Publicola

Publicola, out of admiration for his valour, proposed that every Roman should at once contribute for him as much provision as each consumed in a day, and that afterwards he should be given as much land as he could plough round in a day. Besides this, they set up a bronze statue of him in the temple of Vulcan, to console him with honour for the lameness consequent upon his wound.

While Porsena was closely investing the city, a famine afflicted the Romans,[*](Cf. Livy, ii. 12, 1.) and another Tuscan army on its own account invaded their territory. Publicola, who was now consul for the third time, thought that Porsena must be met by a quiet and watchful resistance within the city; but he sallied out upon the other Tuscan army, engaged it, routed it, and slew five thousand of them. The story of Mucius has been often and variously told, but I must give it as it seems most credible to me.[*](Plutarch’s version is far less coherent and dramatic than Livy’s (ii. 12). )