The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 05 : $b the Roman Republic
History
The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 05 : $b the Roman Republic
World history
Then Marcus Valerius, the brother of Publius, levelled his lance and
rode fiercely against Titus Tarquinius, who was the leader of the band
of the Tarquinii. But Titus drew back, and sheltered himself amidst his
band: and Marcus rode after him in his fury, and plunged into the midst
of the enemy, and a Latin ran his lance into his side as he was rushing
on; but his horse stayed not in his career, till Marcus dropped from him
dead upon the ground. Then the Romans feared yet more, and the Tarquinii
charged yet more vehemently, till Aulus, the leader of the Romans, rode
up with his own chosen band; and he bade them level their lances, and
slay all whose faces were towards them, whether they were friends or
foes. So the Romans turned from their flight, and Aulus and his chosen
band fell upon the Tarquinii; and Aulus prayed, and vowed that he would
raise a temple to Castor and to Pollux, the twin heroes, if they would
aid him to win the battle; and he promised to his soldiers that the
two who should be the first to break into the camp of the enemy should
receive a rich reward. When behold there rode two horsemen at the head of
his chosen band, and they were taller and fairer than after the stature
and beauty of men, and they were in the first bloom of youth, and their
horses were white as snow. Then there was a fierce battle, when Octavius,
the leader of the Latins, came up with aid to rescue the Tarquinii; for
Titus Herminius rode against him, and ran his spear through his body, and
slew him at one blow; but as he was spoiling him of his arms, he himself
was struck by a javelin, and he was borne out of the fight and died. And
the two horsemen on white horses rode before the Romans; and the enemy
fled before them, and the Tarquinii were beaten down and slain, and Titus
Tarquinius was slain among them; and the Latins fled, and the Romans
followed them to their camp, and the two horsemen on white horses were
the first who broke into the camp. But when the camp was taken, and the
battle was fully won, Aulus sought for the two horsemen to give them the
rewards which he had promised; and they were not found either amongst the
living or amongst the dead, only there was seen imprinted on the hard
black rock, the mark of a horse’s hoof, which no earthly horse had ever
made; and the mark was there to be seen in after ages. And the battle was
ended, and the sun went down.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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