[Sidenote: They indicate the existence of great virtues.]

[Sidenote: Petty wars with neighboring states develop patriotism.]

During the one hundred and fifty years--when the future mistress of the
world struggled for its existence with the cities and inhabitants of
Latium, Samnium, and Etruria, whose united territories scarcely extended
fifty miles from Rome, were developed the virtues of a martial
aristocracy. Our minds kindle with the contemplation of their courage,
fortitude, patience, hope, perseverance, energy, self-devotion,
patriotism, and religious faith. They deserved success. The long and
bitter struggle of one hundred and fifty years had more of the nature of
self-preservation than military ambition. The history of those petty
wars is interesting, because it is romantic. Beautiful legends of early
patriotism and heroism have been reproduced in all the histories from
Livy to our times, like those of the knights of King Arthur and the
paladins of Charlemagne in the popular literature of Europe. Poets have
made them the themes of their inspiration. Painters have chosen them as
favorite subjects of art. We love to ponder on the bitter exile of
Coriolanus, his treasonable revenge, and the noble patriotism of his
weeping and indignant mother, who saved her country but lost her son; on
Cincinnatus, taken from the plow and sent as general and dictator
against the Acquians; on the Fabian gens, defending Rome a whole year
from the attacks of the Veientines until they were all cut off, like the
Spartan band at Thermopylae; on Siccius Dentatus, the veteran captain of
one hundred and twenty battles, who was only slain by rolling a stone
from a high rock upon his head; on Cossos, slaying the king of Veii with
his own hand; on the siege of Veii, itself, a city as large as Rome,
lasting ten years, and only finally taken by draining the Alban lake; on
the pride and avarice of the banished Camillus, and his subsequent