Introduction to classical Latin literature . ce their preservation, and their popularity. Appius Claudius and his decemvirs are real men. Theirdate is approximately fixed. Such deeds as Virginiussmay occur wherever lawless tyrants are defied by despair-ing fathers and lovers : but many details of Livys story areas clearly imaginative as a scene of Lorna Doone. Last and grandest in this elder line of. heroes loomsCamillus, at the close of Book X. Yet the very outlinesof his romantic life are probably fabulous. Tiuit Brennusand his Gauls retired, after the sack, at their leisure, andof their own
Introduction to classical Latin literature . ce their preservation, and their popularity. Appius Claudius and his decemvirs are real men. Theirdate is approximately fixed. Such deeds as Virginiussmay occur wherever lawless tyrants are defied by despair-ing fathers and lovers : but many details of Livys story areas clearly imaginative as a scene of Lorna Doone. Last and grandest in this elder line of. heroes loomsCamillus, at the close of Book X. Yet the very outlinesof his romantic life are probably fabulous. Tiuit Brennusand his Gauls retired, after the sack, at their leisure, andof their own free-will, is more than probable. Indeed, somedetails of this Roman career show more effort to please thereaders fancy than to convince him of their truth. Espe-cially diverting is the schoolmaster of Falerii, who treach-erously leads his noble pupils into Camilluss beleagueringcamp. The chivalric Roman furnished the lads with rods,and bids them flog tlie pedagogue back to the town. Theprompt voluntary surrender of Falerii, as a responsive. mkj t- .^ LIVY 183 courtesy, Livy may have found in his original; bnt theneat sermon to the culprit is true Livian rhetoric andantithesis : Not to a people nor a commander like thyself hast thoucome, oh wicked man, with thy wicked offer. Betweenus and the men of Falerii is no bond formed by humancompact : but that which Nature created exists and shallabide. There are laws of war no less than of peace, andthese we have been taught to observe with justice as wellas valor. We bear no arms against childhood, to whichmercy is shown even in captured cities, but against armedmen, who, nowise wronged nor assailed by us, attacked theEoman camp before Veil. Even them, so far as in theelay, thou hast surpassed by wickedness unheard of. ButI will conquer here, as at Veil, by Roman arts alone : byvalor, energy, deeds of arms. Such assertions of Roman fair play, which we are as-sured is as proverbial as ^Punic faith, , Carthaginiantreachery, will aro
Size: 1375px × 1817px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyorkcscribnerss
