The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-26


to be made in his palace. and setting fire
to it, burned himself, his women. and his
treasures
In ancient times captives were either en-
shaved, degraded or tortured. The Ro-
mans had a special dread of being COM
PEELED to grace triumph, and their enc
mics came to have a similar dread Tao
titus and Dion Cassius tell the story of the
British queen Boadcea, whose husband
on his death bed, in order TO obtain the
protection of Nero for his family and peo-
pie. appointed the emperor heir to his
treasures. in conjunction with his own
two daughters. But his wishes were not
respected. and the officers of Nero seized
everything. For her opposition to these
actions orders were given that Boadicea
should be publicly whipped and her daugh-
ters exposed TO the soldiers Upon this
Boadicea headed an army of her people
ana began a massacre of the Romans
She would have been successful i'm freeing
her country if it had not been that re-en-
forcements came for the assistance of
the Romans. Suetonus Paulinus arrived
from the Isle of Mona with 10. OOO men,
great battle was fought the Britons were
defeated, and as 1t was well known. as
Iacitus says, that the Roman general had
this blemish of character that he pro-
ceeded always against the vanquished
even after they surrendered with excess
sive rigor, Boadicea, foreseeing that her
rate as captive would be a Wretched one
ended her life bya dose of poison.
History affords some instances in which
Submissions TO supposed defeat was too
nasty, and others in which failure at at
tempted suicide fortunately enabled the.
men to live to enjoy the VICTORY of which
they had despaired. Brutus and Cassius
made the last stand for the Roman repub-
lie at Philippi and there they were de-
ieated; and knowing well that Anthony
would be no mild judge they fell upon
thelr swords. The suicides of Brutus and
Cassius on the battlefield are probably the
best known to the public of all such occur
rences, though the description given by
shakespeare, whose great genius saw
clearly the dramatic force of such a stu
atom and did not let the opportunity IN
make much of IL pass. Montaigne very
Justly said that "Brutus and Cassius
threW away the remains of the Roman In
eity, or which they Were the sole protec-
tors. by the precipitation and temerity
wherewith they killed themselves before
the Que time and the just occasion He
adds: II have seen a hundred hares es
cape out of the very teeth of the grew
mound. He appropriately quotes Sene-
ca saying Some have survived their
executioners, and from Virgil. Fortune
turning, shows a reverse face, and again
restores men to prosperity" At the bat.
tie Oh Cerisolles, d'Angun, being on the
side of the field where the fight was far
the time, going, against his party. twice
attempted to kill himself, but fortunately
1alled, and in a few hours was rejoicing
over great victory. Josephus relates
that, when his whole nation had turned
against him, and there seemed no means
OF escape, friend advised him to dis
patch himeslf He rejected the advice
hoping that affairs would mend them,
selves, which they shortly afterward did.
SO that he was comfortably delivered,
When at one time the city of Epirus was
besieged by the Romans, and was at the
last extremity the chiefs of the city ad-
vised the. people to all kill themselves
out they preferred to surrender and acted
upon that idea
Democrltus, general of the Aetolians
was once taken prisoner TO Rome hui
escaped, and, being followed and in dan
ger OF being retaken, he killed himself
with his sword rather than again be sub
Jected to captivity. Some Jewish women
when their place was besieged by Anfeo-
nus, threw their children and themselves
down precipice to avoid the cruelty Of
ther conqueror. When the island of
Gonza was once taken by the Turks. a
Slcilian killed his two beautiful daughters
ana his wife, then rushed out of the house
ana shot with his crossbow two Turks,
and then charged with his sword and
~NS'A
thus he delivered himself and his family
from slavery and dishonor. In the book
OF Maccabees il is tod that Nieanor sent
his soldiers 10 take. a good old man
Rails, but the old man first stabbed and
then hung himself from the top of wall
w men the Athenian army besieged Zion.
OF which Xerxes had made Bogez govern
or, and had reduced it to extremities. the
governor was offered an opportunity 10
pass with all his wealth into Asia: but
ne could not bear the thought Of living
after having lost the city his king had
given him to keep He, therefore. threw
all the gold and valuables into the river.
made a great fire. ordered the threats Of
all the women children and servants to be
cut threw their bodies into the fire. ana
leaped into ii himself When Spara gnsies
the son of Queen Tomyris was a prisoner
of war of Cyrus, he felt so deeply the dis
grace OF being taken that at the first on
portunlty when he was unbound he
killed himself. When the CITY of Gamma
was being besieged by the Romans Vjbius
VIRUS invited a large number of his
friends to his house., and told them that
when the city would be taken they co11Id
expect no mercy since they had opened
their gates 10 Hannibal, and thus enraeed
the Romans, and now Hannibal had aban-
doned them. He provided for them a great
supper, and then stated that he had pre-
pared a drink which they would take TO-
gether, "a beverage" said he. that will
deliver our bodies from torment. our souIs
from insults, and our eyes and ears from
the sense of so many hateful mischiefs as
the conquered suffer from cruel and i'm
placable conquerers." This resolution was
followed by only twenty-seven of the SEN
ators present They first strengthened
their courage with wine and then drank
the fatal poison
When Alexander had besieged CITY in
India, the people determined to destroy
themselves and their city, which thew did
with fire. When the Spanish city of AS
tapa was about to be taken by the Ro-
mans, the inhabitants gathered their
riches and furniture in a public place and
put upon the heap all the women and
children, piled around 1t combustible ma
terials and left fifty of their young men
to carry out their plans; the rest of the
men issued out of the city and fought nm
til they were slain. The young men mas
sacred every soul in the city then set fire
to the pile, and lastly threw themselves
upon it. When King Philip attacked Aby-.
dos, the people determined TO kin them
selves, after having burned their treas
ures; but for want of time they We're not
able to detect their goods and carry out
their design Philip seized their treasures