poplicola-第5章

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have　overcome　the　terrors　of　Porsenna；　yet　am　vanquished　by　his
generosity；　and　gratitude　obliges　me　to　disclose　what　no　punishment
could　extort；　and　assured　him　then；　that　three　hundred　Romans；　all
of　the　same　resolution；　lurked　about　his　camp；　only　waiting　for　an
opportunity；　he；　by　lot　appointed　to　the　enterprise；　was　not　sorry
that　he　had　miscarried　in　it；　because　so　brave　and　good　a　man　deserved
rather　to　be　a　friend　to　the　Romans　than　an　enemy。　To　this　Porsenna
gave　credit；　and　thereupon　expressed　an　inclination　to　a　truce；　not；　I
presume；　so　much　out　of　fear　of　the　three　hundred　Romans；　as　in
admiration　of　the　Roman　courage。　All　other　writers　call　this　man
Mucius　Scaevola；　yet　Athendrous；　son　of　Sandon；　in　a　book　addressed　to
Octavia；　Caesar's　sister；　avers　he　was　also　called　Postumus。
　　Poplicola；　not　so　much　esteeming　Porsenna's　enmity　dangerous　to　Rome
as　his　friendship　and　alliance　serviceable；　was　induced　to　refer　the
controversy　with　Tarquin　to　his　arbitration；　and　several　times
undertook　to　prove　Tarquin　the　worst　of　men；　and　justly　deprived　of
his　kingdom。　But　Tarquin　proudly　replied　he　would　admit　no　judge；　much
less　Porsenna；　that　had　fallen　away　from　his　engagements；　and
Porsenna；　resenting　this　answer；　and　mistrusting　the　equity　of　his
cause；　moved　also　by　the　solicitations　of　his　son　Aruns；　who　was
earnest　for　the　Roman　interest；　made　a　peace　on　these　conditions；　that
they　should　resign　the　land　they　had　taken　from　the　Tuscans；　and
restore　all　prisoners　and　receive　back　their　deserters。　To　confirm　the
peace；　the　Romans　gave　as　hostages　ten　sons　of　patrician　parents；
and　as　many　daughters；　amongst　whom　was　Valeria；　the　daughter　of
Poplicola。
　　Upon　these　assurances；　Porsenna　ceased　from　all　acts　of　hostility；
and　the　young　girls　went　down　to　the　river　to　bathe　at　that　part　where
the　winding　of　the　bank　formed　a　bay　and　made　the　waters　stiller　and
quieter；　and；　seeing　no　guard；　nor　any　one　coming　or　going　over；
they　were　encouraged　to　swim　over；　notwithstanding　the　depth　and
violence　of　the　stream。　Some　affirm　that　one　of　them；　by　name　Cloelia；
passing　over　on　horseback；　persuaded　the　rest　to　swim　after；　but；　upon
their　safe　arrival；　presenting　themselves　to　Poplicola；　he　neither
praised　nor　approved　their　return；　but　was　concerned　lest　he　should
appear　less　faithful　than　Porsenna；　and　this　boldness　in　the　maidens
should　argue　treachery　in　the　Romans；　so　that；　apprehending　them；　he
sent　them　back　to　Porsenna。　But　Tarquin's　men；　having　intelligence
of　this；　laid　a　strong　ambuscade　on　the　other　side　for　those　that
conducted　them；　and　while　these　were　skirmishing　together；　Valeria；
the　daughter　of　Poplicola；　rushed　through　the　enemy；　and　fled；　and
with　the　assistance　of　three　of　her　attendants　made　good　her　escape；
whilst　the　rest　were　dangerously　hedged　in　by　the　soldiers；　but　Aruns；
Porsenna's　son；　upon　tidings　of　it；　hastened　to　their　rescue；　and；
putting　the　enemy　to　flight；　delivered　the　Romans。　When　Porsenna　saw
the　maiden　returned；　demanding　who　was　the　author　and　adviser　of　the
act；　and　understanding　Cloelia　to　be　the　person；　he　looked　on　her　with
a　cheerful　and　benignant　countenance；　and；　commanding　one　of　his
horses　to　be　brought；　sumptuously　adorned；　made　her　a　present　of　it。
This　is　produced　as　evidence　by　those　who　affirm　that　only　Cloelia
passed　the　river　on　horseback；　those　who　deny　it　call　it　only　the
honour　the　Tuscan　did　to　her　courage；　a　figure；　however；　on　horseback；
stands　in　the　Via　Sacra；　as　you　go　to　the　Palatium；　which　some　say
is　the　statue　of　Cloelia；　others　of　Valeria。　Porsenna；　thus　reconciled
to　the　Romans；　gave　them　a　fresh　instance　of　his　generosity；　and
commanded　his　soldiers　to　quit　the　camp　merely　with　their　arms；
leaving　their　tents；　full　of　corn　and　other　stores；　as　a　gift　to　the
Romans。　Hence；　even　down　to　our　time；　when　there　is　a　public　sale　of
goods；　they　cry　Porsenna's　first；　by　way　of　perpetual　commemoration　of
his　kindness。　There　stood　also；　by　the　senate…house；　a　brazen　statue
of　him；　of　plain　and　antique　workmanship。
　　Afterwards；　the　Sabines；　making　incursions　upon　the　Romans；　Marcus
Valerius；　brother　to　Poplicola；　was　made　consul；　and　with　him
Postumius　Tubertus。　Marcus；　through　the　management　of　affairs　by　the
conduct　and　direct　assistance　of　Poplicola；　obtained　two　great
victories；　in　the　latter　of　which　he　slew　thirteen　thousand　Sabines
without　the　loss　of　one　Roman；　and　was　honoured；　as　an　accession　to
his　triumph；　with　an　house　built　in　the　Palatium　at　the　public　charge；
and　whereas　the　doors　of　other　houses　opened　inward　into　the　house；
they　made　this　to　open　outward　into　the　street；　to　intimate　their
perpetual　public　recognition　of　his　merit　by　thus　continually　making
way　for　him。　The　same　fashion　in　their　doors　the　Greeks；　they　say；　had
of　old　universally；　which　appears　from　their　comedies；　where　those
that　are　going　out　make　a　noise　at　the　door　within；　to　give　notice
to　those　that　pass　by　or　stand　near　the　door；　that　the　opening　the
door　into　the　street　might　occasion　no　surprisal。
　　The　year　after；　Poplicola　was　made　consul　the　fourth　time；　when　a
confederacy　of　the　Sabines　and　Latins　threatened　a　war；　a
superstitious　fear　also　overran　the　city　on　the　occasion　of　general
miscarriages　of　their　women；　no　single　birth　coming　to　its　due　time。
Poplicola；　upon　consultation　of　the　Sibylline　books；　sacrificing　to
Pluto；　and　renewing　certain　games　commanded　by　Apollo；　restored　the
city　to　more　cheerful　assurance　in　the　gods；　and　then　prepared　against
the　menaces　of　men。　There　were　appearances　of　great　preparation；　and
of　a　formidable　confederacy。　Amongst　the　Sabines　there　was　one
Appius　Clausus；　a　man　of　a　great　wealth　and　strength　of　body；　but　most
eminent　for　his　high　character　and　for　his　eloquence；　yet；　as　is
usually　the　fate　of　great　men；　he　could　not　escape　the　envy　of　others；
which　was　much　occasioned　by　his　dissuading　the　war；　and　seeming　to
promote　the　Roman　interest；　with　a　view；　it　is　thought；　to　obtaining
absolute　power　in　his　own　country　for　himself。　Knowing　how　welcome
these　reports　would　be　to　the　multitude；　and　how　offensive　to　the　army
and　the　abettors　of　the　war；　he　was　afraid　to　stand　a　trial；　but；
having　a　considerable　body　of　friends　and　allies　to　assist　him；　raised
a　tumult　amongst　the　Sabines；　which　delayed　the　war。　Neither　was
Poplicola　wanting；　not　only　to　understand　the　grounds　of　the　sedition；
but　to　promote　and　increase　it；　and　he　despatched　emissaries　with
instructions　to　Clausus；　that　Poplicola　was　assured　of　his　goodness
and　justice；　and　thought　it　indeed　unworthy　in　any　man；　however
injured；　to　seek　revenge　upon　his　fellow　citizens；　yet　if　he
pleased；　for　his　own　security；　to　leave　his　enemies　and　come　to
Rome；　he　should　be　received；　both　in　public　and　private；　with　the
honour　his　merit　deserved；　and　their　own　glory　required。　Appius；
seriously　weighing　the　matter；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was
the　best　resource　which　necessity　left　him；　and　advising　with　his
friends；　and　they　inviting　others　in　the　same　manner；　he　came　to　Rome；
bringing　five　thousand　families；　with　their　wives　and　children；　people
of　the　quietest　and　steadiest　temper　of　all　the　Sabines。　Poplicola；
informed　of　their　approach；　received　them　with　all　the　kind　offices　of
a　friend；　and　admitted　them　at　once　to　the　franchise　allotting　to
every　one　two　acres　of　land　by　the　river　Anio；　but　to　Clausus
twenty…five　acres；　and　gave　him　a　place　in　the　senate；　a
commencement　of　political　power　which　he　used　so　wisely；　that　he
rose　to　the　highest　reputation；　was　very　influential；　and　left　the
Claudian　house　behind　him；　inferior　to　none　in　Rome。
　　The　departure　of　these　men　rendered　things　quiet　amongst　the
Sabines；　yet　the　chief　of　the　community　would　not　suffer　them　to
settle　into　peace；　but　resented　that　Clausus　now；　by　turning　deserter；
should　disappoint　that　revenge　upon　the　Romans；　which；　while　at
home；　he　had　unsuccessfully　opposed。　Coming　with　a　great　army；　they
sat　down　before　Fidenae；　and　placed　an　ambuscade　of　two　thousand　men
near　Rome；　in　wooded　and　hollow　spots；　with　a　design　that　some　few
horsemen；　as　soon　as　it　was　day；　should　go　out　and　ravage　the