The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-24
THE GEESE OF THE CAPITOL.
How the Birds of Juno Saved Rom,
From Capture.
From the Philadelphia Times.


From the Philadelphia Times.
The story of ancient Rome is one of
continual war for centuries. The greater
number of these wars were waged by the
Romans against weaker peoples for the
purpose of conquest, but once in a while
they found themselves involved in a strug-
gle with an equal foe for self-preserva,
ton.
one OF these struggles was that with
the Gauls, in which a mere accident or,
as they considered 1t, an interpostion OF
the gods, prevented the pluclSy little ma
tion from being destroyed.
The Gauls were a branch of the Celts
who inhabited, at a very early period of
history, all the northern part of Europe
to the westward of the Rhine. They
were in a state of complete barbarism,
having hardly any acquaintance with ag-
riculture or trade, and living on the milk
and flesh of their cattle They were m an
of gigantic stature and of prodigious
strength, and might aptly have been term
ed the giants of all Europe.
A large body of these fierce and war
like people had been established in North
ern Italy for some time, and in the year
SSS B. c., when the harVestS were about
to be gathered on the slopes of the Apen>
mines, a great army of Cheir warriors,
wild and lOng-haired, their bodies COW
cred with wolf and bear skins, under the
command of Brennus, the bravest king
swept down against Rome, which they
threatened to extermnate. The Romans
knew of their coming and went out to
meet them with an army of 40,0O0 men.
The two armies met on the banks of the
river Allia, about ten miles from Rome
| and a terrible battle took place The Ro-
mans never had met such an enemy be-
HieH
| ing heavy broad-swords and ponderous
clubs the Gaus leaped in among them
striking right and left, till the Romans
panic-stricken and overwhelmed by num-
bers. broke ranks and fed. Nearly as
many Romans we're killed in the flight as
| in the battle ana only a few scattered
fugitives reached the city
So many Romans had persisted that it
was found impossible to defend the city
but they resolved to hold the capitol to
the last extremity. To the citadel on the
capitoline was conveyed their most val
liable treasures, their sacred things, their
women and children and a supply of pro-
visions. and a thousand strong and hard
eued warriors took their post behind its
walls. About a hundred of the Oldest
senators and magistrates, however, who
were resolved not TO survive the ruin of
! their country, dressed themselves in their
official robes and took their seats in the
forum TO wait for the Gauls
They had not long TO wait Reekine
with blood and jubilant over their vic
tory, the barbarians thronged through
the open gates and into the city For a
moment they halted at the sight of the
venerable old men, who sat grand and un-
armed in their places in the forum. At
first they thought they We're the patron
deities Of the place. but when one of the
Gauls gently strokcd the long beard Of a
senator, the old Roman was so offended
at the net that he struck the man on the
head with the ivory stan that DE had I'm
his hand This blow instantly aroused
! the fury Of the barbarians. and they mas