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Lays of Ancient Rome
counsel how they might be avenged。 They parted from their father…in…law
with many signs of love； and set forth on a journey with Do 馻 Elvira and
Do 馻 Sol。 In a solitary place the bridegrooms seized their brides； stripped
them； scourged them； and departed； leaving them for dead。 But one of the
House of Bivar； suspecting foul play； had followed the travellers in
disguise。 The ladies were brought back safe to the house of their father。
Complaint was made to the king。 It was adjudged by the Cortes that the
dower given by the Cid should be returned； and that the heirs of Carrion
together with one of their kindred should do battle against three knights of
the party of the Cid。 The guilty youths would have declined the combat；
but all their shifts were in vain。 They were vanquished in the lists； and
forever disgraced； while their injured wives were sought in marriage by
great princes。
Some Spanish writers have labored to show； by an examination of
dates and circumstances； that this story is untrue。 Such confutation was
surely not needed； for the narrative is on the face of it a romance。 How it
found its way into Mariana's history is quite clear。 He acknowledges his
obligations to the ancient chronicles； and had doubtless before him the
Cronica del famoso Cavallero Cid Ruy Diez Campeador； which had been
printed as early as the year 1552。 He little suspected that all the most
striking passages in this chronicle were copied from a poem of the twelfth
century；a poem of which the language and versification had long been
obsolete； but which glowed with no common portion of the fire of the Iliad。
Yet such is the fact。 More than a century and a half after the death of
Mariana； this venerable ballad； of which one imperfect copy on parchment；
four hundred years old； had been preserved at Bivar； was for the first time
printed。 Then it was found that every interesting circumstance of the story
of the heirs of Carrion was derived by the eloquent Jesuit from a song of
which he had never heard； and which was composed by a minstrel whose
very name had been long forgotten。
Such； or nearly such； appears to have been the process by which the
lost ballad…poetry of Rome was transformed into history。 To reverse that
process； to transform some portions of early Roman history back into the
poetry out of which they were made； is the object of this work。
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Lays of Ancient Rome
In the following poems the author speaks； not in his own person； but in
the persons of ancient minstrels who know only what Roman citizen； born
three or four hundred years before the Christian era； may be supposed to
have known； and who are in no wise above the passions and prejudices of
their age and nation。 To these imaginary poets must be ascribed some
blunders which are so obvious that is unnecessary to point them out。 The
real blunder would have been to represent these old poets as deeply versed
in general history； and studious of chronological accuracy。 To them must
also be attributed the illiberal sneers at the Greeks； the furious party spirit；
the contempt for the arts of peace； the love of war for its own sake； the
ungenerous exultation over the vanquished； which the reader will
sometimes observe。 To portray a Roman of the age of Camillus or Curius
as superior to national antipathies； as mourning over the devastation and
slaughter by which empire and triumphs were to be won； as looking on
human suffering with the sympathy of Howard； or as treating conquered
enemies with the delicacy of the Black Prince； would be to violate all
dramatic propriety。 The old Romans had some great virtues； fortitude；
temperance； veracity； spirit to resist oppression； respect for legitimate
authority； fidelity in the observing of contracts； disinterestedness； ardent
patriotism； but Christian charity and chivalrous generosity were alike
unknown to them。
It would have been obviously improper to mimic the manner of any
particular age or country。 Something has been borrowed； however； from
our own old ballads； and more from Sir Walter Scott； the great restorer of
our ballad…poetry。 To the Iliad still greater obligations are due； and those
obligations have been contracted with the less hesitation； because there is
reason to believe that some of the old Latin minstrels really had recourse
to that inexhaustible store of poetical images。
It would have been easy to swell this little volume to a very
considerable bulk； by appending notes filled with quotations； but to a
learned reader such notes are not necessary； for an unlearned reader they
would have little interest； and the judgment passed both by the learned and
by the unlearned on a work of the imagination will always depend much
more on the general character and spirit of such a work than on minute
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Lays of Ancient Rome
details。
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Lays of Ancient Rome
Horatius
There can be little doubt that among those parts of early Roman
history which had a poetical origin was the legend of Horatius Cocles。 We
have several versions of the story； and these versions differ from each
other in points of no small importance。 Polybius； there is reason to believe；
heard the tale recited over the remains of some Consul or Pr 鎡 or
descended from the old Horatian patricians； for he introduces it as a
specimen of the narratives with which the Romans were in the habit of
embellishing their funeral oratory。 It is remarkable that； according to him；
Horatius defended the bridge alone； and perished in the waters。 According
to the chronicles which Livy and Dionysius followed； Horatius had two
companions； swam safe to shore； and was loaded with honors and rewards。
These discrepancies are easily explained。 Our own literature； indeed；
will furnish an exact parallel to what may have taken place at Rome。 It is
highly probably that the memory of the war of Porsena was preserved by
compositions much resembling the two ballads which stand first in the
Relics of Ancient English Poetry。 In both those ballads the English；
commanded by the Percy； fight with the Scots； commanded by the
Douglas。 In one of the ballads the Douglas is killed by a nameless English
archer； and the Percy by a Scottish spearman； in the other； the Percy slays
the Douglas in single combat； and is himself made prisoner。 In the former；
Sir Hugh Montgomery is shot through the heart by a Northumbrian
bowman； in the latter he is taken and exchanged for the Percy。 Yet both the
ballads relate to the same event； and that event which probably took place
within the memory of persons who were alive when both the ballads were
made。 One of the Minstrels says：
‘‘Old men that knowen the grounde well yenoughe