_Ascribed to Rinaldo Mantovano_ (Roman: early 16th century).
Romulus, the founder of Rome--so the story goes--had collected a
motley crew of men about him, and demanded women from the neighbouring
states wherewith to people his kingdom. And when they refused, he
determined to take them by stratagem. He appointed a day for a splendid
sacrifice, with public games and shows, and the neighbouring Sabines
flocked with their wives and daughters to see the sight. He himself
presided, sitting among his nobles, clothed in purple. As a signal for
the assault, he was to rise, gather up his robe, and fold it about
him. Many of the people wore swords that day, and kept their eyes upon
him, watching for the signal, which was no sooner given than they
drew them, and, rushing on with a shout, seized the daughters of the
Sabines, but quietly suffered the men to escape. This is the subject
of the upper compartment of this picture. But afterwards the Sabines
fought the Romans in order to recover their daughters. The battle was
long and fierce, until the Sabine women threw themselves between the
combatants and induced them to ratify the accomplished union with
terms of friendship and alliance. This is the subject of the lower
compartment--the intervention of the Sabine women in the right-hand
part, the reconciliation in the left.