The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-11-11
.M|il.s'llifl;:eI|llalllel,oII1nsi,, /, d 1,
A Roman Hero.


In the war between Rome, and Carthage
the consul sRegnlus was taken, captive
lie was kept close prisoner for two years,
pining and sickenng in his loneliness, while
IN the meantime the war continued, and al
IastA victoryso decisive was gained by the
Romans that the people Of Carthage were
discouraged, and resolved to ask terms iol
peace. They thought no oneswould be SO
readily listened 10 at Rome as Regulus, and
they therefore sent him there with their en-
yoys, having first made him swear that he
would come back ITO his prison if there
should neither be peace nor an exchange
of prisoners. They little knew how much
more Authenticated Roman, cared forlhis
city than for himself-for his word than for
his life y, .s.gs ,,,gob t..., ss,,lr
Worn and detected, the captive warrior
came 10 the outside of the gates of his own
city, and there paused, refusing, to ENTER
81 am no longer a Roman citizen, he said !;
"I am but the barbarian's slave, and he
senate may not give audience to strangers
within the wallsa'iia'G y i7an7i p,ho% n2ii4
His wife Marcio, ran out to greet him.
with his two sons, but he, did not look up,
| and received their caresses as one beneath
their notice, as a mere slave, and he con-
timed. in spite Of all entreaty, to remain
outside the city, and would not even gobto
the little farm he had loved so well. .5loH %
| The. Roman senate, as he would not come
in to them, came out to hold their meeting
in the Campaigns. ,,d,. r,.c ,l,ol ~
| The ambassadors spoke first. Then Reg
ulus, standing up, said as one repeating a
| task, " Conscript fathers, being slave to
the Carthaginians, 1 come on the partaof
my masters toltreat ewithoiyou concerning
peace, and an exchange of prisoners /. He
then turned TO go away with, the ambassa-
dors, as stranger might not be present at
the deliberations of the senate His old
friends pressed him to stay and give his
opinion as a senato or who had twice been
consul; but he refused to degrade that dig.
nifty by claiming it,islaye as he was.9 But
at the command Of his Carthaginian mas
ters, he remained, though not taking his
seat. .- m,
Then he spoke. He told the senators to
persevere in war. He said that he had seen
the distress of Carthage and that peace
would be only to heradvantage, not to that
of Rome, and, therefore, he strongly advis-
ed that the war should continue. Then, as
to the exchange Of prisoners, the Cartha-.
ginian generals, who were in the hands of
the Romans, were ia full health and strength
whilst he himselfwas TOO much broken
down to be fit for service again, and indeed
he believed that his enemy bad given him
slow poison, and that heq could not live
long. Thus he insisted that no exchange
of prisoners should be made.
1t Observation-Disclosures to Romans, toheari
man thus pleading against himself and
their chief priests came forward and declar-
ed that, as his oath had been wrested from
him by force, he was not bound by ITO re-
turn to his captivity. But ReguIus was too
noble to listen to this for azmomentJ Have
You resolved to dishonor me r. he said, I'd
am not ignorant that death and the. extrem-
est tortures are preparing for me but what
are these to the name of an infamous action
or the wounds Of. guilty mind? Slave as
l am to Carthage, have still the spirit OF
Roman. III have sworn to'return. Itlis
my duty to go; let the gods take care OF
the rest."3 .Hgr3. a isli o-a .dsid ~
The Senate decided to follow, the advice
of Regulus, though they bitterly regretted
his sacrifice. His wife wept and entreated
in vain that they would detain him I; they
could merely repeat their permission to him
to remain but nothing could prevail with
him to break his word, and heaturned back
to the chains and deathahe, expected as
calmly as if he had been returning tofhls
home Book of, Golden Deeds. .ii.s,K 10 sbfa