Astor, the amiable Astor, advances, and the ardent desire of command makes him forget to invoke his master Apollo. The discontented divinity abandons his ungrate ful disciple on the field, and the beautiful Astor loses the half of his strength. In vain does he haul tight, as he bends upon the chain with his might; the leaves of the tall tree are scarcely agitated, and he waives the palm.

Liger, filled with joy, springs forward to the tree; he passes one of his hands through a link of the chain, with the other he seizes hold above his head; he concentrates his strength, and måkes a mighty effort; all the branches of the tree are moved, and bend as though they were resisting a violent wind. But Liger, exhausted by the effort, cannot again incline its trunk, and the balancing branches gracefully resume their position. The brave Liger retires more humbly than he sallied to the proof.

Aulus rises, and all eyes are turned upon him. He leaves his shield, strips off his cuirass, and is proud to display his broad shoulders and nervous arms. He raises them above his head, as he stretches his muscles, and walks twice around the tree with a ferocious grin. Then he darts forth, seizes the chain as high as his two hands can reach, and bends upon it with all his weight and vigor. The tree yields, its top inclines, and the army applauds ; but soon it rises to its position, swinging back with equal force to that which bent it, and the terrible Aulus, lifted from the earth, and suspended by the chain, balances in the air, to the motion of the poplar. Compelled to abandon the enterprise, with anger he jumps to the ground, and hides behind his chariot to resume his armor.

Leo stands alone; he advances, and addressing his vows to Hercules, speaks: "Son of Jupiter! remember

the hospitality which the

ancestors of my dear Camilla have conferred upon you. Regard me from high Olym pus; a look from thee will give me strength; conquering or conquered, I vow you a sacrifice.”

No

Scarcely had he finished his prayer, before he felt a renewed vigor circulate in his frame. He puts one foot in the last link of the chain, seizes it with both hands about the height of his brow, and applying all his strength, he bends the top of the poplar slowly; but nearer to the ground than it inclined under the hand of Aulus. sooner is he certain of this advantage, than he redoubles his efforts, invokes Hercules again, and abandoning himself entirely to his impulse, the tree cracks, breaks, falls to the ground with the chain, and its immense branches bury him.

The people and the army raise shouts of joy; the senate declares Leo conqueror. Leo rises, and with a bound clears himself from this mass of broken boughs, and addresses the soldiers. 66 Companions! I am your general. You have sworn obedience to strength; but strength should be subject to wisdom. I shall command you without doubt, but Sophanor will command me. Sophanor has made more campaigns than any of you have seen actions; 'tis for his experience to guide our youthful courage. Sophanor! be thou our head, and let Leo be thy right arm."

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The astonished Marsi thought they saw a god in Leo. Sophanor shed tears of admiration. No, my son," cried he, "you must be our chief; what will not the Marsi achieve when conducted by another Alcides? My son, you have not despised my age, and the gods shall recompense you with victory. I predict it, and give thanks

to the immortals that they have still left a little blood in my veins to pour forth at your side, and a voice to celebrate your praises."

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My father," replied Leo, " 'tis for you that I essayed the proof; that you should triumph, the gods have given me victory. March at our head; I ask it of you, I conjure you; and if my entreaties are not sufficient, remember that you have sworn to obey me, and I order you to conduct

me."

He accepts the be his colleague. The Soon the old Sophanor His age, his venerable

These words decided the old man. command, but requires that Leo army proclaim both generals. appears, clad with antique armor. air, his long white beard, inspire respect, while his youthful colleague impresses terror.

The Peligni, the Amiternes, the Frentani, and the Caricenes descend from the Apennines, and come to the aid of the Marsi. Sophanor orders the image of a dragon to be raised in the air as a signal for departure, which the Marsi are to follow in their combats.

But a frightful prodigy arrests and chills the hearts of the army. An eagle appears in the clouds, holding in his talons a terrible dragon, covered with blood, and panting for breath; writhing himself about, he still struggles, darts his triple tongue, and tries to wound the bird of Jove. The soldiers wait in silence to see the result of the contest; but in a few moments the victorious eagle pierces with his beak the greenish scales of his enemy, and throws him lifeless in the midst of the battalions of the Marsi.

What a presage for these warriors! Leo, who sees them turn pale, seizes the first bow which is near him, marks the conquering eagle, follows him with his eye in

the clouds, lets fly an arrow from his bow, and the bird falls at his feet. "Thus will I mark the Roman eagle," cries he;" thus will I avenge the people whom they would enslave. Marsi! be no longer doubtful; the best of auspices is the justice of our cause. You fight for country, and Romulus for ambition. March!— the gods are with you."

His words and his achievement banished fear from all hearts. The animated Marsi make the air resound with a thousand cries, and all think themselves invincible with Leo. The army, filled with hope and joy, advances with rapid marches.

They meet the Romans on the plain of Lucence, bounded on the north and east by hills, south and west by forests. Romulus, in possession of the wood, had pitched his tents on their borders. Sophanor and Leo make theirs at the foot of the mountain. The river Fucinus separates the two armies.

Immediately Romulus advances to the bank, and reconnoitres the position of his enemy. He examines the ground on which they have pitched, compares it with his own position, measures with his eye the plain, and is observant of the smallest bush. He sounds the Fucinus, and finds a place which is fordable. Assured of all his observations, he returns to his tent, assembles his generals, and announces to them that the next morning, at the break of day, they will try the passage of the river. His captains appear surprised; but Romulus in a few words explains to them the order of attack, the place where each division will fight, how the one will call out the enemy, what he must do if he is conqueror, and his resources in case of a repulse. Finally, he demonstrates to them that he has