Italy

There is an old story, partly true and partly a myth, of a great war that was carried on by the Greeks against the famous far away city of Troy.

The war went on and on for years, not because of lack of valor on the part of the Trojans, so the early historians say, but because of the jealousies and partialities of the gods and goddesses who watched over and took part in every battle.

At the end of long years of fighting, the Greeks, finding that there was little hope of ever overcoming their brave enemy in straightforward battle, planned this stratagem:—

"All's fair," you know, "in love and war." And so the Greeks built a great wooden horse—a horse as big as a house—and rolled it up not far from the walls of the Trojan city.

This horse they filled with Greek soldiers; and then quietly, under cover of the night, the Greek army marched away, out upon the plains, towards their home.

Morning dawned. The Trojan sentinels upon the city walls and at the great gates, looking out upon the plain, could hardly believe their own eyes.

"The Greeks are gone! The Greeks are gone!" they called from post to post.

What did it mean! Could they really have gone; or were they only hiding in the forest, ready to rash upon the city the moment the gates should be opened?

"It is not like the Greeks to give up battle and creep away in the dark," said an old soldier, wisely shaking his head.

"You may be sure it is some plot to trap us," said another.

And now there came hurrying into the city soldiers who had been out about the country.

"The Greeks are truly gone!" cried they. "The Greeks are gone! Far out across the plain they are marching, carrying with them their tents and all their implements of war! And outside the city wall stands a great horse, as great as our grandest temple! Surely it must have been some offering of the Greeks to their gods!"

"Let us bring it into our city!" cried the people. "Let us bring it into the city! Upon the great square! And let us rejoice and sacrifice unto our gods! Let us give the day to games and sacrifices, and rejoice in our deliverance by the gods from the cruel Greeks!"

But there were many in the city who were doubtful. "We can afford to wait," said they. "Let us not too easily fall into the traps set us by the Greeks."

"O, wretched countrymen!" cried one wise Trojan, "what spirit of foolishness has taken possession of you? Do you think the Greeks have left this great horse for a gift for us? From what we have learned of them in these long years of famine and war, does it seem like them to lavish gifts upon us? Be warned in time. Bring not that horse within our gates. Either the Greeks lie concealed within this horse, or it is a great engine built to overlook our houses, and by and by to come down upon our city."

But the people would not listen. "Bring in the horse! Bring in the horse!" they shouted.

And so the great gate was thrown open, and the horse dragged in—up to the very heart of the city. Such a day of feasting as followed! Such sacrifices! Such games!

At night, worn out with these revellings, the city slept. "Now," said the soldiers within the horse, "is our time. Give the signal, and let us creep out. Then to the gates to admit the army!—to the altars!—to the houses!" O foolish Trojans! where were your gods that they did not warn you of this plot?

We need not stop here to tell of the terrible slaughter of the people and the burning of the city that followed. Of all that, we may learn in another book. The part that has to do with our Roman History is this—that there was among the Trojans one brave warrior, known as Æneas.

He fled from the burning city with his old father Anchises and his little son Ascanius. With him was a band of brave men; and together they fled to Mount Ida.

Here they built for themselves ships, and set sail out upon the unknown waters.

"My mother," said Æneas, "my mother, the goddess Venus, has come to me in a vision and said, 'Æneas, you and your followers have long years of of dangers and of adventures before you. But never fear. You will reach the shores of a beautiful country. There will you build your home and from you shall spring a wonderful race of people.' "

Full of hope, the little band of Trojans set forth. Such adventures as they had! As wonderful as those of Ulysses! Giants, and witches, and sea-gods, terrible shrieking birds, black thunder-storms, whirlwinds—I couldn't begin here to tell you of them all. You must read for yourself the story of Æneas, as told by himself in a book called "Virgil's Æneid."

But after long, long years, Æneas and his followers came, as Venus had prophesied, to the shores of Italy. Here, indeed, they found the very conditions that she had told them they should find, and they knew from these that their wanderings were over.

"This, indeed, is to be our home," said they; and at once, altars were erected, and sacrifices made to the gods, as was the custom with these people of long ago.

On the spot where they landed, these Trojans went to work to build a beautiful city. This they named Alba Longa.

In the country was a king named Latinus. Wisely Æneas told his story to the king and was at once taken into his friendship. By and by, when the city was built, Æneas married Lavinia, the king's daughter, and together they reigned, king and queen, over the city of Alba Longa.

For a long, long time Æneas, and his descendants after him, lived happily in peace and prosperity, passing the kingship down from generation to generation, according to the just laws that Æneas had made. But at last this peace and general good will was broken; for when, fifteen generations after the founding of the city, Numitor was reigning, his brother Amulius, jealous and covetous, raised an army, rushed upon Numitor, stole his throne from him, and took possession of it for himself.

And this brings us now to the founding of Rome, the "city of seven hills," and the capitol of the Roman people, the great city in Roman history.