The Red Cloud chief., 1877-09-20
Caractacus Before CIaudius Cesar.
BY FANNIE COURSER.

iSHeu ny HdLuit, Hdu, until his n1tleth
year, lived apparently unambitious, but
hen, as if living to spite the prognos-
TIL lions of that Roman nlatror. his
mode OF .fe was made TO change, and
to annex the land OF Britain to his own
heritage becaL q his object.
It was at the acme of his fame that
the metamorphOs.s of his policy took
place; and his king 1om-if the domin.
ion of a Cesar could harbor aught but
dissension-was peace.
Britain, from its proximity to the mar
thine provinces of Gaul. and on account
of a remonstrance lately presented by
the Brltons to the court Of Rome
respecting the protection of some refu-
gees from that country who had thither
fed to elude the laws of their own
country, became the subject of his en-
terprise.
Eighty years prior to this the first
Cesar had invaded the same state and
spread terror and CONSERVATION among
the natives; but this had now subsided.
and another attempt at conquest could
not fail of victory.
Aulus Pintius, an old and efficient
general, was sent to conduct an enter.
Prise thither; and in the first severe
engagement the Britons were repulsed d.
and their ruler, with his whole family.
wa made prisoner.
Caesar, crowned with the laurel and
flushed with victory, in possession of
his royal booty, set sail Immediately
from OStia, and on his way home SUBJ
Jugated state after state and spread dis
may and frenzy everywhere. He re-
turned to Rome after an absence of but
six months.
The day of his return was made AZ
gala day. He arrived like some great
mountain that had of a sudden doomed
up: and the people being eager to sed
that for which the expedition was I'm
.~dertaken, the occasion was celebrate
with great splendor.
The provinces of Cautii, Atrebatis
Regui, n the far-famed TrinObante
were wrested from Britain and tie
jewels taken to adorn the diadem If
the Caesars.
C~aractacuS was sent i'm shackles 10
Rome Ia be tried for rebellion before
the tribune there.
The pride of Britain was reduced to
serfdom, his rights trampled upon, prop
erty cOnfiscated, power annihilated. An |
inglorious conqueror, callous to their
cries for clemency, was holding sway
owe the miserable people, and his STAN
dard was implanted on their soil.
But the renOwn of Caractacus had
long preceded him in Gaul, and when
he arrived, captive, the people thronged
TO see him.
On the day after his arrival the pre-. |
tOrian host was drawn in martial order |
on the campagni adjoining the capital;
and in the insignia of the battlefield,
with halberds in the sheath, and with
~e>~oanners and emblems of their rank
:ers were listening to an address
e soidA nohief. Caesar stood on a ros-
pm their cl.nw g was gold, bestudded
am whose noor 1s-a gift from his
18th precious gen. sion-and the,s !
bjects for that occsA ,,etber witI The
ors and freedmen. toa peonle kvere
hole body of the Romano -ms Mind
ranged on separate platfot
m. M, Sod O
The sun could no. ht55 ut. al dst it
Iore splendid pageant; o. inani.
L. the emperor stood like
late. cherries, o1aep dull Tho
The soft air was blowing Frns
lain. and the tree-tops and ;.S
;ere waving with its breath; bGS =
lance had no inspiration for his s~toica~,
cart, and il gave no ardor to his auto
natic words and gestures. uo
At the beginning of his discourse his 'IY
row was heavy looking and gloomy, III
md it did not relax to the end. IS
When the troops were filed away and
he people were loudly acclaiming what az
had indeed been a spiritless effort, mel III
her their wild enthusiasm nor the noise
Of the warehouses, as they tramped U
through the ranks. dragging, for parade, u
the trophies of his victory, tended to ).
dispel the lethargy into whica he had a.
L
When all, was quiet, however, the u
low sigh of the vanquished was heard. u
and then their clanking chains: u
finally thew were made TO bow before d
tho tribune This did. in some way. q
appear to arouse the emperor. but as L
one suddenly awakened from sleep. He d
sat down upon the judgment seat, and q
motioned that the noise should cease
The heathens barred their heads as
they confronted him.
The wind lifted the tufts of hair from
the brow of C~aractacus; and a nooier
profile. lighted by a finer eve. could not
in all the assembly be seen. His cheeks
burned with emotion, in contrast with
the pale cheeks of the dull automaton.
sested to mete him justice; and MS
whole mein was as of m whose sou
was suffering a hated thraldom and
lonped to free itself by words which II
might be death to utter.
The brothers of the prince were
k,eavily chained, and. as they walked
step drove the rusty links INTO
,acerated and swollen flesh. and a
glm of bright blood flowed nom
~ wound.
nere was q low, long vail heard and
ornol- thn ~ifo onA Aor~h$Ae nf