Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/510

496 lamentations, while Lucretius embraced the bleeding body of his daughter, who expired in his arms.

This awful spectacle filled all the Romans who were present with so much horror, blended with compassion, that they unanimously exclaimed they would rather die ten thousand deaths in defence of their liberties, than suffer such abuses to be committed by the Tarquins. Among the persons of distinction thus affected, was included Publius Valerius, afterwards surnamed Puhlicola, a man of great prudence and patriotism. He was chosen to go to the camp before Ardea, in order to acquaint the husband of Lucretia with her fate; and endeavour, in conjunction with him, to engage the army to revolt.

But Valerius had hardly begun his journey, when he met Collatinus coming to Rome, yet ignorant of the misfortunes of his family: and with him came Lucius Junius, surnamed Brutus, or the Fool, from the air of stupidity which had hitherto marked his character. That stupid appearance, however, was only assumed, as a mask to conceal his superior talents from the jealous eye of Tarquin II. who had put to death his father and his eldest brother, as too powerful and high-minded men to submit to his tyrannical government.

Brutus, in the mean time, only waited for a proper opportunity of recovering the lost liberties of his country. And no sooner did he hear Valerius relate the unhappy story of Lucretia, than, asking protection of the gods, he hastened to the house of mourning; where, finding the father and husband of Lucretia sunk in the deepest sorrow, he told them they would afterwards have leisure to bewail her fate; they ought now to think of avenging it.

In consequence of this advice, a consultation was stantly