THE PEACE-LOVING KING
After the disappearance of Romulus, the Romans and Sabines each wished
to appoint a new king.
Romulus had been a Roman, so the Sabines said that now it was but just
that a Sabine king should rule.
The dispute between the people lasted for a whole year, and then at
length it was determined that the new king should be a Sabine, but that
the Romans should be allowed to choose him.
Now among the Sabines dwelt a man named Numa Pompilius. He was honoured
by the Romans as well as by his own people, for he was both good and
wise. He had indeed been known for his wisdom since he was a boy. And
if, when he was young, any one ventured to dispute his wisdom, his
friends would point to his grey hair, believing there was no need to
speak. For the hair of Numa Pompilius had been grey from the day of his
birth, and that surely was a sign from the gods to show that he already
was and ever would be wise.
Often he was to be seen, a solitary man, walking in the fields and
groves which were consecrated to the gods. At other times he would
spend long days and weeks alone in desert places.
It was to this strangely quiet, thoughtful man, who was now about forty
years old, that the Romans sent ambassadors to beg him to become their
king.
Numa Pompilius had no wish to rule. Moreover, he deemed that the people
would desire a more warlike king than he was like to be. So he bade
the messengers return to Rome, saying: ‘I should but be, methinks, a
laughing-stock, while I should go about to inculcate the worship of
the gods and give lessons in the love of justice and the abhorrence of
violence and war to a city whose needs are rather for a captain than
for a king.’
In spite of these words, the ambassadors still urged Numa to return
with them to Rome. ‘Your presence,’ said they, ‘will help to put an end
to war and discord.’
Then the wise man consulted the gods, and they sent a flight of sacred
birds as a sign that he should reign in Rome.
So Numa Pompilius set out with the ambassadors, and when he reached the
city he called together the people to ask them if they were willing to
obey his commands.
They, greeting him as ‘a holy king, and one beloved of the gods,’
promised to obey him in all things. Thus, almost against his will, the
wise man became king. But being king, he was not the man to shirk the
duties belonging to his royal state.
His first act was to dismiss the band of three hundred Celeres, which
had formed the life-guard of Romulus, for this king trusted his
subjects, and believed that they would safeguard him from danger.
To train the Romans in the love of truth he built on the Capitol a
temple to the goddess Fides, or Faith, bidding them invoke this goddess
above all others. At the same time he told them ever to remember as
they went about their daily work that their promises were as sacred as
their oaths.
In the temple no sacrifice of sheep, oxen, or bird was ever offered,
for the good king would not have his gifts to the gods stained with
blood. Fruits, cakes, corn, these were the offerings he bade the people
bring to the temple.
Pompilius himself had loved to work and to walk in the fields, so now
he encouraged the Romans to labour in the country, dividing among them
a large part of the land which Romulus had conquered.
In these and other ways the king did all he could to curb the fierce
passions of his subjects, who, when left to themselves, were swift to
turn to war and bloodshed, rather than to peace.
Many of the people reverenced their peace-loving king, but others
mocked at his gentle ways.
Even the feasts of the king were more simple than some of the Romans
liked, and these discontented ones grumbled at the plain fare of which
they were invited to partake.
One day, so the legend runs, the king ordered, as was his custom, a
simple meal to be prepared, and to this meal he invited many of his
friends.
They came, for the king had asked them, but, as they expected, the food
was plain, the plates were of earthenware, and water was served in
bottles of stone.
But no sooner had the guests seated themselves at the table than
behold! as if by magic, the plain food was changed into the choicest
viands, the water became the richest wine, while the earthenware dishes
disappeared, and in their place stood plates of silver and of gold.
The guests were startled, yet it pleased them well that the gods should
show such favour to their king, for they never doubted that it was thus
the gods treated those who honoured them.
Henceforth the people grumbled less, and were more ready to obey their
sovereign.
Numa Pompilius ruled for forty-three years, caring, during his long
reign, for the welfare of his people.
Even the enemies of Rome did not venture to disturb this good and
gentle king. So, while he ruled, the weapons of war were laid aside.
The gates of the temple of Janus, too, which were only opened in time
of war, remained closed during the reign of Numa Pompilius.
It seemed that the gods did indeed show goodwill to this pious king,
for neither sickness nor famine troubled the country as long as he sat
upon the throne, and the Romans prospered in all that they undertook.
When he was eighty years of age Numa Pompilius passed away in a death
as peaceful as his life.
The Romans mourned his loss, for he had been to them father as well as
king.
Quietly they laid his body to rest, beyond the Tiber, on the hill
Janiculum which looks toward the west.