ch. 122.12The blockade, however, continued, and with it a growing
scarcity of corn at famine prices. Porsena still cherished
hopes of capturing the City by keeping up the investment.
There was a young noble, C. Mucius, who regarded it as a
disgrace that whilst Rome in the days of servitude under her
kings had never been blockaded in any war or by any foe, she
should now, in the day of her freedom, be besieged by those
very Etruscans whose armies she had often routed. Thinking
that this disgrace ought to be avenged by some great deed of
daring, he determined in the first instance to penetrate into
the enemy's camp on his own responsibility. On second
thoughts, however, he became apprehensive that if he went
without orders from the consuls, or unknown to any one, and
happened to be arrested by the Roman outposts, he might be
brought back as a deserter, a charge which the condition of
the City at the time would make only too probable. So he
went to the senate. I wish, he said, Fathers, to swim the
Tiber, and, if I can, enter the enemy's camp, not as a
pillager nor to inflict retaliation for their pillagings. I
am purposing, with heaven's help, a greater deed. The senate
gave their approval. Concealing a sword in his robe, he
started. When he reached the camp he took his stand in the
densest part of the crowd near the royal tribunal. It
happened to be the soldiers' pay-day, and a secretary,
sitting by the king and dressed almost exactly like him, was
busily engaged, as the soldiers kept coming to him
incessantly. Afraid to ask which of the two was the king,
lest his ignorance should betray him, Mucius struck as
fortune directed the blow and killed the secretary instead of
the king. He tried to force his way back with his blood-stained dagger through the dismayed crowd, but the shouting
caused a rush to be made to the spot; he was seized and
dragged back by the king's bodyguard to the royal tribunal.
Here, alone and helpless, and in the utmost peril, he was
still able to inspire more fear than he felt. I am a
citizen of Rome, he said, men call me C. Mucius. As an
enemy I wished to kill an enemy, and I have as much courage
to meet death as I had to inflict it. It is the Roman nature
to act bravely and to suffer bravely. I am not alone in
having made this resolve against you, behind me there is a
long list of those who aspire to the same distinction. If
then it is your pleasure, make up your mind for a struggle in
which you will
every hour have to fight for your life and find an armed foe
on the threshold of your royal tent. This is the war which
we, the youth of Rome, declare against you. You have no
serried ranks, no pitched battle to fear, the matter will be
settled between you alone and each one of us singly.
The king, furious with anger, and at the same time
terrified at the unknown danger, threatened that if he did
not promptly explain the nature of the plot which he was
darkly hinting at he should be roasted alive. Look, Mucius
cried, and learn how lightly those regard their bodies who
have some great glory in view. Then he plunged his right
hand into a fire burning on the altar. Whilst he kept it
roasting there as if he were devoid of all sensation, the
king, astounded at his preternatural conduct, sprang from his
seat and ordered the youth to be removed from the altar.
Go, he said, you have been a worse enemy to yourself than
to me. I would invoke blessings on your courage if it were
displayed on behalf of my country; as it is, I send you away
exempt from all rights of war, unhurt, and safe. Then
Mucius, reciprocating, as it were, this generous treatment.
said, Since you honour courage, know that what you could not
gain by threats you have obtained by kindness. Three hundred
of us, the foremost amongst the Roman youth, have sworn to
attack you in this way. The lot fell to me first, the rest,
in the order of their lot will come each in his turn till
fortune shall give us a favourable chance against you.
