Search -
A Book of Golden Deeds of All Times and All Lands
A Book of Golden Deeds of All Times and All Lands Author:Charlotte Mary Yonge Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: How One Man Has Saved A Host . B.C. 507. '""T'HERE have been times when the devotion of _L one man has been the saving of an army. Such, according to old Roman story, was the feat of Horatiu... more »s Codes. It was in the year, B. c. 507, not long after the kings had been expelled from Rome, when they were endeavoring to return by the aid of the Etruscans. Lars Porsena, one of the great Etruscan chieftains, had taken up the cause of the banished Tarquinius Superbus and his son Sex- tus, and gathered all his forces together, to advance upon the city of Rome. The great walls, of old Etrurian architecture, had probably already risen round the growing town, and all the people came nocking in from the country for shelter there ; but the Tiber was the best defence, and it was only crossed by one wooden bridge, and the further side of that was guarded by a fort, called the Janiculum. But the vanguards of the overwhelming Etruscan army soon took the fort, and then, in the gallant words of Lord Macaulay's ballad, — " Thus in all the Senate There was no heart so bold, But sore it ached, and fast it beat, When that ill news was told. Forthwith up rose the Consul, Up rose the Fathers all, In haste they girded up their gowns, And hied them to the wall. " They held a council standing Before the River Gate : Short time was there, ye well may guess, For musing or debate. Out spoke the Consul roundly, ' The bridge must straight go down, For, since Janiculum is lost, Naught else can save the town.' " Just then a scout came flying, All wild with haste and fear ; ' To arms ! to arms ! Sir Consul, Lars Porsena is here.' On the low hills to westward The Consul fixed his eye, And saw the swarthy storm of dust Rise fast along the sky. " But the Consul's brow was sad, And the Cons...« less