Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-04-19
cold of yore and naughty. Lo the high
crested Lucumo, to whom she filings her jests,

intoxicated with his fancied conqucsts,-
strains every nerve to please Lo now she
pats the fronlet of his superb gray charger,
admires the bosses of his bride, admires the
leopard skin that forms his simple housings !!
See, see she has vaulted to his back, and
sits queenlike there, while the proud beast
losses his crest, and champs his bit of gold,
as if yet prouder of his fair burlhen. Her
comrades follow her example-,hcy are all
mounted, they all grasp the rcins, all at sig
nal from their leader wheel their proud steeds
into array Lo men of Tuscany, and
knights of Latium filter are we, the girls of
Rome, TO be the guards of Porsena than ye
pusseant Warriors
Loud laughed the joyous youths. loud
shouted they, ride, ride, We virgin warriors !!
Ride forth, ye guards of Porsena; but no,
We dare not
Dare we not! Dare we not 2 answer
ed Cplia I'VE who are Romans Tell
me what Romans dare not 2
'Bravely said, beaufcous Clnla,' answer
cd the knight whose charger she had mount
ca that would have told well once, but it
is too late now to talk of Roman daring,
when not blow is stricken IN your behalf.
Hark TO the braggart, sisters she eX-
claimed, bark to the braggart follow me,
girls, and we will show them that Romans at
least dare to ride and with the words she
shook her rein. and put the proud horse to
his speed. and wheeled him to and fro amid
the crowded ranks, with all her sister cap
tlves following in her train, now they swept
of into the plain, now they dashed straight
toward the river, now they wheeled at a word
like TO flock of circling swallows, and drove
back at full speed toward the chario, of Lans
Porsena, and now they halted abreast or
derby as line of warriors, in front of his tall
cars, and at sign from Clpia all sslutcd
the victorious monarch. while the plain rang
with plaudits, and Porsena smiled gently at
their beauty and their grace, and the proud
Tarquins looked on in wonder, so strange
was the demeanor of the maIdens, so mdec-
Orous and unroman. Once more they broke
off into single files-ten files of five girls each
and. wheeling once again through the tu-
multuous and appauding ranks, they gained
the open plain. 'One more feat now, cried
Gloria, waving her hand aloft-' Hurrah
girls, for the Tiber, for Rome for Rome,
hurrah ! and down the steep hillside they
dashed amain, and over the green meadow at
its base-and on TO the abrupt and cifly
bank of the broad and fordless river! Her
words were heard through all the Latin hosts,
so trumpet-ike and clear did she peal forth
her silvery accents, and downed rushed ore
and all, archers and spearman, Lucumo and
slave, in hot and desperate pursuit. King
POrsena dashed out his fiery coursers, and
they responded the scourge, and Numbered
down the hill precipuale-Sextus spurred
out, and ANGUS they only mounted of the
Larins
But vain-vain was the chase and fruit
less. ClGlia has reached the brim, and,
ashing her fierce charger with her loosened
rein, plunging headlong-darkIy the yellow
stream closed over her-but instant she
rose bnoyant-she stemmed the wheeling
tide, sitting the war-sleed gallant y-she is
half way to safciy--one by one, in they drove
not "a girl feared or fallered-one by one,
up they rose with their rich locks dsheveled
and their white garments dripping. False
Sextus reached the bank-he spurred his
steed as though he would have followed, but
on the very verge his base heart failed him,
he drew upon his bride hard and halted
Curses a thousand curses on his head he
brandIshes his javelin, he hurls 1.-THE pom
derOus missile hurtes as it cleaves lis way
through the autumnal air. within foot OF
ClGla's head it CLEANS it falls, it is buried
in the shuddering waters. Lo they have
passed the stream; they strain in triumph,
up the steep bank they smile serene scorn
on the batfled Laiins We gods with what
roar of joyous exu,ation Rome rushcs from,
her gates, to greet her rescued daughters, to
hail the virgin hostage.