poplicola-第4章

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shows　and　solemnities；　and　as　the　charioteer　with　his　garland　on　his
head　was　quietly　driving　the　victorious　chariot　out　of　the　ring；　the
horses；　upon　no　apparent　occasion；　taking　fright；　either　by　divine
instigation　or　by　accident；　hurried　away　their　driver　at　full　speed　to
Rome；　neither　did　his　holding　them　in　prevail；　nor　his　voice；　but　he
was　forced　along　with　violence　till；　coming　to　the　Capitol；　he　was
thrown　out　by　the　gate　called　Ratumena。　This　occurrence　raised
wonder　and　fear　in　the　Veientines；　who　now　permitted　the　delivery　of
the　chariot。
　　The　building　of　the　temple　of　the　Capitoline　Jupiter　had　been
vowed　by　Tarquin；　the　son　of　Demaratus；　when　warring　with　the　Sabines；
Tarquinius　Superbus；　his　son　or　grandson；　built　but　could　not　dedicate
it；　because　he　lost　his　kingdom　before　it　was　quite　finished。　And
now　that　it　was　completed　with　all　its　ornaments；　Poplicola　was
ambitious　to　dedicate　it；　but　the　nobility　envied　him　that　honour；　as；
indeed；　also；　in　some　degree；　those　his　prudence　in　making　laws　and
conduct　in　wars　entitled　him　to。　Grudging　him；　at　any　rate；　the
addition　of　this；　they　urged　Horatius　to　sue　for　the　dedication；
and；　whilst　Poplicola　was　engaged　in　some　military　expedition；　voted
it　to　Horatius；　and　conducted　him　to　the　Capitol；　as　though；　were
Poplicola　present；　they　could　not　have　carried　it。　Yet；　some　write；
Poplicola　was　by　lot　destined　against　his　will　to　the　expedition；
the　other　to　the　dedication；　and　what　happened　in　the　performance
seems　to　intimate　some　ground　for　this　conjecture；　for；　upon　the
Ides　of　September；　which　happens　about　the　full　moon　of　the　month
Metagitnion；　the　people　having　assembled　at　the　Capitol　and　silence
being　enjoined；　Horatius；　after　the　performance　of　other　ceremonies；
holding　the　doors；　according　to　custom；　was　proceeding　to　pronounce
the　words　of　dedication；　when　Marcus；　the　brother　of　Poplicola；　who
had　got　a　place　on　purpose　beforehand　near　the　door；　observing　his
opportunity；　cried；　〃O　consul；　thy　son　lies　dead　in　the　camp；〃　which
made　a　great　impression　upon　all　others　who　heard　it；　yet　in　nowise
discomposed　Horatius；　who　returned　merely　the　reply；　〃Cast　the　dead
out　whither　you　please；　I　am　not　a　mourner；〃　and　so　completed　the
dedication。　The　news　was　not　true；　but　Marcus　thought　the　he　might
avert　him　from　his　performance；　but　it　argues　him　a　man　of　wonderful
self…possession；　whether　he　at　once　saw　through　the　cheat；　or；
believing　it　as　true；　showed　no　discomposure。
　　The　same　fortune　attended　the　dedication　of　the　second　temple；　the
first；　as　has　been　said；　was　built　by　Tarquin；　and　dedicated　by
Horatius；　it　was　burnt　down　in　the　civil　wars。　The　second；　Sylla
built；　and；　dying　before　the　dedication；　left　that　honour　to
Catulus；　and　when　this　was　demolished　in　the　Vitellian　sedition；
Vespasian；　with　the　same　success　that　attended　him　in　other　things；
began　a　third　and　lived　to　see　it　finished；　but　did　not　live　to　see　it
again　destroyed；　as　it　presently　was；　but　was　as　fortunate　in　dying
before　its　destruction；　as　Sylla　was　the　reverse　in　dying　before　the
dedication　of　his。　For　immediately　after　Vespasian's　death　it　was
consumed　by　fire。　The　fourth；　which　now　exists；　was　both　built　and
dedicated　by　Domitian。　It　is　said　Tarquin　expended　forty　thousand
pounds　of　silver　in　the　very　foundations；　but　the　whole　wealth　of
the　richest　private　man　in　Rome　would　not　discharge　the　cost　of　the
gilding　of　this　temple　in　our　days；　it　amounting　to　above　twelve
thousand　talents；　the　pillars　were　cut　out　of　Pentelican　marble；　of
a　length　most　happily　proportioned　to　their　thickness；　these　we　saw　at
Athens；　but　when　they　were　cut　anew　at　Rome　and　polished；　they　did　not
gain　so　much　in　embellishment　as　they　lost　in　symmetry；　being　rendered
too　taper　and　slender。　Should　any　one　who　wonders　at　the　costliness　of
the　Capitol　visit　any　one　gallery　in　Domitian's　palace；　or　hall；　or
bath；　or　the　apartments　of　his　concubines；　Epicharmus's　remark　upon
the　prodigal；　that…

　　　　　　　　　〃'Tis　not　beneficence；　but　truth　to　say；
　　　　　　　　　　A　mere　disease　of　giving　things　away；〃

would　be　in　his　mouth　in　application　to　Domitian。　It　is　neither　piety；
he　would　say；　nor　magnificence；　but；　indeed；　a　mere　disease　of
building；　and　a　desire；　like　Midas；　of　converting　everything　into　gold
or　stone。　And　thus　much　for　this　matter。
　　Tarquin；　after　the　great　battle　wherein　he　lost　his　son　in　combat
with　Brutus；　fled　to　Clusium；　and　sought　aid　from　Lars　Porsenna；
then　one　of　those　most　powerful　princes　of　Italy；　and　a　man　of　worth
and　generosity；　who　assured　him　of　assistance；　immediately　sending　his
commands　to　Rome　that　they　should　receive　Tarquin　as　their　king；
and；　upon　the　Romans'　refusal；　proclaimed　war；　and；　having　signified
the　time　and　place　where　he　intended　his　attack；　approached　with　a
great　army。　Poplicola　was；　in　his　absence；　chosen　consul　a　second
time；　and　Titus　Lucretius　his　colleague；　and；　returning　to　Rome；　to
show　a　spirit　yet　loftier　than　Porsenna's；　built　the　city　Sigliura
when　Porsenna　was　already　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　walling　it　at
great　expense；　there　placed　a　colony　of　seven　hundred　men；　as　being
little　concerned　at　the　war。　Nevertheless；　Porsenna；　making　a　sharp
assault；　obliged　the　defendants　to　retire　to　Rome；　who　had　almost　in
their　entrance　admitted　the　enemy　into　the　city　with　them；　only
Poplicola　by　sallying　out　at　the　gate　prevented　them；　and；　joining
battle　by　Tiber　side；　opposed　the　enemy；　that　pressed　on　with　their
multitude；　but　at　last；　sinking　under　desperate　wounds；　was　carried
out　of　the　fight。　The　same　fortune　fell　upon　Lucretius；　so　that　the
Romans；　being　dismayed；　retreated　into　the　city　for　their　security；
and　Rome　was　in　great　hazard　of　being　taken；　the　enemy　forcing　their
way　on　to　the　wooden　bridge；　where　Horatius　Cocles；　seconded　by　two　of
the　first　men　in　Rome；　Herminius　and　Lartius；　made　head　against
them。　Horatius　obtained　this　name　from　the　loss　of　one　of　his　eyes
in　the　war；　or；　as　others　write；　from　the　depressure　of　his　nose；
which；　leaving　nothing　in　the　middle　to　separate　them；　made　both
eyes　appear　but　as　one；　and　hence；　intending　to　say　Cyclops；　by　a
mispronunciation　they　called　him　Cocles。　This　Cocles　kept　the
bridge；　and　held　back　the　enemy；　till　his　own　party　broke　it　down
behind；　and　then　with　his　armour　dropped　into　the　river；　and　swam　to
the　hither　side；　with　a　wound　in　his　hip　from　a　Tuscan　spear。
Poplicola；　admiring　his　courage；　proposed　at　once　that　the　Romans
should　every　one　make　him　a　present　of　a　day's　provisions；　and
afterwards　give　him　as　much　land　as　he　could　plough　round　in　one
day；　and　besides　erected　a　brazen　statute　to　his　honour　in　the
temple　of　Vulcan；　as　a　requital　for　the　lameness　caused　by　his　wound。
　　But　Porsenna　laying　close　siege　to　the　city；　and　a　famine　raging
amongst　the　Romans；　also　a　new　army　of　the　Tuscans　making　incursions
into　the　country；　Poplicola；　a　third　time　chosen　consul；　designed　to
make；　without　sallying　out；　his　defence　against　Porsenna；　but；
privately　stealing　forth　against　the　new　army　of　the　Tuscans；　put　them
to　flight　and　slew　five　thousand。　The　story　of　Mucius　is　variously
given；　we；　like　others；　must　follow　the　commonly　received　statement。
He　was　a　man　endowed　with　every　virtue；　but　most　eminent　in　war；
and；　resolving　to　kill　Porsenna；　attired　himself　in　the　Tuscan
habit；　and　using　the　Tuscan　language；　came　to　the　camp；　and
approaching　the　seat　where　the　king　sat　amongst　his　nobles；　but　not
certainly　knowing　the　king；　and　fearful　to　inquire；　drew　out　his
sword；　and　stabbed　one　who　he　thought　had　most　the　appearance　of　king。
Mucius　was　taken　in　the　act；　and　whilst　he　was　under　examination；　a
pan　of　fire　was　brought　to　the　king；　who　intended　to　sacrifice；　Mucius
thrust　his　right　hand　into　the　flame；　and　whilst　it　burnt　stood
looking　at　Porsenna　with　a　steadfast　and　undaunted　countenance；
Porsenna　at　last　in　admiration　dismissed　him；　and　returned　his
sword；　reaching　it　from　his　seat；　Mucius　received　it　in　his　left　hand；
which　occasioned　the　name　of　Scaevola；　left…handed；　and　said；　〃I
have　overcome　the　terrors　of　Porsenna；　yet　am　vanquished　by　his
generosity；　and　gratitude　obli