Rome Saved by Geese. When the Gauls invaded Rome, a detachment in single file scaled the hill on which the capitol stood, so silently that the foremost man reached the summit without being challenged; but while striding over the rampart, some sacred geese were disturbed, and by their cackle aroused the guard. Marcus Manlius rushed to the wall, and hustled the Gaul over, thus saving the capitol.
A somewhat parallel case occurred in Ireland in the battle of Glinsaly, in Donegal. A party of the Irish would have surprised the Protestants if some wrens had not disturbed the guards by the noise they made in hopping about the drums and pecking on the parchment heads.—Aubrey, Miscellanies, 45.
Ro´meo, a son of Mon´tague (3 syl.), in love with Juliet, the daughter of Cap´ulet; but between the houses of Montague and Capulet there existed a deadly feud. As the families were irreconcilable, Juliet took a sleeping draught, that she might get away from her parents and elope with Romeo. Romeo, thinking her to be dead, killed himself; and when Juliet awoke and found her lover dead, she also killed herself.—Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1598).
Romeo and Juliet, a tragedy by Shakespeare (1598). The tale is taken from Rhomeo and Julietta, a novel by Boisteau, in French, borrowed from an Italian story by Bandello (1554).
In 1562 Arthur Brooke produced the same tale in verse, called The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet. In 1567 Painter published a prose translation of Boisteau’s novel.
Romola, superb woman, high-spirited, pure and single of heart, the idol and co-laborer of her scholarly father. She wrecks her life by the marriage with the fascinating Greek, Tito Melema.—George Eliot, Romola.
Romp (The), a comic opera altered from Bickerstaff’s Love in the City. Priscilla Tomboy is “the romp,” and the plot is given under that name.
A splendid portrait of Mrs. Jordan, in her character of “The Romp,” hung over the mantelpiece in the dining-room [of Adolphus Fitzclarence].—Lord W. P. Lennox, Celebrities, etc., i. 11.
Rom´uald (St). The Catalans had a great reverence for a hermit so called, and hearing that he was about to quit their country, called together a parish meeting, to consult how they might best retain him amongst them, “For,” said they, “he will certainly be consecrated, and his relics will bring a fortune to us.” So they agreed to strangle him; but their intention being told to the hermit, he secretly made his escape.—St. Foix, Essais Historiques sur Paris, v. 163.
*** Southey has a ballad on the subject.