last of the early kings of Rome, was driven out of the city, partly
on account of his own tyranny, and partly because of the misdeeds of
his son Sextus Tarquin. The immediate cause of the expulsion of the
Tarquins was "the deed of shame," committed by Sextus against
Lucretia, the wife of one of the Roman governors. After two
unsuccessful attempts to regain the throne, Tarquinius Superbus
sought the aid of the Etruscans and Latins, and under the leadership
of Lars Porsena, the head of the Etruscan League, the combined forces
marched upon Rome. It was then that the incident recorded in the
story of _Horatius_ is supposed to have taken place. After the
defence of the bridge by Horatius, Lars Porsena laid siege to the
city and at last reduced it to submission. He did not, however,
insist upon the reinstatement of the Tarquins. A fourth and last
attempt was made by Tarquin the Proud to regain the throne, by the
aid of his Latin allies, under Mamilius of Tusculum. The story of
this expedition forms the subject of _The Battle of Lake Regulus_.


I

Lars[1] Porsena of Clusium[2]
By the Nine Gods[3] he swore
That the great house of Tarquin
Should suffer wrong no more.
By the Nine Gods he swore it, 5
And named a trysting day,[4]
And bade his messengers ride forth,
East and west and south and north,
To summon his array.