Journeys Through Bookland Volume Vi Part 2

And now he feels the bottom; Now on dry earth he stands; Now round him throng the Fathers To press his gory hands; And now, with shouts and clapping, And noise of weeping loud, He enters through the River-Gate, Borne by the joyous crowd.

They gave him of the corn-land, That was of public right, As much as two strong oxen Could plow from morn till night; And they made a molten image, And set it up on high, And there it stands unto this day To witness if I lie.

It stands in the Comitium,[20-24]

Plain for all folk to see; Horatius in his harness, Halting upon one knee: And underneath is written, In letters all of gold, How valiantly he kept the bridge In the brave days of old.

And still his name sounds stirring Unto the men of Rome, As the trumpet-blast that cries to them To charge the Volscian[20-25] home; And wives still pray to Juno[20-26]

For boys with hearts as bold As his who kept the bridge so well In the brave days of old.

And in the nights of winter, When the cold north-winds blow, And the long howling of the wolves Is heard amidst the snow; When round the lonely cottage Roars loud the tempest's din, And the good logs of Algidus Roar louder yet within:

[Ill.u.s.tration: HORATIUS IN HIS HARNESS, HALTING UPON ONE KNEE]

When the oldest cask is opened, And the largest lamp is lit; When the chestnuts glow in the embers, And the kid turns on the spit; When young and old in circle Around the firebrands close; And the girls are weaving baskets, And the lads are shaping bows;

When the goodman mends his armor, And trims his helmet's plume; When the goodwife's shuttle merrily Goes flas.h.i.+ng through the loom,-- With weeping and with laughter Still is the story told, How well Horatius kept the bridge In the brave days of old.[22-27]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

FOOTNOTES:

[1-1] Clusium was a powerful town in Etruria.

[1-2] According to the religion of the Etruscans there were nine great G.o.ds. An oath by them was considered the most binding oath that a man could take.

[2-3] This line shows us that the writing of the Etruscans was done backwards, as we should consider it; that is, they wrote from right to left instead of from left to right.

[3-4] Nurscia was a city of the Sabines.

[3-5] _Tale_ here means _number_.

[3-6] Sutrium was an Etruscan town twenty-nine miles from Rome.

[3-7] The Latins were an Italian race who, even before the dawn of history, dwelt on the plains south of the Tiber. Rome was supposed to be a colony of Alba Longa, the chief Latin city, but the Latin peoples were in the fourth century brought into complete subjection to Rome.

[3-8] _Champaign_, or _campagna_, means any open, level tract of country. The name is specifically applied to the extensive plains about Rome.

[4-9] A part of the Capitoline, one of the seven hills on which Rome is built, was called the Tarpeian Rock, after Tarpeia, daughter of an early governor of the citadel on the Capitoline. According to the popular legend, when the Sabines came against Rome, Tarpeia promised to open the gate of the fortress to them if they would give her what they wore on their left arms. It was their jewelry which she coveted, but she was punished for her greed and treachery, for when the soldiers had entered the fortress they hurled their s.h.i.+elds upon her, crus.h.i.+ng her to death.

[5-10] _Fathers of the City_ was the name given to the members of the Roman Senate.

[5-11] Ostia was the port of Rome, situated at the mouth of the Tiber.

[5-12] Janiculum is a hill on the west bank of the Tiber at Rome. It was strongly fortified, and commanded the approach to Rome.

[5-13] _Iwis_ is an obsolete word meaning _truly_.

[5-14] When the kings were banished from Rome the people vowed that never again should one man hold the supreme power. Two chief rulers were therefore chosen, and were given the name of _consuls_.

[7-15] s.e.xtus was the son of the last king of Rome. It was a shameful deed of his which finally roused the people against the Tarquin family.

[8-16] In the temple of the G.o.ddess Vesta a sacred flame was kept burning constantly, and it was thought that the consequences to the city would be most dire if the fire were allowed to go out. The Vestal virgins, priestesses who tended the flame, were held in the highest honor.

[10-17] The Roman people were divided into two cla.s.ses, the patricians, to whom belonged all the privileges of citizens.h.i.+p, and the plebeians, who were not allowed to hold office or even to own property. Macaulay gives the English name _Commons_ to the plebeians.

[11-18] A discussion as to who these chiefs were, or as to where the places mentioned were located, would be profitless. The notes attempt to give only such information as will aid in understanding the story.

[12-19] _Campania_ is another name for the campagna.

[12-20] _Hinds_ here means _peasants_.

[14-21] Romulus, the founder of Rome, and Remus, his brother, were, according to the legend, rescued and brought up by a she-wolf, after they had been cast into the Tiber to die.

[18-22] The Palatine is one of the seven hills of Rome.

[18-23] The Romans personified the Tiber River, and even offered prayers to it.

[20-24] The Comitium was the old Roman polling-place, a square situated between the Forum and the Senate House.

[20-25] The Volscians were among the most determined of the Italian enemies of Rome.

[20-26] Juno was the G.o.ddess who was thought of as presiding over marriage and the birth of children.

[22-27] You can tell from these last three stanzas, that Macaulay is writing his poem, not as an Englishman of the nineteenth century, but as if he were a Roman in the days when Rome, though powerful, had not yet become the luxurious city which it afterward was. That is, he thought of himself as writing in the days of the Republic, not in the days of the Empire.

LORD ULLIN'S DAUGHTER

_By_ THOMAS CAMPBELL

A chieftain, to the Highlands bound, Cries, "Boatman, do not tarry!

And I'll give thee a silver pound, To row us o'er the ferry."

"Now who be ye, would cross Lochgyle, This dark and stormy water?"

"O, I'm the chief of Ulva's isle, And this Lord Ullin's daughter.

"And fast before her father's men Three days we've fled together, For should he find us in the glen, My blood would stain the heather.

"His hors.e.m.e.n hard behind us ride; Should they our steps discover, Then who will cheer my bonny bride When they have slain her lover?"

Out spoke the hardy Highland wight, "I'll go, my chief--I'm ready; It is not for your silver bright, But for your winsome lady:

"And by my word! the bonny bird In danger shall not tarry; So though the waves are raging white, I'll row you o'er the ferry."