The Story of Rome

After slow, persistent struggle with storm and frost, the delicate bare branches were no longer bare, but clothed in living green. The hard black earth too had stirred, and shoots and blades appeared, until at length the garden was ablaze with gold, purple, crimson.

Sometimes I dreamed that, in its own different way, the Story of Rome too was a miracle, wrought out of the tears and throes of a brave and ambitious people.

For the story tells of the birth of a city and of its growth through storm and struggle, until it became a great world empire.

The city which Romulus founded was built upon a single hill; soon seven hills were not great enough to contain her. And when Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome, began to reign, part of Europe, Asia Minor, Egypt, Syria, and a large portion of Africa formed his kingdom.

Although the story was written in the quiet of your garden, little of its peace has stolen into the tale, and for that you boys may care for it the more.

As you read, fierce battle-cries will ring in your ears, and the clash of arms will startle you. You will hear the tramp of armies marching to new lands to conquer them and their treasures for Rome, the city of their love.

Sometimes you will catch your breath in horror as you read of terrible and cruel deeds, for the Romans were often pitiless, showing little mercy to those they conquered.

But at other times your breath will come quick with wonder as you read of the dauntless courage, the rare endurance of these mighty men of old.

And if there are many things which you do not admire in the people of Rome, yet they possess one virtue which you and every British boy and girl may not only admire, but gladly imitate.

What that virtue is I will leave you to find out for yourselves as you read The Story of Rome.--Yours affectionately,

MARY MACGREGOR.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE I. THE LADY ROMA 1

II. THE SHE-WOLF 4

III. THE TWIN BOYS 6

IV. NUMITOR RECOGNISES HIS GRANDSON 8

V. THE SACRED BIRDS 10

VI. THE FOUNDING OF ROME 12

VII. THE SABINE MAIDENS 14

VIII. THE TARPEIAN ROCK 17

IX. THE MYSTERIOUS GATE 19

X. THE KING DISAPPEARS 22

XI. THE PEACE-LOVING KING 24

XII. HORATIUS SLAYS HIS SISTER 28

XIII. THE PRIDE OF TULLUS HOSTILIUS 31

XIV. THE KING WHO FOUGHT AND PRAYED 33

XV. THE FAITHLESS FRIEND 35

XVI. A SLAVE BECOMES A KING 38

XVII. THE CRUEL DEED OF TULLIA 40

XVIII. THE FATE OF THE TOWN OF GABII 43

XIX. THE BOOKS OF THE SIBYL 46

XX. THE INDUSTRY OF LUCRETIA 48

XXI. THE DEATH OF LUCRETIA 50

XXII. THE SONS OF BRUTUS 52

XXIII. HORATIUS COCLES, OR THE ONE-EYED 55

XXIV. GAIUS MUCIUS BURNS HIS RIGHT HAND 60

XXV. THE DIVINE TWINS 63

XXVI. THE TRIBUNES 66

XXVII. CORIOLANUS AND HIS MOTHER VETURIA 68

XXVIII. THE ROMAN ARMY IN A TRAP 73

XXIX. THE HATED DECEMVIRS 77

XXX. THE DEATH OF VERGINIA 80

XXXI. THE FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE 85

XXXII. CAMILLUS CAPTURES THE CITY OF VEII 88

XXXIII. THE STATUE OF THE GODDESS 92

XXXIV. THE SCHOOLMASTER WHO PROVED A TRAITOR 94

XXXV. THE BATTLE OF ALLIA 97

XXXVI. THE SACRED GEESE 99

XXXVII. THE CITY IS REBUILT 105

XXXVIII. CAMILLUS SETS THE CAMP OF THE VOLSCIANS ON FIRE 109

XXXIX. THE BATTLE ON THE BANKS OF THE ANIO 111

XL. THE CURTIAN LAKE 116

XLI. THE DREAM OF THE TWO CONSULS 119

XLII. THE CAUDINE FORKS 124

XLIII. THE DISGRACE OF THE CAUDINE FORKS AVENGED 129

XLIV. FABIUS AMONG THE CIMINIAN HILLS 131

XLV. THE BATTLE OF SENTINUM 135

XLVI. THE SON OF FABIUS LOSES A BATTLE 138

XLVII. PYRRHUS, KING OF THE EPIROTS 141

XLVIII. THE ELEPHANTS AT THE BATTLE OF HERACLEA 145