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spit； When young and old in circle Around the firebrands close；
When the girls are weaving baskets； And the lads are shaping bows；
LXX
When the goodman mends his armor； And trims his helmet's
plume； When the goodwife's shuttle merrily Goes flashing through
the loom； With weeping and with laughter Still is the story told；
How well Horatius kept the bridge In the brave days of old。
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Lays of Ancient Rome
The Battle of the Lake Regillus
The following poem is supposed to have been produced about ninety
years after the lay of Horatius。 Some persons mentioned in the lay of
Horatius make their appearance again； and some appellations and epithets
used in the lay of Horatius have been purposely repeated： for； in an age of
ballad…poetry； it scarcely ever fails to happen； that certain phrases come to
be appropriated to certain men and things； and are regularly applied to
those men and things by every minstrel。 Thus we find； both in the
Homeric poems and in Hesiod； ＇several examples of common phrases； in
Greek＇。 Thus； too； in our own national songs； Douglas is almost always
the doughty Douglas； England is merry England； all the gold is red； and
all the ladies are gay。
The principal distinction between the lay of Horatius and the lay of the
Lake Regillus is that the former is meant to be purely Roman； while the
latter； though national in its general spirit； has a slight tincture of Greek
learning and of Greek superstition。 The story of the Tarquins； as it has
come down to us； appears to have been compiled from the works of
several popular poets； and one； at least； of those poets appears to have
visited the Greek colonies in Italy； if not Greece itself； and to have had
some acquaintance with the works of Homer and Herodotus。 Many of the
most striking adventures of the House of Tarquin； before Lucretia makes
her appearance； have a Greek character。 The Tarquins themselves are
represented as Corinthian nobles of the great House of the Bacchiad*；
driven from their country by the tyranny of that Cypselus； the tale of
whose strange escape Herodotus has related with incomparable simplicity
and liveliness。 Livy and Dionysius tell us that； when Tarquin the Proud
was asked what was the best mode of governing a conquered city； he
replied only by beating down with his staff all the tallest poppies in his
garden。 This is exactly what Herodotus； in the passage to which reference
has already been made； relates of the counsel given to Periander； the son
of Cypselus。 The stratagem by which the town of Gabii is brought under
the power of the Tarquins is； again； obviously copied from Herodotus。 The
embassy of the young Tarquins to the oracle at Delphi is just such a story
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Lays of Ancient Rome
as would be told by a poet whose head was full of the Greek mythology；
and the ambiguous answer returned by Apollo is in the exact style of the
prophecies which； according to Herodotus； lured Croesus to destruction。
Then the character of the narrative changes。 From the first mention of
Lucretia to the retreat of Porsena nothing seems to be borrowed from
foreign sources。 The villainy of Sextus； the suicide of his victim； the
revolution； the death of the sons of Brutus； the defence of the bridge；
Musius burning his hand； Cloelia swimming through Tiber； seem to be all
strictly Roman。 But when we have done with the Tuscan wars； and enter
upon the war with the Latines； we are again struck by the Greek air of the
story。 The Battle of the Lake Regillus is in all respects a Homeric battle；
except that the combatants ride astride on their horses； instead of driving
chariots。 The mass of fighting men is hardly mentioned。 The leaders single
each other out； and engage hand to hand。 The great object of the warriors
on both sides is； as in the Iliad； to obtain possession of the spoils and
bodies of the slain； and several circumstances are related which forcibly
remind us of the great slaughter round the corpses of Sarpedon and
Patroclus。
But there is one circumstance which deserves especial notice。 Both the
war of Troy and the war of Regillus were caused by the licentious passions
of young princes； who were therefore peculiarly bound not to be sparing
of their own persons on the day of battle。 Now the conduct of Sextus at
Regillus； as described by Livy； so exactly resembles that of Paris； as
described at the beginning of the third book of the Iliad； that it is difficult
to believe the resemblance accidental。 Paris appears before the Trojan
ranks； defying the bravest Greek to encounter him：
3 lines from the Iliad； in Greek； probably those
translated by Pope as：
。。。 to the van； before the sons of fame Whom Troy
sent forth； the beauteous Paris came：
Livy introduces Sextus in a similar manner： ‘‘Ferocem juvenem
Tarquinium； ostentantem se in prima exsulum acie。'' Menelaus rushes to
meet Paris。 A Roman noble； eager for vengeance； spurs his horse towards
Sextus。 Both the guilty princes are instantly terror…stricken：
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Lays of Ancient Rome
3 more lines in Greek； Pope's translation being：
。。。＇Menelaus＇ approaching near； The beauteous
champion views with marks of fear； Smit with a conscious sense；
retires behind； And shuns the fate he well deserv'd to find。
‘‘Tarquinius；'' says Livy； ‘‘retro in agmen suorum infenso cessit hosti。''
If this be a fortuitous coincidence； it is also one of the most extraordinary
in literature。
In the following poem； therefore； images and incidents have been
borrowed； not merely without scruple； but on principle； from the
incomparable battle…pieces of Homer。
The popular belief at Rome； from an early period； seems to have been
that the event of the great day of Regillus was decided by supernatural
agency。 Castor and Pollux； it was said； had fought armed and mounted； at
the head of the legions of the commonwealth； and had afterwards carried
the news of the victory with incredible speed to the city。 The well in the
Forum at which they had alighted was pointed out。 Near the well rose their
ancient temple。 A great festival was kept to their honor on the Ides of
Quintilis； supposed to be the anniversary of the battle； and on that day
sumptuous sacrifices were offered to them at the public charge。 One spot
on the margin of Lake Regillus was regarded during many ages with
superstitious awe。 A mark； resembling in shape a horse's hoof； was
discernible in the volcanic rock； and this mark was believed to have been
made by one of the celestial chargers。
How the legend originated cannot now be ascertained； but we may
easily imagine several ways in which it might have originated； nor is it at
all necessary to suppose； with Julius Frontinus； that two young men were
dressed up by the Dictator to personate the sons of Leda。 It is probable that
Livy is correct when he says that the Roman general； in the hour of peril；
vowed a temple to Castor。 If so； nothing could be more natural than that
the multitude should ascribe the victory to the favor of the Twin Gods。
When such was the prevailing sentiment； any man who chose to declare
that； in the midst of the confusion and slaughter； he had seen two godlike
forms on white horses scattering the Latines； would find ready credence。
We know； indeed； that in modern times a very similar story actually found
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