The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
Children's literature; Mythology, Classical -- Juvenile literature
bear up his shield, he stood over and ran his sword downward into his
throat. Afterward as the man lay dead upon the ground, he spoiled him
of his arms. Then did the men of Rome receive their champion with much
rejoicing, having all the more gladness because they had been in so great
fear. Afterward each host set themselves to bury their dead, whose tombs
remain to this day, each in the spot where he fell, for the two Romans
are buried in one sepulcher nearer to Alba, and the three champions of
Alba as you go toward Rome, but with somewhat of space between them, even
as they fought.
And now the men of Rome went back to the city, and Horatius went before
them, carrying the spoils of the three whom he had slain. But at the
Capene gate there met him his sister, who was betrothed to one of the
champions of Alba; and when the maiden saw upon his shoulders the cloak
of her betrothed (and indeed she had wrought it with her own hands)
she tore her hair and cried to the dead man by name with a lamentable
voice. But Horatius was wroth to hear the words of mourning on the day
when he had won so great a victory and the people rejoiced; and he drew
his sword and slew the maiden, crying, “Depart hence to thy lover with
the love that thou cherishest out of season; thou that forgettest thy
brethren that are dead, and thy brother that is yet alive, and thine own
people also. So perish whosoever shall make lamentations for an enemy
of Rome.” And when the fathers and the commons saw what was done, they
thought it a wicked deed, but remembered what great service the man had
newly rendered to Rome. Nevertheless they laid hands on him and took him
to the king that he should judge him. But the king being loath to judge
such a matter, or to give sentence against the man, said, “I appoint two
men as the law commands, who shall judge Horatius for murder.” Now the
law was this: “If a man do murder, two men shall judge him; if he appeal
against the two, let the appeal be tried; if their sentence be confirmed,
ye shall cover his head and scourge him within the walls or without
the walls, and hang him by a rope upon the gallows.” Then there were
appointed two men according to the law, who affirmed that they could not
let the man go free, whether his guilt was small or great, seeing that
he had manifestly done the deed. Therefore said one of them, “Publius
Horatius, we adjudge thee to be guilty of murder. Go, lictor, bind his
hands.” But when the lictor came and was now ready to cast the rope about
him, Horatius cried, “I appeal to the people;” for the king himself,
being mercifully disposed to him, bade him do so. Then was there a trial
before the people, in which that which most wrought upon the hearts of
men was that the father of Horatius constantly affirmed that his daughter
had been rightly slain. “Nay,” said he, “verily, if the young man had not
slain her, I had used against him my right as a father, and had condemned
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