Plainfield High School - Hermiad Yearbook (Central Village, CT)

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20- THE HERMIAD immediately said to himself, I wcnder if there will be a triumph . He had heard about triumphs, but he had never actually seen one. The triumph was granted by the Senate after they had considered the claims put forth by the general. Marcus was very iruch interested in the idea of attending a triumph. The next morning he went to his grandfather, who was a member of the Senate, and said: Oh, grandfather, is :here really gsing to be a triumph? Well, perhapsg a few of the points which are to be considered have been accomplished , said his grandfather. Won't you please tell me what they are ? said Marcus. The war must have been brought to a definite conclusion , answered the grandfather, resulting in the extension of the bsundaries 01' the state. The victory must have been gained over some foreign c-iuntry. These two things have been accomplished. In the war more than five :nousand of the enemy must have been slain, but I am not sure whether this has been accom- plished or not. The Senate is to hold a meeting outside the city walls this aiterncon to consider the claims of the general. If they are satisfactory, special legislation is necessary to keep the general in possession of the imperium on his entry into the city. Without this his command will expire and he will become a private individual the mcment he is inside the city walls, and will not have a right to a triumph. If you will come to my house tonight, I will tell you cf the Senate's decision . Marcus listened attentively as his grandfather spoke, and then he said: All right, grandfatherg I will come, thank you , and he returned ho re. He could hardly wait for the time to come when his grandfather should arrive home. When he did return, Marcus went immediately to his hcuse to learn of the decision. His grandfather said: All the senators have agreed that the claims of the general are just and a triumph is tai be held next week . Marcus was very happy and coulcl not wait for the time to come. The day finally arrived and Marcus had a schoal holiday, so that he was able to see the triumph. He dressed in his holiday attire and tied laurel arcund his head as was the custom of the Roman people. He then went to the Fcrun and, sitting' on one of the statues there, he could fully enjoy the celebration. He wished that he might watch the exercises which took place cutside the city walls, but he was too small to go that far and his father said to him afterwards: Marcus, there were only a few exercises outside the walls. The general assembled the soldiers, delivered the commendatory ora- tion, and distributed rewards and money as their share of the spoils, which consisted of arms, standards, statues, and other things. That was all that 'took place . Marcus had noticed, as he was on his way to the Forum, that the rjipearance which Rome presented was joyous in tne extreme. All work was

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THE HERMIADO' 19 VACATION PLEASURES qviijo Hill, 19315 HENEVER some one says to nie in that Oh, how cha:-ming tone of voice, What a delightful vacation you must have tad last summer! I am tempted to laugh or to think that the speaker is sarcastic. This peculiar reaction results from the fact that such remarks cause me to think of scme of the more delightful features of the summer. The chief pleasures of last summer divide themselves into :wc partsg the painting of the paternal home, and the curing and storing of hay for tlte sustenance of the cattle during the winter. As soon as sctoifl closcd It was decided that the hcme needed a new coat of paint. We amused ourselves with that for a couple of weeks. Then came the time when the rrowing machine was tuned up and we knew that soon we were to partake of one of the sun1mer's greatest pleasures, haying. If fatigue and excessive heat and moisture could be none away with. farming would be the chief pleasure cf the people. But since they must remain and since, as the end of the season apprcaches, the difficulties increase, one is greatly pleased ta store his pitchfork away for a year. Of course there were pleasures that were not so strenuous. Our most active sport, especially during the latter part of summer, was chasing cows out of sozre one else's cornfield or garden. After each foray on the cow's part there was a defensive mcve by Hill and Sons. Barbed wire and fence posts were our chief anrmunition and they acted with telling effect on the enemy forces. We also found time to develop our diplomatic sense in tlying to placate the irritated owner 'cf the garden. To be strictly truthful, these delightful pleasures were nict always pressing, so we found time fcr periods of rest and loafing. However these periods seemed very short and far apart. Have we not here an excellent recommendation for spending a summer on a farm? ,ep A ROMAN TRIUMPH fLaura Gallup, 19331 TIE people of Veii, who lived outside the Roman Empire, had for a long time been great enemies of the Rsmans. After rrany hard battles Camillus led a large Roman arzry against the people of Veii, and soon after, word came to Rcme that the Roman army had been victorious. Marcus was a young school boy, whose father had taken part in the war. He was thrilled when he heard the news as he would see his father again. He

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THE HERMIAD 21 suspended and all the pecple were clad in their holiday garments. Practically everyone had laurel bound' around his head. All temples were- thrown open, and every altar smoked with incense. The streets were strewn with garlands. Marcus was in a hurry to see the procession and especially to see his father wha had been away from home for some time. Finally the parade appeared. He heard the sound of the trumpets and saw the senators who led the procession. They were dressed in their togas rrade of white woolen cloth with narrow purple stripes interwoven for a border. Next he saw a body of trumpeters, follawed by a train cf carriages and frames laden with the spoils of the vanquished. In addition to the arms, standards, and statues he saw representations of battles, towns, rivers, and mountains of the con- quered country. Next came a body of flute players, followed by the white oxen, which were decorated with laurel and had gilded horns. They were to be sacrificed and were attended by priests with their insignia and implements. There followed then the distinguished captives with bands of inferior prisoners in chains, after whom walked the lictors who were the attendants of the imperator. The lictors carried the fasces wreathed with laurel. Marcus noticed that they were bundles of rods, but he wondered what they signified, There was a Roman man standing near him. Pardon me, sir , Marcus said to him, but can you tell me what those bundles of rods that the lictors are carrying mean? They are called the fasces , answered the man. They indicate power, and outside the city they have axes bound in with them, signifying the death penalty. The axes are taken from the bundles inside the city . I thank you , said Marcus, and he turned to watch the rest of the triumph. The hero of the day came into view, the imperator, crowned with laurel, in a circular chariot drawn by four horses. He was accompanied by his young children and his intimate friends. He was dressed like the Capitoline Jupiter in rcbes of purple and gcldi borrowed from the treasury of the god. In his right hand he carried a laurel bough, and in his left an ivory sceptre surmounted by an eagle. His brows were garlanded with Delphic laurel. A public slave held the golden crown of Jupiter abwe his head, and reminded him in the midst of all his glory that he was but a mortal man. His grownup sons, the equites, legates and tribunes, followed on horseback. Behind them marched the infantry, their spears adorned with laurel, shouting Io TrIumphe , and singing hymns to the gods. Among the soldiers Marcus saw his father who wore a crown which, as he learned later, was called a civic crown. That night his father, holding up the crown, said to him: Marcus, look at this chaplet of oak leaves with the acorns. It was given to me because I saved the life of a comrade in battle. He had been fighting all day and was very weak, when one of the enemy's soldiers assailed him. As I was near, I ran up and after a long hard struggle I killed my opponent and maintained