The Shasta courier., 1865-12-16
A Roman Hero.


the consul Regulus was taken captive. He
was Kept elise prisoner for two years. pin
ing and sickening in his loneliness, while in
the meantime the war continued and at last
:. victory so decisive was gained by the Ro
..ans, that the people of Carthage were dis
cnuraged, and resolved to ask terms of peace.
They thought that no one would be 50 readily
listened to at Rome as Reguus and they
therefore sent him there with their envoys.
having first made him swear that he would
come back to his prison if there should ne-
tier be peace an exchange f p i. ,trs.
They little knew how much more true
hearted Roman cared for his city than for
himself, for bis word than for his life.
Worn and detected. the captive warrior
came to tie outside of tho gates Of his own
city, and there paused, refusing to enter Il
am no longer Roman citizen, F" he said Il
am but barbarian's slave, and the senate
may not give audience to strangers within the
walls
His wife Marcia ran out to greet him with
his two sons, but he did not look up. and
receive their caresses, as one beneath their
notice, as mere slave, and he continued, in
spite Of all entreaty, to remain outside the
city, and would not even go to the little farm
he had loved so well.
The Roman senate, as he would not come
into them, came out to hold their meeting in
the Campagna.
The ambassador spoke first then Regulus.
standing up, said, as repeating task
''Conscript fathers, being slave to the
| Carthagenians, / come on the part of my
masters to treat with you concerning peace,
and an exchange of prisoners" He then
turned to go away with the ambassadors, as
| ,,,.bt ha ttbo lol;
erations OF the senate His old friends press
ed him to stay and give his opinion as a
senator who had twice been consul; but he
refused to degrade that dignity by claiming
| it. slave as he was But at the command OF
his Carthagenian masters, he remained,
| though not taking his seat.
| Then he spoke. He told the senators to
| persevere in the war. He said that he had
seen the distress of Carthage, and that a
| peace would be only to her advantage. not to
that IF Rome, and therefore he strongly ad-
| vised that the war should continue. Then,
as to the exchange of prisoners, the Cartha-
| genian generals, who were in the hands of
! the Romans, were in full health and strength,
whilst he himself was too much broken down
to be fit for service again, and indeed he be
! lieved that his enemy had given him slow
! poison and that he could not live long
| Thus he insisted that no exchange Of prison
ers should be made.
1t was wonderful, even to Romans, to hear
a man thus pleading against himself, and
their chief priest came forward and declared
that, as his oath had been wrested from him
by force, he was not bound by it to return to
his captivity. Regulus was too noble to
listen to this for moment. Have you
re>"lse4 :" :" dish.G..aor me ?" he said, " am
not ignorant that death and the EXTREMIST tor
lures are preparing for me. bat what are
taose to the shame Of an infamous action, or
the wounds of guilty mind? Slave as am
in Carthage, have still the spirit Of Ro-
man. | have sworn to return. 1t is my duty
to go let the gods take care of the rest"
The senate decided to follow the advice of
| Regulus, though they bitterly regretted his
sacrifice. His wife wept and en,reate. in
vain that they would detain him they could
merely repeat their permission to remain ;
! but nothing could prevail with him to break
his word and he turned back to the chains
and death he expected as calmly as if he had
been returning to his home.-BooI Of the
| Golden Deeds.