the
enemy's lines and made his way into their camp. There he saw a man clad
in purple whom he took to be Lars Porsena. In his heart he plunged the
dagger he had hidden under the folds of his toga. The man fell dead. But
he was not the King. Mucius was carried before Lars and to him he said,
'I am a Roman, my name Caius Mucius. There are in Rome hundreds of young
men resolved, as I was, to take your life or perish in the attempt. You
may slay me but you cannot escape them all.' Porsena demanded the names
of the others: Mucius refused to speak. When Porsena said he would
compel him to speak by torture Mucius merely smiled. On the altar a
flame was burning. To prove to the ally of Tarquin of what stuff the
young men of Rome were made, he thrust his right arm into the flame and
held it so without flinching until the flesh was charred away. Such, his
action showed the King, was the spirit of Rome.

[Illustration: ROMAN LEGIONARY
from a Brit. Mus. bronze]

_Mucius: The Spirit of Rome_

Mucius was escaping through the scared throng, that fell away
before his bloody dagger, when, summoned by the shouts, the King's
guards seized him and dragged him back. Standing helpless before
the throne, but even in such desperate position more formidable
than afraid, he cried out, 'I am a Roman citizen; my name is Caius
Mucius. My purpose was to kill an enemy of my country; I have as
much courage to die as I had to slay; a Roman should be ready for
great deeds and great suffering. Nor have I alone been emboldened
to strike this blow; behind me is a long line of comrades who seek
the same honour. Therefore, if you choose, prepare for a struggle
in which you will fight for your life every hour of the day and
have the sword of an enemy at your palace door. Such is the war
that we, the youth of Rome, proclaim against you. You need not
fear armies and battles; by yourself you will meet us one by one.'
When the King, enraged and terrified, was threatening to have him
thrown into the flames unless he explained the hints of
assassination thus vaguely uttered, he replied, 'See how worthless
the body is to those whose gaze is fixed on glory.' With these
words he laid his right hand on a brazier already lighted for the
sacrifice and let it burn, too resolute, as it seemed, to feel
pain. Then Porsena, astounded at the sight, ordered Mucius to be
removed from the altar and exclaimed, 'Begone, your