and spears shaken, and the cry "To arms! the gods have spoken,"
was repeated unanimously. As the Druids closed round their chief,
who had been seized with strong convulsions as soon as he had uttered
the message of the gods, Boadicea turned to the chiefs and raised
her arm for silence.

"I am a queen again; I reign once more over a race of men. No
longer do I feel the smart of my stripes, for each shall ere long
be washed out in Roman blood; but before action, counsel, and before
counsel, food, for you have, many of you, come from afar. I have
ordered a feast to be prepared in the forest."

She led the way across the opposite side of the glade, where,
a few hundred yards in the forest, a number of the queen's slaves
had prepared a feast of roasted sheep, pig, and ox, with bread and
jars of drink formed of fermented honey, and a sort of beer. As
soon as the meal was concluded the queen called the chiefs round
her, and the assembly was joined by the Druids.

"War is declared," she said; "the question is shall we commence at
once, or shall we wait?"

There was a general response "At once!" but the chief Druid stepped
forward and said: "My sons, we must not risk the ruin of all by
undue haste; this must be a national movement if it is to succeed.
For a fortnight we must keep quiet, preparing everything for war,
so that we may take the field with every man capable of bearing
arms in the tribe. In the meantime we, with the aid of the bards,
will spread the news of the outrages that the Romans have committed
upon the queen and her daughters far and wide over the land. Already