Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1844-03-15
BLOOMINGTON, IOWA, FRIDAY, MARCH Is. 1914.
The Leaders of Republican Rome.

Who, when looking back upon the nations,
with the view Of understanding what that spe-
ci6c character Of greatness may have been,
which, in the highest power OF human achiev-
menls, rested in simple heroic magnanimity,
most absolutely upon itself. feels not his i'm
agnalion drawn irresis,ibly 10 the old war
riors and staiesmen-real or fabulous, he cares
not--,he more fabulous the more real--of Re.
publican Rome? WELDING, as they did. The
only unmatched power that was ever known
upon earth. nursed in arms and danger, sus.
tanning each in his person the celebrity OF
great ancestral name, and growing up to the
highest charge Of civil and military command
--lhere could not well be birth, a morning.
and a noon Of life, in which the spirit OF the
human heart might rise more gloriously and
steadfastly in the consciousness and capacl-
ty of a great destination. They know noth-
ing higher nor greater than the lot 10 which
they were born, and they saw nothing above
themselves; they stood at the top Of earthly
pre-eminence. Serving their ambitious coun-
try, they were called to enterprise without
bounds they must know no fear nothing una
chieva able. The renown and safety Of the re-
public rested on the single leader Of one days
battle. They must feel themselves to be in
vincible. And these are. indeed the char
ac,ers which we find in these heroic minds;
no hight Of daring was above their hope to
climb no invasion Of peril could appeal them;
aud. whatever duty might be laid upon them,
they felt themselves equal 10 the charge
What is extraordinary is, that among such
numbers Of intrepid, ardent and uncon1nerab!e
minds, engaged TOO in prosecuting ambitious
wars. SO many should have been found in whom
it does not seem that ambition had place
They served their conn,ry's passion for con-
quest and renown, and ye, kept themselves
temperate, ansteer, ard just. We cannot but
think we are 10 ascribe TO the vir'uous and
simple manners of the republIc that peculiar
character of these great men. their own vlriu-
Gus simplicity. We imagine nothing above
the powers of their minds, or their noble de-
sires, in those spirts which have made the
earil, blaze with their course These ancient
fathers of Rome are their equals. Whence is
it, then, tina, their greatness did not break forth
in ceaseless and consuming flames! Because
the hand that thrice trumphed returned 90 the
plough and the dictator must leave his new
turned furrow TO take upon him the deliver
ance of Rome. 1t was the simple virtue OF
these stern but pure 'imes--a virtue never Tor
golten--,lat was able like mighty spell. 10
control the grandeur Of those unconQuerable
spirits, and confae them within themselves
md hcnce il is not possible for as TO read heir
history without feeling that there rests upon
them the august renown OF moral greatness
They were sages in the calm and meda,lve
quiet of their lr,e field, as they were awful ru-
lers while they held, in their might Of prince
y counsel, the sway of the State-as they
were dread leaders in the front Of victorious
fight. We can find no other explanation Of
what is scarce elsewhere 10 be found nowhere
else in such frequent example. the very hight
Of heroic greatness with the simple plainness
and contented obscnrity. if the expression
could be used. of these men, who. when they
had discharged their part TO their country,
were indifferent further 10 their own glory
Professor Wilson.