Rome On their arrival Lucretia told them of the insult she had received, and made them swear solemnly that they would avenge her. Then taking a dagger, which she had hidden in her dress, she plunged it into her body, and died.

Brutus drew forth the dagger, and vowed that he would kill Sextus, and drive the family of the Tarquins from Rome. The next day he collected a number of his friends and marched to Rome. There he called the people together, and informed them of the ill-conduct of Sextus and the death of Lucretia. The story caused the greatest indignation. The Romans determined immediately to make peace with Ardea, and expel Tarquin from the throne, and the senate and people with one consent swore that there should never be another king in Rome.

Tarquin soon heard of the rebellion against him; but he had no power to stop it, for he had no friends to take his part. He escaped with two of his sons, and took refuge in a neighbouring city; but Sextus fled to Gabii, where he was killed.

Pro

This was the end of the kings of Rome. bably there were more kings than we have any account of, for the stories which are told of them are very confused.

B. C. 510.

CHAPTER 1X.

THE REPUBLIC.

CONSULS FIRST CHOSEN, B. C. 510.

WHEN Tarquin and his family were sent away from Rome, Junius Brutus was left to be the chief ruler, but he could not call himself king, because of the vow which he had

made, that there should be no more kings. He said he should wish to have some one to help him to govern, and the person chosen was Collatinus, the husband of Lucretia. The Romans had two chief rulers for a great many years after this. They were named Consuls. This kind of government, when there are no kings but only magistrates chosen by the people, is called a Republic.

Tarquin did not rest contented when he lost his throne. He determined to try and regain it, and as a beginning he sent persons to Rome to claim the property which he said belonged to him. These ambassadors were allowed to lodge in the eity. There they began to contrive plots for his return, and persuaded two of the sons of Brutus, and some nephews of Collatinus, to join with them. A slave overheard their plans as they were talking about them at a banquet, and he went and told the consuls. Brutus was a very stern, determined man, and he did not refuse to sit upon the judgment-seat to try his own children and pass sentence upon them. The young men were brought into the Forum, and the lictors, or officers of justice, stood as guards around them. These lictors carried each a bundle of rods, called fasces, with an axe in the middle, as a mark of their office. Brutus spoke to his sons as if they had been strangers in whom he had no interest. He bade them defend themselves if they had any excuse to give, but the unhappy young men had none. "Lictors," exclaimed Brutus, "do your duty." And the lictors seizing upon his two sons, scourged them first and then beheaded them. The Romans wondered at this dreadful action, but they felt that it was strictly just, and they praised Brutus and honoured him for it.

Collatinus was not consul very long. It was

thought that he was inclined to favour Tarquin, who was his relation, and he was therefore obliged to give up his office, and another patrician was made consul in his stead.

Tarquin now found that there was no hope of regaining his throne without help, and he therefore persuaded the people of Veii and another little state to assist him. He and his son Aruns took the command of an army and declared war against Rome. The Roman consuls marched out against them, and there was a terrible battle. Aruns saw Brutus in the distance appearing in great state with guards and attendants, as if he had been a king; and being exceedingly enraged at the sight, spurred his horse towards him, exclaiming, "There he is!-the enemy of my family!-the usurper of my father's throne!" Brutus was no less brave than Aruns, he rushed against him, and the two enemies met with such fury that both fell dead upon the ground, each pierced by the spear of the other. The battle lasted till evening, but neither party would allow that they were conquered.

There was great sorrow in Rome that night, for Brutus had been loved and honoured by all men. They laid his body in the Forum, and the noble Valerius stood beside it and proclaimed to the people all the glorious actions he had performed. The Roman women mourned his loss for twelve months, and, in after years, his statue, with a drawn sword in his hand, was placed in the Capitol in the midst of the kings of Rome.

Valerius himself was the chief person in Rome, now that Brutus was dead. He was made consul, and was called Poplicola, or pleaser of the people. The people were at one time afraid that he intended to make himself king, because he began building a very beautiful house for himself on the top of a bigh hill; but when Valerius heard what they sus

pected, he appeared before the great meeting of the people, which was called "the Assembly of the Curiæ," in a very humble way, and assured them he did not intend to do anything of the kind, and he afterwards showed that he was in earnest, by doing everything he could to keep the government just as it was.

All this time Tarquin had not given up the idea of returning to be king. He went to Porsenna, who ruled over Clusium, one of the Italian states, and begged him to be his friend. Porsenna agreed, and raised an immense army, which he led himself against Rome. The Romans placed soldiers upon a hill near the city to defend it, but Porsenna drove them from it, and followed them to the banks of the river Tiber, which flowed between this hill and the city. There was a bridge across the river, which the Romans fled over as quickly as they could. But three very brave men determined to fight to the last. One of them was called Horatius Cocles. It was his duty to guard the bridge, and he knew that if he left it, Porsenna and his army would cross over it, and take possession of Rome. He stood with his two companions in front of the bridge, fighting, desperately, whilst the rest of the Roman soldiers crossed safely. Then Horatius called out to them to break it down, and so prevent Porsenna from following, and still he and his two comrades fought on, whilst the workmen knocked the bridge to pieces. The companions of Horatius escaped before it was quite destroyed. At length there was a great shout, and the last piece of the bridge fell crashing into the water.

Then Horatius himself plunged into the river. He is said to have prayed to the god of the river to protect him. Perhaps he did pray to the god, he did not know any better; but the True God guarded him, and we may believe forgave his igno

rance, and was pleased with him for risking his own life to save his fellow creatures.

Porsenna's soldiers cast a shower of darts against him, but he was saved from all dangers, and reached the opposite shore unhurt. His countrymen watched him with the greatest anxiety, and set up a loud shout of delight as he landed, and the senate and people afterwards caused a statue to be erected to his honour, and gave him a grant of land as a sign of their gratitude.

But though the Romans had escaped better than they expected in this instance, they were still in great peril, for Porsenna's troops surrounded the city, and they could get no food from the country, and all which they had with them was fast being consumed. They were very hard pressed by famine, but even then they did not forget their gratitude to Horatius Cocles, for they all provided him with as much food as they could spare. At last it was determined to try and kill Porsenna treacherously. Mutius, a young man of high birth, offered to disguise himself and go to Porsenna's camp for this purpose, and as he could speak the same language as Porsenna, he thought he should not be found out.

Mutius did not know Porsenna by sight, and when he reached the camp, he saw a person splendidly dressed arranging some business with the soldiers. This he thought must be the king. He went up to him directly and stabbed him. The next instant he was seized by the soldiers, and carried before their lord. "Hateful assassin!" exclaimed Porsenna, "who art thou ?" "I am a Roman," replied Mutius, "My design was to deliver Rome from her greatest enemy.' The words were spoken calmly without any sign of fear, and Porsenna was amazed. He had never seen such