Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-11-23

Edereo tnrough the elements OF the tempest
Dark clouds, hitherto unknown in this mild re-
gion of Italy seen to gather in the east; the
sky become suddenly obscured loud and repeated
thunder echoes through the seven hills of the i'm
perial city-lvid tightening darts along the walls
of the Capitalize waves of the Tiber dashed
against the Tarpeian rocks as if agitated by the
angry spirit of Manlius-the wind hitherto scarce
ly agitating the leaves of the aspen, shakes the
massive doors of the capital-the statutes of the
gods tremble to their base--one vivid electric
flash, penetrating the chambers of Pompey's stat
utes displays drops of sweat, mingled with blood,
on the lifeless forehead of the sculptured hero
the opposing elements, at length concentrating,
burst with an awful conclusion, over the the
fated city, as though the knell of her destiny had
been rung in an incensed assembly of the GODS
At this moment Calphurnia, the wife of Caesar,
suddenly starting from her couch, shrieked in
voice of terror, heightened by dispair, which rang
through the vaulted ceilings of the palace-"Help!
they murder Caesar .s.fs -.a.s--szs. ...:
/ The horror-strcken cry awakened the conquer
or of Pompey. "What midnight vision has dis
turbed thee, my lovely Calphurnia?" exclaimed
he. "Thine eyes are wild-thy countenance un-
earthly-the vital stream has left thy cheek; fear
not, thou art the wife of C@sar.''
'I am" replied Caphurnia ssbut ere to-mor-
rows sun shall cease to enlighten our hemisphere
the bleeding body of Julius shall be tho BRIDE.
groom Of Calphurnia, ,-seest though the convul-
sions of eternal nature; the Tarpian rock trem-
bles.. . .....s..... :.........~r ...s. ....z..
And look--I see the spirit of Manlius rise from
the waves of Tiber to greet the headless shade of
Pompey, as it approaches from the Egypt an
shore-Cornelia rends the elements with shouts
of joy-she beckons me, pointing to the waves
yet tinged with the blood of her hero, exclaiming
as she clasps hand sheathing dagger: "To-
morrow thou shalt be with Caesar; the fates have
passed the Rubicon; retreat is vain; they come,
they come; welcome ye gloomy messenger;
thrice welcome to your charnal house of DEATH!
prepare your mansion for the mighty Ceser--
the conqueror of Gaul---the destroyer of Pompey-
the friend of Brutus-look on the hellish grin
with which shrieks Brutus-will grace the re-
gions of eternalism with superior lustre. Ye
daughter of Nox and Acheron, with your
black and bloody investments; twine eternal
garland to grace the brow of the mighty Julius;
and thou, Charon, watt the conqueror of Britain
in safety across the bosom of Cocytus into the
never ending guardianship of Pluto How will
the daughters of Erebus welcome their new COM
panion! Hades will resound with echoes of in
fernal joy at the approach of the lofty dictator;
mighty Caesar; Pompey, the rival on the plains
of Puarsalia shall haunt thee in the regions of Tar
shall charm thee; thou shalt see the fields of Ell
-l.11 Il Al
thirst with Tantalus and labor with Sisyphus;
again in savage exultaton she screams, s'behold
the preparation the alter of sacrifice; the victim is
ready ha! ha! ha!' She vanishes;-I see them
pierce the body, their daggers glitter in the air
with the blood of Caesar; ye gods protect my Jul
ius!" s1s vii s.E@ 81 t1@ Sled
The bride of Caesar on uttering these last
words bent in attitude of prayer, but the tongue
refuse to perform its Office; the tempest of pas
sion had been too strong for the frail tenement
against which it had beaten; excitement had sus-
pended the function of life; the lips became blue,
the vital stream fed from the surface to its source;
the eyes were fixed with that peculiar expression
which attended the prostraton of the mental pow
ers; the countenance assumed that CHASTITY pale
ness which remains on the features Immediately ly
succeeding the dissolution of life, and uttering a
shrek that echoed through every avenue of the
palace, with one convulsive effort she essayed tc
throw herself on the bosom of Caesar, and fell
senseless on the floor. ri -t
Her shrieks had awakened the inmates of the
palace, and the chamber was quickly filled with
domestcs, each striving to restore the victim O
unbounded affection. In corner of the room
stood the dictator, firm, but shaking by the pass
ing scene, like some oak of the forest which th'
Tightening has blasted but not consumed. A
stranger to fear, yet strongly tnctured with th'
superstition of his age; the wild terrific yet solemn
horror of Calphurnia had inverted the natural or
der of his mind. He stood contemplating in 81
lence, the beautiful ruin before him one VIII
deserted by hope, disdained to seek for pity. III
| was reused from his reverie by the entrance of
domestic from the city, with hair erect, and eye
starting from their sockets, rushing furously for
ward, and fell at the feet of julius.
ssWhat means this attitude,'' said he, sswhat It'd
, ings from without have thus excited the torpor G
) slavery itself!'' ..=-
> ssThou wilt spurn me from thy presence sal
t the slave, ssshould utter what have heard..''
a 'sBy the sacred smile of the goddess of morn
: ing, who has risen in her wanton beauty thou al
safe, speak out.'' # .ss
.a -.t: ft..79 O. 8
"The Tiber has risen midway up the Tarpea
e rock" cried the domestic in a voice of terro
e ''bloody horsemen have fought in the air; tn
: graves have burst their portals; the souls of tn
). dead were mingled with the living; Pompey
s statute has sweated blood; his headless cors