The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
to separate their attack, he takes to flight, presuming that they would
pursue him with such swiftness as the wounded state of his body would
suffer each. He had now fled a considerable distance from the place
where they had fought, when, looking behind, he perceives them pursuing
him at great intervals from each other; and that one of them was not far
from him. On him he turned round with great fury. And whilst the Alban
army shouts out to the Curiatii to succour their brother, Horatius,
victorious in having slain his antagonist, was now proceeding to a
second attack. Then the Romans encourage their champion with a shout
such as is usually (given) by persons cheering in consequence of
unexpected success: he also hastens to put an end to the combat.
Wherefore before the other, who was not far off, could come up he
despatches the second Curiatius also. And now, the combat being brought
to an equality of numbers, one on each side remained, but they were
equal neither in hope nor in strength. The one his body untouched by a
weapon, and a double victory made courageous for a third contest: the
other dragging along his body exhausted from the wound, exhausted from
running, and dispirited by the slaughter of his brethren before his
eyes, presents himself to his victorious antagonist. Nor was that a
fight. The Roman, exulting, says, "Two I have offered to the shades of
my brothers: the third I will offer to the cause of this war, that the
Roman may rule over the Alban." He thrusts his sword down into his
throat, whilst faintly sustaining the weight of his armour: he strips
him as he lies prostrate. The Romans receive Horatius with triumph and
congratulation; with so much the greater joy, as success had followed so
close on fear. They then turn to the burial of their friends with
dispositions by no means alike; for the one side was elated with (the
acquisition of) empire, the other subjected to foreign jurisdiction:
their sepulchres are still extant in the place where each fell; the two
Roman ones in one place nearer to Alba, the three Alban ones towards
Rome; but distant in situation from each other, and just as they
fought.[34]
[Footnote 33: The order is: _fortuna patriæ deinde futura ea quam ipsi
f. (animo obvers.)_; the fortune of their country, the high or humble
character of which for the future depended on their exertions on that
occasion.]
[Footnote 34: The two Roman champions, we have seen, fell in the one
place, _super alium alius_; consequently were buried together; whilst
the Curiatii fell in different places, as Horatius contrived to separate
them to avoid their joint attack.]
26. Before they parted from thence, when Mettus, in conformity to the
treaty which had been concluded, asked what orders he had to give,
Tullus orders him to keep the youth in arms, that he designed to employ
them, if a war should break out with the Veientes. After this both
armies returned to their homes. Horatius marched foremost, carrying
before him the spoils of the three brothers: his sister, a maiden who
had been betrothed to one of the Curiatii, met him before the gate
Capena: and having recognized her lover's military robe, which she
herself had wrought, on her brother's shoulders, she tore her hair, and
with bitter wailings called by name on her deceased lover. The sister's
lamentations in the midst of his own victory, and of such great public
rejoicings, raised the indignation of the excited youth. Having
therefore drawn his sword, he run the damsel through the body, at the
same time chiding her in these words: "Go hence, with thy unseasonable
love to thy spouse, forgetful of thy dead brothers, and of him who
survives, forgetful of thy native country. So perish every Roman woman
who shall mourn an enemy." This action seemed shocking to the fathers
and to the people; but his recent services outweighed its guilt.
Nevertheless he was carried before the king for judgment. The king, that
he himself might not be the author of a decision so melancholy, and so
disagreeable to the people, or of the punishment consequent on that
decision, having summoned an assembly of the people, says, "I appoint,
according to law, duumvirs to pass sentence on Horatius for
[35]treason." The law was of dreadful import. [36]"Let the duumvirs pass
sentence for treason. If he appeal from the duumvirs, let him contend by
appeal; if they shall gain the cause,[37] cover his head; hang him by a
rope from a gallows; scourge him either within the pomœrium or
without the pomœrium." When the duumvirs appointed by this law, who
did not consider that, according to the law, they could [38]acquit even
an innocent person, had found him guilty; one of them says, "P.
Horatius, I judge thee guilty of treason. Go, lictor, bind his hands."
The lictor had approached him, and was fixing the rope. Then Horatius,
by the advice of Tullus,[39] a favourable interpreter of the law, says,
"I appeal." Accordingly the matter was contested by appeal to the
people. On that trial persons were much affected, especially by P.
Horatius the father declaring, that he considered his daughter
deservedly slain; were it not so, that he would by his authority as a
father have inflicted punishment on his son.[40] He then entreated that
they would not render childless him whom but a little while ago they had
beheld with a fine progeny. During these words the old man, having
embraced the youth, pointing to the spoils of the Curiatii fixed up in
that place which is now called Pila Horatia, "Romans," said he, "can you
bear to see bound beneath a gallows amidst scourges and tortures, him
whom you just now beheld marching decorated (with spoils) and exulting
in victory; a sight so shocking as the eyes even of the Albans could
scarcely endure. Go, lictor, bind those hands, which but a little while
since, being armed, established sovereignty for the Roman people. Go,
cover the head of the liberator of this city; hang him on the gallows;
scourge him, either within the pomœrium, so it be only amid those
javelins and spoils of the enemy; or without the pomœrium, only amid
the graves of the Curiatii. For whither can you bring this youth, where
his own glories must not redeem him from such ignominy of punishment?"
The people could not withstand the tears of the father, or the
resolution of the son, so undaunted in every danger; and acquitted him
more through admiration of his bravery, than for the justice of his
cause. But that so notorious a murder might be atoned for by some
expiation, the father was commanded to make satisfaction for the son at
the public charge. He, having offered certain expiatory sacrifices,
which were ever after continued in the Horatian family, and laid a beam
across the street, made his son pass under it as under a yoke, with his
head covered. This remains even to this day, being constantly repaired
at the expense of the public; they call it Sororium Tigillum. A tomb of
square stone was erected to Horatia in the place where she was stabbed
and fell.
[Footnote 35: _Perduellio_, (duellum, bellum,) high treason against the
state or its sovereign; but in those times any offence deserving capital
punishment was included under that of treason, _Qui Horatio
perduellionem judicent_, to pass sentence on Horatius, as being
manifestly guilty of murder; not to try whether he was guilty or not.]
[Footnote 36: Duumviri, etc. Niebuhr considers these to be the very
words of the old formula.]
[Footnote 37: If the sentence (of the duumviri) be confirmed by the
people.]
[Footnote 38: The letter of the law allowed of no justification or
extenuation of the fact. It left no alternative to the judge.]
[Footnote 39: He kindly pointed out the loop-hole in the law, which left
an opening for the culprit's acquittal.]
[Footnote 40: By the laws of Romulus, a father had the power of life and
death over his children.]
27. Nor did the peace with Alba continue long. The dissatisfaction of
the populace, because the fortune of the state had been hazarded on
three soldiers, perverted the weak mind of the dictator; and because
honourable measures had not turned out well, he began to conciliate
their affections by perfidious means. Accordingly, as one formerly
seeking peace in war, so now seeking war in peace, because he perceived
that his own state possessed more courage than strength, he stirs up
other nations to make war openly and by proclamation:[41] for his own
people he reserves treachery under the mask of alliance. The Fidenates,
a Roman colony, having gained over the Veientes as partisans in the
confederacy, are instigated to declare war and take up arms under a
compact of desertion on the part of the Albans. When Fidenæ had openly
[42]revolted, Tullus, after summoning Mettus and his army from Alba,
marches against the enemy. When he crossed the Anio, he pitches his camp
at the [43]conflux of the rivers. Between that place and Fidenæ, the
army of the Veientes had crossed the Tiber. These, in line of battle,
occupied the right wing near the river; the Fidenates are posted on the
left nearer the mountains. Tullus stations his own men opposite the
Veientian foe; the Albans he opposes to the legion of the Fidenates. The
Alban had not more courage than fidelity. Neither daring therefore to
keep his ground, nor to desert openly, he files off slowly to the
mountains. After this, when he supposed he had gone far enough, he
[44]halts his entire army; and being still irresolute in mind, in order
to waste time, he opens his ranks. His design was, to turn his forces to
that side to which fortune should give success. At first the Romans who
stood nearest were astonished, when they perceived their flanks were
uncovered by the departure of their allies; then a horseman in full
gallop announces to the king that the Albans were moving off. Tullus, in
this perilous juncture, vowed twelve Salii, and temples to Paleness and
Panic. Rebuking the horseman in a loud voice, so that the enemy might
hear him, he orders him to return to the fight, "that there was no
occasion for alarm; that by his order the Alban army was marching round
to fall on the unprotected rear of the Fidenates." He likewise commands
him to order the cavalry to raise their spears aloft; this expedient
intercepted from a great part of the Roman infantry the view of the
Alban army retreating. Those who saw it, believing what they had heard
the king say, fought with the greater ardour. The alarm is now
transferred to the enemy; they had both heard what had been pronounced
so audibly, and a great part of the Fidenates, as having been joined as
colonists to the Romans, understood Latin. Therefore, that they might
not be intercepted from the town by a sudden descent of the Albans from
the hills, they take to flight. Tullus presses forward, and having
routed the wing of the Fidenates, returned with greater fury against the
Veientes, disheartened by the panic of the others: nor did they sustain
his charge; but the river, opposed to them behind, prevented a
precipitate flight. Whither when their flight led, some, shamefully
throwing down their arms, rushed blindly into the river; others, while
they linger on the banks, doubting whether to fly or fight, were
overpowered. Never before had the Romans a more desperate battle.
[Footnote 41: The part which he reserves for himself and the Albans is
to play the traitors to Tullus in the hour of need, wearing meanwhile
the mark of friendship to Rome.]
[Footnote 42: The fact is, that the subject population rose up against
the Roman colonists, drove them out of the town, and asserted their
independence. Nieb. i. 24. 5.]
[Footnote 43: The Tiber and the Anio.]
[Footnote 44: _Erigit_--"he makes it halt," from the French _faire