ROMULUS

From whom, and for what reason, the city of Rome, a name so great in

glory, and famous in the mouths of all men, was so first called, authors

do not agree.

But the story which is most believed and has the greatest number of

vouchers in general outline runs thus: the kings of Alba reigned in

lineal descent from Aeneas, and the succession devolved at length upon

two brothers, Numitor and Amulius. Amulius proposed to divide things

into two equal shares, and set as equivalent to the kingdom the treasure

and gold that were brought from Troy. Numitor chose the kingdom; but

Amulius, having the money, and being able to do more with that than

Numitor, took his kingdom from with great ease, and, fearing lest his

daughter might have children who would supplant him, made her a Vestal,

bound in that condition forever to live a single and maiden life. This

lady some call Ilia, others Rhea, and others Silvia; however, not long

after, contrary to the established laws of the Vestals, she had two

sons of more than human size and beauty, whom Amulius, becoming yet more

alarmed, commanded a servant to take and cast away; this man some call

Faustulus, others say Faustulus was the man who brought them up. He put

the children, however, in a small trough, and went towards the river

with a design to cast them in; but seeing the waters much swollen

and coming violently down, was afraid to go nearer, and, dropping the

children near the bank, went away. The river overflowing, the flood at

last bore up the trough, and, gently wafting it, landed them on a

smooth piece of ground, which they now call Cermanus, formerly Germanus,

perhaps from "Germani," which signifies brothers.

While the infants lay here, history tells us, a she-wolf nursed them,

and a woodpecker constantly fed and watched them. These creatures

are esteemed holy to the god Mars; the woodpecker the Latins still

especially worship and honor. Which things, as much as any, gave credit

to what the mother of the children said, that their father was the god

Mars.

Meantime Faustulus, Amulius's swineherd, brought up the children

without any man's knowledge; or, as those say who wish to keep closer to

probabilities, with the knowledge and secret assistance of Numitor; for

it is said, they went to school at Gabii, and were well instructed in

letters, and other accomplishments befitting their birth. And they were

called Romulus and Remus (from "ruma", the dug), because they were found

suckling the wolf. In their very infancy, the size and beauty of their

bodies intimated their natural superiority; and when they grew up, they

both proved brave and manly, attempting all enterprises that seemed

hazardous, and showing in them a courage altogether undaunted. But

Romulus seemed rather to act by counsel, and to show the sagacity of

a statesman, and in all his dealings with their neighbors, whether

relating to feeding of flocks or to hunting, gave the idea of being born

rather to rule than to obey. To their comrades and inferiors they were

therefore dear; but the king's servants, his bailiffs and overseers, as

being in nothing better men than themselves, they despised and slighted,

nor were the least concerned at their commands and menaces. They used

honest pastimes and liberal studies, not esteeming sloth and idleness

honest and liberal, but rather such exercises as hunting and running,

repelling robbers, taking of thieves, and delivering the wronged and

oppressed from injury. For doing such things, they became famous.

A quarrel occurring betwixt Numitor's and Amulius's cowherds, the

latter, not enduring the driving away of their cattle by the others,

fell upon them and put them to flight, and rescued the greatest part of

the prey. At which Numitor being highly incensed, they little regarded

it, but collected and took into their company a number of needy men and

runaway slaves,--acts which looked like the first stages of rebellion.

It so happened, that when Romulus was attending a sacrifice, being fond

of sacred rites and divination, Numitor's herdsmen, meeting with

Remus on a journey with few companions, fell upon him, and, after some

fighting, took him prisoner, carried him before Numitor, and there

accused him. Numitor would not punish him himself, fearing his brother's

anger, but went to Amulius and desired justice, as he was Amulius's

brother and was affronted by Amulius's servants. The men of Alba

likewise resenting the thing, and thinking he had been dishonorably

used, Amulius was induced to deliver Remus up into Numitor's hands, to

use him as he thought fit. He therefore took and carried him home,

and, being struck with admiration of the youth's person, in stature

and strength of body exceeding all men, and perceiving in his very

countenance the courage and force of his mind, which stood unsubdued and

unmoved by his present circumstances, and hearing further that all the

enterprises and actions of his life were answerable to what he saw of

him, but chiefly, as it seemed, a divine influence aiding and directing

the first steps that were to lead to great results, out of the mere

thought of his mind, and casually, as it were, he put his hand upon the

fact, and, in gentler terms and with a kind aspect, to inspire him with

confidence and hope, asked him who he was, and whence he was derived.

He, taking heart, spoke thus: "I will hide nothing from you, for you

seem to be of a more princely temper than Amulius, in that you give

a hearing and examine before you punish, while he condemns before the

cause is heard. Formerly, then, we (for we are twins) thought ourselves

the sons of Faustulus and Larentia, the king's servants; but since we

have been accused and aspersed with calumnies, and brought in peril of

our lives here before you, we hear great things of ourselves, the truth

of which my present danger is likely to bring to the test. Our birth is

said to have been secret, our fostering and nurture in our infancy still

more strange; by birds and beasts, to whom we were cast out, we were

fed--by the milk of a wolf, and the morsels of a woodpecker, as we lay

in a little trough by the side of the river. The trough is still in

being, and is preserved, with brass plates round it, and an inscription

in letters almost effaced, which may prove hereafter unavailing tokens

to our parents when we are dead and gone." Numitor, upon these words,

and computing the dates by the young man's looks, slighted not the hope

that flattered him, but considered how to come at his daughter privately

(for she was still kept under restraint), to talk with her concerning

these matters.

Faustulus, hearing Remus was taken and delivered up, called on Romulus

to assist in his rescue, informing him then plainly of the particulars

of his birth--not but he had before given hints of it--and told as much

as an attentive man might make no small conclusions from; he himself,

full of concern and fear of not coming in time, took the trough, and

ran instantly to Numitor; but giving a suspicion to some of the king's

sentry at his gate, and being gazed upon by them and perplexed with

their questions, he let it be seen that he was hiding the trough under

his cloak. By chance there was one among them who was at the exposing of

the children, and was one employed in the office; he, seeing the trough

and knowing it by its make and inscription, guessed at the business,

and, without further delay, telling the king of it, brought in the man

to be examined. Faustulus, hard beset, did not show himself altogether

proof against terror; nor yet was he wholly forced out of all: confessed

indeed the children were alive, but lived, he said, as shepherds, a

great way from Alba; he himself was going to carry the trough to Ilia,

who had often greatly desired and handle it, for a confirmation of her

hopes of her children. As men generally do who are troubled in mind and

act either in fear or passion, it so fell out Amulius now did; for he

sent in haste as a messenger, a man, otherwise honest and friendly to

Numitor, with commands to learn from Numitor whether any tidings were

come to him of the children's being alive. He, coming and seeing how

little Remus wanted of being received into the arms and embraces of

Numitor, both gave him surer confidence in his hope, and advised them,

with all expedition, to proceed to action; himself too joining and

assisting them, and indeed, had they wished it, the time would not have

let them demur. For Romulus was now come very near, and many of the

citizens, out of fear and hatred of Amulius, were running out to join

him; besides, he brought great forces with him, dividing into companies,

each of an hundred men, every captain carrying a small bundle of grass

and shrubs tied to a pole. The Latins call such bundles "manipuli," and

from hence it is that in their armies still they call their captains

"manipulares." Remus rousing the citizens within to revolt, and Romulus

making attacks from without, the tyrant, not knowing either what to do,

or what expedient to think of for his security, in this perplexity and

confusion was taken and put to death. This narrative, for the most part

given by Fabius and Diocles of Peparethos, who seem to be the earliest

historians of the foundation of Rome, is suspected by some because

of its dramatic and fictitious appearance; but it would not wholly be

disbelieved, if men would remember what a poet Fortune sometimes shows

herself, and consider that the Roman power would hardly have reached so

high a pitch without a divinely ordered origin, attended with great and

extraordinary circumstances.

Amulius now being dead and matters quietly disposed, the two brothers

would neither dwell in Alba without governing there, nor take the

government into their own hands during the life of their grandfather.

Having therefore delivered the dominion up into his hands, and paid

their mother befitting honor, they resolved to live by themselves, and

build a city in the same place where they were in their infancy brought

up. This seems the most honorable reason for their departure; though

perhaps it was necessary, having such a body of slaves and fugitives

collected about them, either to come to nothing by dispersing them, or

if not so, then to live with them elsewhere. For that the inhabitants of

Alba did not think fugitives worthy of being received and incorporated

as citizens among them plainly appears from the matter of the women, an

attempt made not wantonly, but of necessity, because they could not get

wives by good-will. For they certainly paid unusual respect and honor to

those whom they thus forcibly seized.

Not long after the first foundation of the city, they opened a sanctuary

of refuge for all fugitives, which they called the temple of the god

Asylaeus, where they received and protected all, delivering none back,

neither the servant to his master, the debtor to his creditor, nor the

murderer into the hands of the magistrate, saying it was a privileged

place, and they could so maintain it by an order of the holy oracle;

insomuch that the city grew presently very populous, for, they say,

it consisted at first of no more than a thousand houses. But of that

hereafter.

Their minds being fully bent upon building, there arose presently a

difference about the place where. Romulus chose what was called Roma

Quadrata, or the Square Rome, and would have the city there. Remus laid

out a piece of ground on the Aventine Mount, well fortified by nature,

which was from him called Remonium, but now Rignarium. Concluding at

last to decide the contest by a divination from a flight of birds, and

placing themselves apart at some distance, Remus, they say, saw six

vultures, and Romulus double the number; others say Remus did truly see

his number, and that Romulus feigned his, but, when Remus came to him,

that then he did, indeed, see twelve. Hence it is that the Romans,

in their divinations from birds, chiefly regard the vulture, though

Herodorus Ponticus relates that Hercules was always very joyful when

a vulture appeared to him upon any occasion. For it is a creature

the least hurtful of any, pernicious neither to corn, fruit-tree, nor

cattle; it preys only on carrion, and never kills or hurts any living

thing; and as for birds, it touches not them, though they are dead, as

being of its own species, whereas eagles, owls, and hawks mangle and

kill their own fellow-creatures; yet, as Aeschylus says,--

What bird is clean that preys on fellow bird?

Besides, all other birds are, so to say, never out of our eyes; they

let themselves be seen of us continually; but a vulture is a very rare

sight, and you can seldom meet with a man that has seen their young;

their rarity and infrequency has raised a strange opinion in some, that

they come to us from some other world; as soothsayers ascribe a

divine origination to all things not produced either of nature or of

themselves.

When Remus knew the cheat, he was much displeased; and as Romulus was

casting up a ditch, where he designed the foundation of the city wall,

he turned some pieces of the work to ridicule, and obstructed others:

at last, as he was in contempt leaping over it, some say Romulus himself

struck him, others Celer, one of his companions; he fell, however,

and in the scuffle Faustulus also was slain, and Plistinus, who, being

Faustulus's brother, story tells us, helped to bring up Romulus. Celer

upon this fled instantly into Tuscany, and from him the Romans call all

men that are swift of foot Celeres; and because Quintus Metellus, at

his father's funeral, in a few days' time gave the people a show of

gladiators, admiring his expedition in getting it ready, they gave him

the name of Celer.

Romulus, having buried his brother Remus, together with his two

foster-fathers, on the mount Remonia, set to building his city; and sent

for men out of Tuscany, who directed him by sacred usages and written

rules in all the ceremonies to be observed, as in a religious rite.

First, they dug a round trench about that which is now the Comitium,

or Court of Assembly and into it solemnly threw the first-fruits of all

things either good by custom or necessary by nature; lastly, every man

taking a small piece of earth of the country from whence he came, they

all threw them in promiscuously together. This trench they call, as they

do the heavens, Mundus; making which their centre, they described the

city in a circle round it. Then the founder fitted to a plough, a bronze

ploughshare, and, yoking together a bull and a cow, drove himself a

deep line or furrow round the bounds; while the business of those that

followed after was to see that whatever earth was thrown up should

be turned all inwards towards the city, and not to let any clod lie

outside. With this line they described the wall, and called it, by a

contradiction, Pomoerium, that is, "post murum," after or beside the

wall; and where they designed to make a gate, there they took out the

share, carried the plough over, and left a space; for which reason they

consider the whole wall as holy, except where the gates are; for had

they adjudged them also sacred, they could not, without offence to

religion, have given free ingress and egress for the necessaries of

human life, some of which are in themselves unclean.

As for the day they began to build the city, it is universally agreed

to have been the twenty-first of April, and that day the Romans annually

keep holy, calling it their country's birthday. At first, they say, they

sacrificed no living creatures on this day, thinking it fit to preserve

the feast of their country's birthday pure and without stain of blood.

Yet before ever the city was built, there was a feast of herdsmen and

shepherds kept on this day, which went by the name of Palilia. The Roman

and Greek months have now little or no agreement; they say, however, the

day on which Romulus began to build was quite certainly the thirtieth

of the month, at which time there was an eclipse of the sun which they

conceive to be that seen by Antimachus, the Teian poet, in the third

year of the sixth Olympiad. In the times of Varro the philosopher, a

man deeply read in Roman history, lived one Tarrutius, his familiar

acquaintance, a good philosopher and mathematician, and one, too, that

out of curiosity had studied the way of drawing schemes and tables, and

was thought to be a proficient in the art; to him Varro propounded to

cast Romulus's nativity, even to the first day and hour, making his

deductions from the several events of the man's life which he should be

informed of, exactly as in working back a geometrical problem; for it

belonged, he said, to the same science both to foretell a man's life

by knowing the time of his birth, and also to find out his birth by the

knowledge of his life. This task Tarrutius undertook, and first looking

into the actions and casualties of the man, together with the time of

his life and manner of his death, and then comparing all these remarks

together, he very confidently and positively pronounced that Romulus was

born the twenty-first day of the month Thoth, about sun-rising; and

that the first stone of Rome was laid by him the ninth day of the month

Pharmuthi, between the second and third hour. For the fortunes of

cities as well as of men, they think, have their certain periods of time

prefixed, which may be collected and foreknown from the position of the

stars at their first foundation. But these and the like relations may

perhaps not so much take and delight the reader with their novelty and

curiosity as offend him by their extravagance.

The city now being built, Romulus enlisted all that were of age to bear

arms into military companies, each company consisting of three thousand

footmen and three hundred horse. These companies were called legions,

because they were the choicest and most select of the people for

fighting men. The rest of the multitude he called the people; an hundred

of the most eminent he chose for counselors; these he styled patricians,

and their assembly the senate, which signifies a council of elders.

In the fourth month after the city was built, as Fabius writes, the

adventure of stealing the women was attempted. It would seem that,

observing his city to be filled by a confluence of foreigners, few

of whom had wives, and that the multitude in general, consisting of a

mixture of mean and obscure men, fell under contempt, and seemed to be

of no long continuance together, and hoping farther, after the women

were appeased, to make this injury in some measure an occasion of

confederacy and mutual commerce with the Sabines, Romulus took in his

hand this exploit after this manner. First, he gave it out that he had

found an altar of a certain god hid under ground, perhaps the equestrian

Neptune, for the altar is kept covered in the Circus Maximus at all

other times, and only at horse-races is exposed to public view. Upon

discovery of this altar, Romulus, by proclamation, appointed a day for

a splendid sacrifice, and for public games and shows, to entertain all

sorts of people; many flocked thither, and he himself sat in front,

amidst his nobles, clad in purple. Now the signal for their falling on

was to be whenever he rose and gathered up his robe and threw it over

his body; his men stood all ready armed, with their eyes intent upon

him, and when the sign was given, drawing their swords and falling on

with a great shout, they stole away the daughters of the Sabines, the

men themselves flying without any let or hindrance. Some say there

were but thirty taken, and from Curiae or Fraternities were named; but

Valerius Antias says five hundred and twenty seven, Juba, six hundred

and eighty-three.

It continues a custom at this very day for the bride not of herself to

pass her husband's threshold, but to be lifted over, in memory that the

Sabine virgins were carried in by violence, and did not go in of their

own free will. Some say, too, the custom of parting the bride's hair

with the head of a spear was in token their marriages began at first by

war and acts of hostility.

The Sabines were a numerous and martial people, but lived in small,

unfortified villages, as it befitted, they thought, a colony of the

Lacedaemonians to be bold and fearless; nevertheless, seeing themselves

bound by such hostages to their good behavior, and being solicitous

for their daughters, they sent ambassadors to Romulus with fair and

equitable requests, that he would return their young women and recall

that act of violence, and afterwards, by persuasion and lawful means,

seek friendly correspondence between both nations. Romulus would not

part with the young women, yet proposed to the Sabines to enter into an

alliance with them; upon which point some consulted and demurred long,

but Acron, king of the Ceninenses, a man of high spirit and a good

warrior, who had all along a jealousy of Romulus's bold attempts, and

considering particularly from this exploit upon the women that he was

growing formidable to all people, and indeed insufferable, were he not

chastised, first rose up in arms, and with a powerful army advanced

against him. Romulus likewise prepared to receive him; but when they

came within sight and viewed each other, they made a challenge to fight

a single duel, the armies standing by under arms, without participation.

And Romulus, making a vow to Jupiter, if he should conquer, to carry

himself, and dedicate his adversary's armor to his honor, overcame him

in combat, and, a battle ensuing, routed his army also, and then took

his city; but did those he found in it no injury, only commanded them to

demolish the place and attend him to Rome, there to be admitted to

all the privileges of citizens. And indeed there was nothing did more

advance the greatness of Rome, than that she did always unite and

incorporate those whom she conquered into herself. Romulus, that he

might perform his vow in the most acceptable manner to Jupiter, and

withal make the pomp of it delightful to the eye of the city, cut down a

tall oak which he saw growing in the camp, which he trimmed to the shape

of a trophy, and fastened on it Acron's whole suit of armor disposed

in proper form; then he himself, girding his clothes about him, and

crowning his head with a laurel-garland, his hair gracefully flowing,

carried the trophy resting erect upon his right shoulder, and so marched

on, singing songs of triumph, and his whole army following after, the

citizens all receiving him with acclamations of joy and wonder. The

procession of this day was the origin and model of all after triumphs.

But the statues of Romulus in triumph are, as may be seen in Rome, all

on foot.

After the overthrow of the Ceninensians, the other Sabines still

protracting the time in preparations, the people of Fidenae,

Crustumerium, and Antemna, joined their forces against the Romans; they

in like manner were defeated in battle, and surrendered up to Romulus

their cities to be seized, their lands and territories to be divided,

and themselves to be transplanted to Rome. All the lands which Romulus

acquired he distributed among the citizens, except only what the parents

of the stolen virgins had; these he suffered to possess their own. The

rest of the Sabines, enraged thereat, choosing Tatius their captain,

marched straight against Rome. The city was almost inaccessible, having

for its fortress that which is now the Capitol, where a strong guard

was placed, and Tarpeius their captain. But Tarpeia, daughter to the

captain, coveting the golden bracelets she saw them wear, betrayed the

fort into the Sabines' hands, and asked, in reward of her treachery, the

things they wore on their left arms. Tatius conditioning thus with her,

in the night she opened one of the gates and received the Sabines in.

And truly Antigonus, it would seem, was not solitary in saying he

loved betrayers, but hated those who had betrayed; nor Caesar, who

told Rhymitalces the Thracian that he loved the treason, but hated the

traitor; but it is the general feeling of all who have occasion for

wicked men's services, as people have for the poison of venomous beasts;

they are glad of them while they are of use, and abhor their baseness

when it is over. And so did Tatius behave towards Tarpeia, for he

commanded the Sabines, in regard to their contract, not to refuse her

the least part of what they wore on their left arms; and he himself

first took his bracelet off his arm, and threw that, together with his

buckler, at her; and all the rest following, she, being borne down and

quite buried with the multitude of gold and their shields, died under

the weight and pressure of them; Tarpeius also himself, being prosecuted

by Romulus, was found guilty of treason, and that part of the Capitol

they still call the Tarpeian Rock, from which they used to cast down

malefactors.

The Sabines being possessed of the hill, Romulus, in great fury, bade

them battle, and Tatius was confident to accept it. There were many

brief conflicts, we may suppose, but the most memorable was the last, in

which Romulus having received a wound on his head by a stone, and being

almost felled to the ground by it, and disabled, the Romans gave way,

and, being driven out of the level ground, fled towards the Palatium.

Romulus, by this time recovering from his wound a little, turned

about to renew the battle, and, facing the fliers, with a loud voice

encouraged them to stand and fight. But being overborne with numbers,

and nobody daring to face about, stretching out his hands to heaven, he

prayed to Jupiter to stop the army, and not to neglect but maintain the

Roman cause, now in extreme danger. The prayer was no sooner made

than shame and respect for their king checked many; the fears of the

fugitives changed suddenly into confidence. The place they first

stood at was where now is the temple of Jupiter Stator (which may

be translated the Stayer); there they rallied again into ranks, and

repulsed the Sabines to the place called now Regia, and to the temple

of Vesta; where both parties, preparing to begin a second battle, were

prevented by a spectacle, strange to behold, and defying description.

For the daughters of the Sabines, who had been carried off, came

running, in great confusion, some on this side, some on that, with

miserable cries and lamentations, like creatures possessed, in the midst

of the army, and among the dead bodies, to come at their husbands and

their fathers, some with their young babes in their arms, others their

hair loose about their ears, but all calling, now upon the Sabines, now

upon the Romans, in the most tender and endearing words. Hereupon both

melted into compassion, and fell back, to make room for them betwixt

the armies. The sight of the women carried sorrow and commiseration upon

both sides into the hearts of all, but still more their words, which

began with expostulation and upbraiding, and ended with entreaty and

supplication.

"Wherein," say they, "have we injured or offended you, as to deserve

such sufferings, past and present? We were ravished away unjustly and

violently by those whose now we are; that being done, we were so long

neglected by our fathers, our brothers, and countrymen, that time,

having now by the strictest bonds united us to those we once mortally

hated, has made it impossible for us not to tremble at the danger and

weep at the death of the very men who once used violence to us. You

did not come to vindicate our honor, while we were virgins, against our

assailants; but do come now to force away wives from their husbands

and mothers from their children, a succor more grievous to its wretched

objects than the former betrayal and neglect of them. Which shall we

call the worst, their love-making or your compassion? If you were making

war upon any other occasion, for our sakes you ought to withhold your

hands from those to whom we have made you fathers-in-law and grandsires.

If it be for our own cause, then take us, and with us your sons-in-law

and grandchildren. Restore to us our parents and kindred, but do not

rob us of our children and husbands. Make us not, we entreat you,

twice captives." Having spoken many such words as these, and earnestly

praying, a truce was made, and the chief officers came to a parley;

the women, in the meantime, brought and presented their husbands and

children to their fathers and brothers; gave those that wanted, meat

and drink, and carried the wounded home to be cured, and showed also how

much they governed within doors, and how indulgent their husbands were

to them, in demeaning themselves towards them with all kindness and

respect imaginable. Upon this, conditions were agreed upon, that what

women pleased might stay where they were, exempt from all drudgery and

labor but spinning; that the Romans and Sabines should inhabit the city

together; that the city should be called Rome, from Romulus; but the

Romans, Quirites, from the country of Tatius; and that they both should

govern and command in common. The place of the ratification is still

called Comitium, from "coire," to meet.

The city thus being doubled in number, an hundred of the Sabines were

elected senators, and the legions were increased to six thousand foot

and six hundred horse; then they divided the people into three tribes:

the first, from Romulus, named Ramnenses; the second, from Tatius,

Tatienses; the third, Luceres, from the "lucus," or grove, where the

Asylum stood, whither many fled for sanctuary, and were received into

the city. And that they were just three, the very name of "tribe" and

"tribune" seems to show. Then they constituted many things in honor to

the women, such as to give them the way wherever they met them; to

speak no ill word in their presence; that their children should wear

an ornament about their necks called the "bulla" (because it was like a

bubble), and the "praetexta," a gown edged with purple.

The princes did not immediately join in council together, but at first

each met with his own hundred; afterwards all assembled together. Tatius

dwelt where now the temple of Moneta stands, and Romulus, close by the

steps, as they call them, of the Fair Shore, near the descent from the

Mount Palatine to the Circus Maximus. There, they say, grew the

holy cornel tree, of which they report that Romulus once, to try his

strength, threw a dart from the Aventine Mount, the staff of which was

made of cornel, which struck so deep into the ground that no one of

many that tried could pluck it up; and the soil, being fertile, gave

nourishment to the wood, which sent forth branches, and produced a

cornel-stock of considerable bigness. This did posterity preserve and

worship as one of the most sacred things; and therefore, walled it

about; and if to any one it appeared not green nor flourishing, but

inclining to pine and wither, he immediately made outcry to all he met,

and they, like people hearing of a house on fire, with one accord would

cry for water, and run from all parts with bucketfuls to the place. But

when Gaius Caesar they say, was repairing the steps about it, some of

the laborers digging too close, the roots were destroyed, and the tree

withered.

The Sabines adopted the Roman months, of which whatever is remarkable is

mentioned in the Life of Numa. Romulus, on the other hand, adopted their

long shields, and changed his own armor and that of all the Romans, who

before wore round targets of the Argive pattern. Feasts and sacrifices

they partook of in common, not abolishing any which either nation

observed before, and instituting several new ones. This, too, is

observable as a singular thing in Romulus, that he appointed no

punishment for real parricide, but called all murder so, thinking the

one an accursed thing, but the other a thing impossible; and for a long

time, his judgement seemed to have been right; for in almost six hundred

years together, nobody committed the like in Rome; Lucius Hostius, after

the wars of Hannibal, is recorded to have been the first parricide. Let

thus much suffice concerning these matters.

In the fifth year of the reign of Tatius, some of his friends and

kinsmen, meeting ambassadors coming from Laurentum to Rome, attempted on

the road to take away their money by force, and, upon their resistance,

killed them. So great a villany having been committed, Romulus thought

the malefactors ought at once to be punished, but Tatius shuffled off

and deferred the execution of it; and this one thing was the beginning

of an open quarrel betwixt them; in all other respects they were very

careful of their conduct, and administered affairs together with

great unanimity. The relations of the slain, being debarred of lawful

satisfaction by reason of Tatius, fell upon him as he was sacrificing

with Romulus at Lavinium, and slew him; but escorted Romulus home,

commending and extolling him for just a prince. Romulus took the body of

Tatius, and buried it very splendidly in the Aventine Mount.

The Roman cause daily gathering strength, their weaker neighbors shrunk

away, and were thankful to be left untouched; but the stronger, out of

fear or envy, thought they ought not to give away to Romulus, but

to curb and put a stop to his growing greatness. The first were the

Veientes, a people of Tuscany, who had large possessions, and dwelt in a

spacious city; they took occasion to commence a war, by claiming Fidenae

as belonging to them. But being scornfully retorted upon by Romulus

in his answers, they divided themselves into two bodies; with one they

attacked the garrison of Fidenae, the other marched against Romulus;

that which went against Fidenae got the victory, and slew two thousand

Romans; the other was worsted by Romulus, with the loss of eight

thousand men. A fresh battle was fought near Fidenae, and here all men

acknowledge the day's success to have been chiefly the work of Romulus

himself, who showed the highest skill as well as courage, and seemed to

manifest a strength and swiftness more than human. But what some write,

that, of fourteen thousand that fell that day, above half were slain

by Romulus's own hand, verges too near to fable, and is, indeed, simply

incredible: since even the Messenians are thought to go too far in

saying that Aristomenes three times offered sacrifices for the death of

a hundred enemies, Lacedaemonians, slain by himself. The army being thus

routed, Romulus, suffering those that were left to make their escape,

led his forces against the city; they, having suffered such great

losses, did not venture to oppose, but, humbly suing him, made a league

and friendship for an hundred years; surrendering also a large district

of land called Septempagium, that is, the seven parts, as also their

salt-works upon the river, and fifty noblemen for hostages. He made his

triumph for this on the Ides of October, leading, among the rest of his

many captives, the general of the Veientes, an elderly man, but who

had not, it seemed, acted with the prudence of age; whence even now, in

sacrifices for victories, they led an old man through the market-place

to the Capitol, appareled in purple, with a bulla, or child's toy, tied

to it, and the crier cries, "Sardians to be sold;" for the Tuscans are

said to be a colony of the Sardians, and the Veientes are a city of

Tuscany.

This was the last battle Romulus ever fought; afterwards he, as

most, nay all men, very few excepted, do, who are raised by great and

miraculous good-haps of fortune to power and greatness, so, I say, did

he: relying upon his own great actions and growing of a haughtier mind,

he forsook his popular behavior for kingly arrogance, odious to the

people; to whom in particular the state which he assumed was hateful.

For he dressed in scarlet, with the purple-bordered robe over it; he

gave audience on a couch of slate, having always about him some young

men called "Celeres," from their swiftness in doing commissions. He

suddenly disappeared on the Nones of July, as they call the month which

was then Quintilis, leaving nothing of certainty to be related of

his death; the senators suffered the people not to search, or busy

themselves about the matter, but commanded them to honor and worship

Romulus as one taken up to the gods, and about to be to them, in the

place of a good prince, now a propitious god. The multitude, hearing

this, went away believing and rejoicing in hopes of good things from

him; but there were some, who, canvassing the matter in a hostile

temper, accused the patricians, as men that persuaded the people to

believe ridiculous tales, when they were the murderers of the king.

Things being in this disorder, one, they say, of the patricians, of

noble family and approved good character, and a faithful and familiar

friend of Romulus himself, having come with him from Alba, Julius

Proculus by name, presented himself in the forum; and taking a most

sacred oath, protested before them all, that, as he was travelling on

the road, he had seen Romulus coming to meet him, looking taller and

comelier than ever, dressed in shining and flaming armor; and he, being

affrighted at the apparition, said, "Why, O king, or for what purpose,

have you abandoned us to unjust and wicked surmises, and the whole city

to bereavement and endless sorrow?" and that he made answer, "It pleased

the gods, O Proculus, that we, who came from them, should remain so

long a time amongst men as we did; and, having built a city to be the

greatest in the world for empire and glory, should again return to

heaven. But farewell; and tell the Romans, that, by the exercise of

temperance and fortitude, they shall attain the height of human power;

we will be to you the propitious god Quirinus." This seemed credible to

the Romans, upon the honesty and oath of the relator, and laying aside

all jealousies and detractions, they prayed to Quirinus and saluted him

as a god.

This is like some of the Greek fables of Aristeas the Proconnesian,

and Cleomedes the Astypalaean; for they say Aristeas died in a fuller's

workshop, and his friends, coming to look for him, found his body

vanished; and that some presently after, coming from abroad, said

they met him travelling towards Croton. And that Cleomedes, being

an extraordinarily strong and gigantic man, but also wild and mad,

committed many desperate freaks; and at last, in a schoolhouse, striking

a pillar that sustained the roof with his fist, broke it in the middle,

so that the house fell and destroyed the children in it; and being

pursued, he fled into a great chest, and, shutting to the lid, held it

so fast that many men, with their united strength, could not force it

open; afterwards, breaking the chest to pieces, they found no man in it

alive or dead.

And many such improbabilities do your fabulous writers relate, deifying

creatures naturally mortal; for though altogether to disown a divine

nature in human virtue were impious and base, so again to mix heaven

with earth is ridiculous. Let us believe with Pindar, that

All human bodies yield to Death's decree:

The soul survives to all eternity.

For that alone is derived from the gods, thence comes, and thither

returns.

It was in the fifty-fourth year of his age and the thirty-eighth of his

reign that Romulus, they tell us, left the world.