Of those that escaped at the taking of Troy the most part were
exercised with much tempestuous weather, and being inexperienced in
navigation and unacquainted with the sea, they were wafted over into
Italy; and about the river Tiber they made a very narrow escape by
putting into such ports and havens as they could meet with. Whilst
the men went about the country to enquire after pilots, there fell
out a discourse among the women, that for a people as fortunate and
happy as they had been, any fixed habitation on the land was better
than perpetual wandering over the sea; and that they must make a new
country for themselves, seeing it was impossible to recover that which
they had lost. Upon this, complotting together, they set fire on the
ships, Roma (as they say) being one of the first in the attempt. But
having done these things, they went to meet their husbands, who were
running towards the sea to the relief of the ships; and fearing their
indignation, they laid hold some of them on their husbands, and some on
their kinsfolk, and fell a kissing them soundly; by which carriage they
obtained their charitable reception. Wherefore it hath been formerly,
and now remains to be a custom among the Romans, for the women to
salute their kinsfolk that come unto them by kissing.
The Trojans as it seems, being sensible of the strait they were in, and
having also made some experience of the natives entertaining them with
much bounty and humanity, applauded the exploit of the women, and sat
down by the Latins.