RUTILIUS. The time occupied by this story is from A.D. 297 to A.D. 298. The scene opens in the mountains of Armenia. B CHAPTER I. The Biscovery. Thus, under heavy arms, the youth of Rome And pitch their sudden camp before the foe. DRYDEN'S Virgil. THE day had been dark and stormy, and the lofty heights above the camp, which looked southward towards the plain of the Tigris, were still covered with clouds; but towards evening it promised better weather, and a party of Roman soldiers left their tents, either to enjoy the air, or perhaps to satisfy their curiosity respecting the position of the enemy. The leading figure among them was a man of middle height, whose step and manner bespoke long practice in the use of arms. He had not adopted any of those new customs which had crept into the Roman service even before the reign of the ruling emperor Dioclesian: his pilum, or spear, was of the ancient weight and solidity, and might have done its part at Zama or Pharsalia; his shield was thick and long ; his cuirass and short cloak displayed thighs and legs muscular, as well as happily proportioned; and his face had that honest, hardy confidence which spoke of past perils overcome, and of a mind ready to encounter the future. The veteran contrasted well with a youth who stood next to him. A handsome countenance, clustering hair escaping from under his helmet, armour of a lighter and more ornamental texture,—all looked as if he had been more accustomed to join the people of Antioch in their festive processions to the groves of Daphne, than to fight, like his companion, against the Germans on the Rhine, or the fierce Goths beyond the Danube. But though the capital of Syria was really his birth-place, yet his manly and intelligent countenance shewed no signs of that effeminacy which was but too usual among its citizens; while, on the other hand, the veteran, whom he watched with an easy and affectionate respect, had none of the ferocity of the wild Thracians with whom he had associated. In the group which surrounded Rutilius and his uncle Marcellus, for such was their relationship, might be seen specimens of those varying nations which swelled the armies of Rome. There was the swarthy African, of Punic descent, whose language, though professedly Latin, was mixed with words and idioms which betrayed his Phoenician origin. Next to him came a Celt, whose forefathers had fought under Charactacus. Beside him might be seen a soldier from the neighbourhood of Nismes, whose family had formerly lived in Galatia (or Gallia Græca), but had returned to their original country since the widely spreading Roman empire had reunited these two distant branches of the Gallic race. With these were mixed one or two natives of Armenia, who seemed to be pointing out the singular order and discipline of the Roman camp to a stranger, whose high cheekbones and Tartarian cap, together with a wild and uncouth manner, a bow and arrows of strange make, and a dress singularly ornamented with silk, bespoke him the inhabitant of a country still more eastward. After looking for a few moments upon a region well wooded and fertile, but apparently not thickly inhabited, over which the Roman encampment, occupying the slope of a mountainous declivity, commanded an extensive prospect, Marcellus addressed himself to one of the Armenians who was standing behind him. He had served before in that part of the world, and spoke the Armenian language with a readiness which surprised his colleagues. "So you think the Persian army lies concealed among those woods ?" 66 "So say our scouts," replied the Armenian, whose name was Viriathes; and our friend here, who has intelligence among them, thinks it probable." "We shall soon see, then, whether we are to fare better than in our last campaign, and whether the empire of the world is to belong to Cyrus or Cæsar." 66 "Our hopes go with you," said the Armenian : our nation has suffered enough from those pagan |