The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-10-13
A Roman Hero,

Iu the war between Rome and Carthage
tho consul ltegulus was taken captive. lie
was kcpta close prisoner for two years
pining and sickening in his loneliness, while
in the meantime the war continued, aud al
last victory 80 decisive was gained by
tho Romans, that tho people of Carthage
were discouraged, and determined to ask
terms of peace. Thoy thought that no one
would be 80 readily listened to at Rome,
as Rcgulus, and they therefore sent him
thero with their ENJOYS, having first made
him swear that no would come back to his
prison if thero should neither be peace nor
an exchange of prisoners. They little
knew how much more n true-hcarted Ro.
man cared for his city than for himself
for his word than for his life.
Worn and detected, tho captive warrior
como to Ito outside of the gates OF his own
city and there paused refusing to onter.
am no longer n Roman citizen" he said /;
am but the harbarans' slave, and tho
senate may not give audience to strangers
within tho walls"
His wife, Marcia ran out to groet him,
with his two sons, but ho did not look up
aud received their carossos, as one beneath
their notice, AS Il mere slave, and ho con-
tiuuod in spite Of all ontrcaty to remain
outside tho city, and would not evon 20 to
tho little farm ho had lovod 80 WE'LL
The Roman senate as he would not come
in to thom, came out to hold thoir meeting
in tho Campagna.
Tho ambassadors spoke first, then Re-
gulus, standing up said, rs ono repeating n
task, " "COnscript fathers, being u slave to
the Garthoginians, | come on tho part of
my masters to treat with you concerning
peace, and au exchange of prisoners" He
then turnod to go away with tho amhassa.
dors, ns stranger might not bo present at
tho deliberations of tho senate. His old
friends pressed him to stay and givo his
opinion as a sehator, who had twico boon
consul; but he refused to degrade that dig
nifty by claiming it, slave as he was. But,
at tho Command of his Carthaginian masters
ho remained, though not taking his scat.
Then he spoke. llo told tho senators to
pcrscvcro in the war llo sail ho had seen
the distress of Carthage, and that peace
would be only to her advantage, not to
Rome, and therefore ho strongly advised
that tho war should continue. Then, as to
tho exchange OF prisoners, the Carthagin-
ian generals, who wore ia tho hands of The
Romans, were in full health aud strength
whilst no. himself, was too much broken
| down to DO fit for service again, and in
deed he believed that his enemies had
given him slow poison, and that ho could
not live long. Thus he insisted that no OK
change ofprisoners should be made.
1t was wonderful even to Romans. TO
hear man thus pleading against himself,
and their chief priest came forward aud de.
! clarod that, M his oath had been wrested
from him by force, he was not bound by it.
to return to his captivity. Regulus was
too noblo to listen to this for a moment.
llavo you resolved to dishonor me ?" he
said. Il am not ignorant that death and the
EXTREMIST tortures are preparing for mo-;
but what are those to the shame of an iu-
famous action, or the wounds of guilty
! mind Slave as | am TO Carthage, | have
| still the spirit of a Roman. | have sworn
to return. IL is my duty to go; lot the
gods take caro- OF the rest"
The seuate decided to follow the AL, ice
of Rcgulus, though they bitterly regretted
his sacrifice. His wife wept aud entreated
in vain that they would detan him; they
could merely repeat their permission TO
him to remani but nothing could prevail
with him to break his word, and he turned
back to tho chains and death he expected
as calmly as il he had been returning to his
homo.-Book Of Golden Dood