l.

"Hear, bird of Mars, and of Quirinus"--cried Cataline, without a pause,
stretching his hands toward the glittering effigy--"Hear thou, and be
propitious! Thou, who didst all-triumphant guide a yet greater than
Quirinus to deeds of might and glory; thou, who wert worshipped by the
charging shout of Marius, and consecrated by the gore of Cimbric myriads;
thou, who wert erst enshrined on the Capitoline, what time the proud
patricians veiled their haughty crests before the conquering plebeian;
thou, who shalt sit again sublime upon those ramparts, meet aery for thine
unvanquished pinion; shalt drink again libations, boundless libations of
rich Roman life-blood, hot from patrician hearts, smoking from every
kennel! Hear and receive our oaths--listen and be propitious!"

He spoke, and seizing from the pedestal a sacrificial knife, which lay
beside the bowl, opened a small vein in his arm, and suffered the warm
stream to gush into the wine. While the red current was yet flowing, he
gave the weapon to Cethegus, and he did likewise, passing it in his turn
to the conspirator who stood beside him, and he in like manner to the
next, till each one in his turn had shed his blood into the bowl, which
now mantled to the brim with a foul and sacrilegious mixture, the richest
vintage of the Massic hills, curdled with human gore.

Then filling out a golden goblet for himself, "Hear, God of war," cried
Cataline, "unto whose minister and omen we offer daily worship; hear,
mighty Mars, the homicide and the avenger; and thou, most ancient goddess,
hear, Nemesis! and Hecate, and Hades! and all ye powers of darkness,
Furies and Fates, hear ye! For unto ye we swear, never to quench the
torch; never to sheath the brand; till all our foes be prostrate, till not
one drop shall run in living veins of Rome's patricians; till not one
hearth shall warm; one roof shall shelter; till Rome shall be like
Carthage, and we, like mighty Marius, lords and spectators of her
desolation! We swear! we taste the consecrated cup! and thus may his blood
flow, who shall, for pity or for fear, forgive or fail or falter--his own
blood, and his wife's, and that of all his race forever! May vultures tear
their eyes, yet fluttering with quick vision; may wolves tug at their
heart-strings, yet strong with vigorous life; may infamy be their
inheritance, and Tartarus receive their spirits!"

And while he spoke, he sipped the cup of horror with unreluctant lips, and
das