that when she rode forth in her chariot, to congratulate the base murderer, she would not permit her coachman to indulge even his humanity, who seeing the bleeding body of Servius lying in the street, was about to turn down another road, thinking, very rationally, that his mistress would be shocked to behold the mangled corpse of her old father.

Tullia had expelled from her heart all natural feeling, and perceiving the hesitation of the coachman, angrily bade the man drive on; he did so, and the chariot-wheels of the daughter's car were stained with the blood of her gray-haired father.

Tarquin, surnamed the proud, upon this event, was made king; but though at first he ingratiated himself with the lower classes of the people, yet by his oppressive and tyrannical conduct, he at length became an object of universal detestation. His son Sextus having greatly indulged in detestable vices, became the occasion of his own and the king's ruin.

This prince, and Collatinus a noble Roman, and some officers, when with the army besieging Ardea, a small town not far from Rome, in the height of a debauch, were boasting what excellent wives each possessed. Collatinus was certain that his was the best; in their merriment, the young men mounted their horses, and set off for Rome, to discover whose wife was most properly employed in the absence of her husband.

The ladies were all found visiting and passing the time in amusement and mirth, except Lucretia, the wife of Collatinus. She was Industriously spinning wool among her maidens at home. Sextus was so taken with the good sense and right behaviour of Lucretia, that he fell in love with her, and wished her to quit her husband, indulging at the same time the most unwarrantable designs.

Lucretia, shocked at his vile proposals, and unable to survive her dishonour, killed herself for grief, which so distracted Collatinus, that with Junius Brutus, and other friends, he raised an army, and drove Sextus and his infamous father from Rome. The people had suffered so much under the tyranny of this king, that they resolved that he should never come back, and that they would have no more kings. The cause of the interest which Brutus took in the death of Lucretia, was the following. His father and eldest brother had been slain by Tarquin, and unable to avenge their death, he pretended to be insane. The artifice saved his life; he was called Brutus for his stupidity. When the infamous deed of the Tarquins was done, and the catastrophe which ensued was known, he seized the occasion of

revenge.

Snatching the dagger from the wound of the bleeding Lucretia, he swore upon the reeking blade, immortal hatred to the royal family. "Be witness, ye gods," he cried, "that from this moment I proclaim myself the avenger of the chaste Lucretia's cause," &c. This energy of speech and action, in one who had been reputed a fool, astonished Rome, and every patriot's arm was nerved against Tarquin and his adherents-against Tarquin and royalty.

6. From a monarchy, Rome now became a republic, with a gradual increase of the power of the people from time to time. At first the nobles had much the largest share in the government. The supreme authority was committed to two magistrates, chosen from the patrician order every year, who were named consuls. Their power was nearly or quite equal to that of the kings, only it was temporary. Brutus and Collatinus were the first consuls, who, with several of their successors, were engaged in hostility with the banished king.

§ Tarquin, after his expulsion, took refuge in Etruria, where he enlisted two of the most powerful cities, Venii and Tarquinii, to espouse his cause. At Rome also he had adherents. A conspiracy having been formed to open the gates of the city to him, the republic was on the eve of ruin.

It was however discovered in season, and the two sons of Brutus naving been concerned in it, he sternly ordered them to be beheaded in his presence. He put off the father, and acted only the consul-a dreadful necessity.

Some time after, in a combat between the Romans and Tarquins, Brutus engaged with Aruns, son of Tarquin, and so fierce was the attack, that they both fell dead together. Brutus was honoured as the father of the republic.

Tarquin now fled for aid to Porsenna, king of Clusium, who advanced with a large army to Rome, and had nearly entered it. The valour of one man saved the city. Horatius Cocles, seeing the enemy approach the bridge where he stood sentinel, and observing the retreat of the Romans, besought them to assist him. He told them to burn or break down the bridge behind him, whilst he went forward to keep back the enemy.

He then remained alone fighting in the midst of his enemies, and when he heard the crash of the bridge and the shouts of the Romans, knowing that no way of entrance was left for the foe, he jumped into the river and swam over to his friends in safety.

In the war with Porsenna occurred another remarkable incident. Mutius Scævola, a noble young Roman, upon leave obtained of the senate, disguised himself, and entered the tent of Porsenna. There he saw a man so richly drest that he thought he was the king, whom he contrived to kill, but it was only the king's secretary.

While endeavouring to quit the camp, Mutius was seized and carried before Porsenna, who told him he would severely torture him if he did not betray the schemes of the Romans. Mutius only answered by putting his hand into one of the fires lighted near him, and holding it steadily there.

The king, seeing the courage and fortitude of this youth, leaped from his throne, and drawing the hand of Mutius from the flame, highly praised him, and dismissed him without farther harm. Peace was soon concluded upon this incident.

7. The Latins, excited by Mamilius, Tarquin's son-inlaw, declared war against the Romans, 501 years B. C. The common people, oppressed by the patrician order, had become disaffected, and refused to enlist into the service. In this crisis, the Romans resorted to the desperate measure of having a dictator, a magistrate with unlimited authority, for the period of six months. This was an effectual resort in times of danger.

A few years after, the people, supposing their grievances not sufficiently redressed, rose in general insurrection, when the senate consented to create five new magistrates, called tribunes, who were to be annually selected by the people.

These were to be sacred; their office was to defend the oppressed, pardon offenders, arraign the enemies of the people, and, if necessary, stop the whole machine of government. They were afterwards increased to ten. The popular or democratic constitution of Rome may be dated from this period, 490 years B. C.

About this time, Coriolanus, a patrician and able warrior, being banished from Rome, for proposing the abolition of the tribunate, retired to the Volsci, among whom he raised an army, and advanced to besiege Rome. Attacking the city, he would probably have conquered it, but he was turned from his purpose by the prayers and tears of his mother, wife, and children.

SA few particulars respecting Coriolanus must here be related. Passing over the circumstances of his banishment, we find that upon his entrance into the territory of the Volsci, he met a most friendly reception from Tullus Aufidius, a mortal enemy to Rome.

Having advised this prince to make war against the Romans, he marched at the head of the Volsci, as general. The approach of Coriolanus, at the head of so powerful an enemy, greatly alarmed the Romans, who sent him several embassies to reconcile him to his country, and to solicit his return. He was deaf to all proposals; and though each successive embassy was made more and more solemn and urgent, he bade them prepare for war.

At Rome, all was now confusion and consternation. The republic was nearly given up for lost. Coriolanus had pitched his camp at only a very short distance from the city. As a last resort, it was suggested, that possibly his wife or mother might effect what the senate and the ministers of religion could not.

Accordingly his mother, Veturia, and his wife, Vergilia, with his children, and the principal matrons of the city, undertook the last embassy. The meeting of Coriolanus and this train, was in the high

est degree tender and affecting. In the sternness of his soul he had resolved to give them a denial; but the authority of a mother, and the entreaties of a wife and of children, must be listened to.

"My son,” cried his mother, "how am I to consider this meeting? Do I embrace my son or my enemy? Am I your mother or your captive? How have I lived to see this day-to see my son a banished man-and still more distressful, to see him the enemy of his country? how has he been able to turn his arms against the place that gave him life-how direct his rage against those walls that protect his wife, his children, and his gods? But it is to me only that my country owes her oppressor. Had I never been a mother, Rome had still been free."

With these and similar words, and with the tears and entreaties of his wife and children, his stern and obstinate resolutions were overcome. He was melted under them, and the feelings of a man rose superior to the honour of a soldier and the vengeance of a foe. The Volsci were marched from the neighbourhood of Rome, but the event fulfilled the sad prediction which he addressed to his mother, in reply-a prediction which only a Roman mother could hear-"O my mother, thou hast saved Rome, but lost thy son."

The act of Coriolanus, of course, displeased the Volsci. He was summoned to appear before the people of Antium: but the clamours which his enemies raised were so prevalent, that he was murdered on the spot appointed for his trial. His body was honoured, nevertheless, with a magnificent funeral by the Volsci, and the Roman matrons put on mourning for his loss.

To show their sense of Veturia's merit and patriotism, the Romans dedicated a temple to Female Fortune.

GREECE.

8. GREECE, during this period, underwent several changes. After the institutions of Lycurgus had been a number of years in successful operation, those of Athens began to receive attention from some of their wise men. The office of archon had become decennial, at the beginning of this period.

In 648 B. C. the archons were elected annually, were nine in number, and all had equal authority. Under these changes the people became miserable, and a reform was attempted, first by Draco, and 150 years afterwards by the illustrious Solon, 594 years B. C. At the request of the citizens, they each furnished, during his archonship, a written code for the regulation of the state.

§ Draco was a wise and honest, but a very stern man. His laws were characterized by extreme severity. Very trifling offences were punished with death, "because," said Draco, "small crimes deserve death, and I have no greater punishment for the greatest sins,”—a plan ill adapted to the state of human society.

Solon was one of the seven wise men of Greece. He established excellent rules of justice, order, and discipline. But, though possessed of extensive knowledge, he wanted a firm and intrepid mind; and he rather accommodated his system to the habits and passions of his countrymen, than attempted to reform their manners.

He cancelled the bloody code of Draco, except the laws which related to murder; and he abolished the debts of the poor by an act of insolvency. He divided the Athenians into four classes, of which the three first consisted of persons possessing property, and the fourth of those who were poor.

All the offices of the state were committed to the care of the rich; but those who possessed no property, were allowed to vote in the general assembly of the people, in whose hands he lodged the supreme power.

He instituted a senate, composed of 400 persons, (afterwards increased to 500 and 600,) who had cognisance of all appeals from the court of Areopagus, and with whom it was necessary that every measure should originate before it was discussed in the assembly of the people. In this way he sought to balance the weight of the popular interest.

Solon committed the supreme administration of justice to the court of Areopagus. This court had fallen into disrepute, but Solon, by confining its numbers to those who had been archons, greatly raised the reputation of the body.

The following anecdote of Solon and Thespis is worthy of remembrance. Thespis was an actor of plays. Solon having at one time attended those shows, which were then very rude, called Thespis, who had been acting various characters, and asked him if he was not ashamed to speak so many lies?

Thespis replied, "It was all in jest." Solon, striking his staff on the ground, violently exclaimed, "If we encourage ourselves to speak falsely in jest, we shall run the chance of acquiring a habit of speaking falsely in serious matters." Such a sentiment is worthy of the wisdom of Solon.

9. Scarcely had Athens begun to enjoy the benefit of these new regulations, when Pisistratus, a rich and ambitious citizen, usurped the supreme power, (B. C. 560,) which act Solon was unable to prevent. He and his posterity exercised it during 50 years.

Hippias and Hipparchus, his sons, who succeeded him, enjoyed a peaceable crown for a time, but were at length dethroned, and democracy was restored.

§ Pisistratus secured the favour of the people by the following expedient. Wounding himself, he ran into the market place, and proclaimed that his enemies had inflicted the injury. Solon, with contempt, said to him, "Son of Hippocrates, you act Ulysses badly; he hurt himself to deceive his enemies; you have done so to cheat your friends."