ROMAN SOLDIERS First received pay at the siege of Veii

Aspiring Rome bold Veii harrass'd most, And many a field was won, and many lost; Till patient of a ten years' siege she fell, Nor left e'en walls, where once she tower'd to tell. Ere this, unpaid but by the hopes of spoil, The Roman warrior bore the battle's toil; But while abroad the conqu'ring sword he wields, Untill'd and barren lay his little fields; Hence, one sharp conflict o'er, he left the plain, And rich with plunder, sought his home again: No long continued object was pursued With patient, persevering fortitude. But now the Senate, wiser grown, require A general tax to pay the soldier's hire; Who, unrepining thus, consents to bear The lengthen'd service of the varying year. And but for this, her conquests had not reach'd Beyond where fertile Italy lay stretch'd; Carthage unrivall'd had usurp'd the main, And Eastern Kings enjoy'd their gorgeous reign; The German in his wilds untam'd had stray'd, Nor Britain tribute to bold Julius paid: But imp'd by this, her eagle's wing could soar To nobler heights, and stoop at every shore; Mountains and seas were then securely pass'd, When space and seasons were by gold effac'd.