among the soldiery, instead of going forward to meet the mutineers in an hostile manner, went with the most cordial friendship to embrace, and expostulate with his old acquaintances. 13. His conduct had the desired effect. Quin'tius, 1 Delighted with the charming climate, and the pleasures of Cap'ua, these soldiers formed a design of destroying the inhabitants, and settling in the city; but the plot having been discovered and frus. trated by the vigilance of the officers, gave occasion to this mutiny. |