From whom, and for what reason, the city of Rome, a name so greatin glory, and famous in the mouths of all men, was so first called,authors do not agree. Some are of opinion that the Pelasgians, wanderingover the greater part of the habitable world, and subduing numerousnations, fixed themselves here, and, from their own great strengthin war, called the city Rome. Others, that at the taking of Troy,some few that escaped and met with shipping, put to sea, and drivenby winds, were carried upon the coasts of Tuscany, and came to anchoroff the mouth of the river Tiber, where their women, out of heartand weary with the sea, on its being proposed by one of the highestbirth and best understanding amongst them, whose name was Roma, burntthe ships. With which act the men at first were angry, but afterwards,of necessity, seating themselves near Palatium, where things in ashort while succeeded far better than they could hope, in that theyfound the country very good, and the people courteous, they not onlydid the lady Roma other honours, but added also this, of calling afterher name the city which she had been the occasion of their founding.From this, they say, has come down that custom at Rome for women tosalute their kinsmen and husbands with kisses； because these women,after they had burnt the ships, made use of such endearments whenentreating and pacifying their husbands.

    Some again say that Roma, from whom this city was so called, was daughterof Italus and Leucaria； or, by another account, of Telaphus, Hercules'sson, and that she was married to Aeneas, or, according to others again,to Ascanius, Aeneas's son. Some tell us that Romanus, the son of Ulyssesand Circe, built it； some, Romus, the son of Emathion, Diomede havingsent him from Troy； and others, Romus, king of the Latins, after drivingout the Tyrrhenians, who had come from Thessaly into Lydia, and fromthence into Italy. Those very authors, too, who, in accordance withthe safest account, make Romulus give the name of the city, yet differconcerning his birth and family. For some say, he was son to Aeneasand Dexithea, daughter of Phorbas, and was, with his brother Remus,in their infancy, carried into Italy, and being on the river whenthe waters came down in a flood, all the vessels were cast away exceptonly that where the young children were, which being gently landedon a level bank of the river, they were both unexpectedly saved, andfrom them the place was called Rome. Some say, Roma, daughter of theTrojan lady above mentioned, was married to Latinus, Telemachus'sson, and became mother to Romulus； others that Aemilia, daughter ofAeneas and Lavinia, had him by the god Mars； and others give you merefables of his origin. For to Tarchetius, they say, king of Alba, whowas a most wicked and cruel man, there appeared in his own house astrange vision, a male figure that rose out of a hearth, and stayedthere for many days. There was an oracle of Tethys in Tuscany whichTarchetius consulted, and received an answer that a virgin shouldgive herself to the apparition, and that a son should be born of her,highly renowned, eminent for valour, good fortune, and strength ofbody. Tarchetius told the prophecy to one of his own daughters, andcommanded her to do this thing； which she avoiding as an indignity,sent her handmaid. Tarchetius, hearing this, in great anger imprisonedthem both, purposing to put them to death, but being deterred frommurder by the goddess Vesta in a dream, enjoined them for their punishmentthe working a web of cloth, in their chains as they were, which whenthey finished, they should be suffered to marry； but whatever theyworked by day, Tarchetius commanded others to unravel in the night.

    In the meantime, the waiting-woman was delivered of two boys, whomTarchetius gave into the hands of one Teratius, with command to destroythem； he, however, carried and laid them by the river side, wherea wolf came and continued to suckle them, while birds of various sortsbrought little morsels of food, which they put into their mouths；till a cowherd, spying them, was first strangely surprised, but, venturingto draw nearer, took the children up in his arms. Thus they were saved,and when they grew up, set upon Tarchetius and overcame him. Thisone Promathion says, who compiled a history of Italy.

    But the story which is most believed and has the greatest number ofvouchers was first published, in its chief particulars, amongst theGreeks by Diocles of Peparethus, whom Fabius Pictor also follows inmost points. Here again there are variations, but in general outlineit runs thus： the kings of Alba reigned in lineal descent from Aeneas,and the succession devolved at length upon two brothers, Numitor andAmulius. Amulius proposed to divide things into two equal shares,and set as equivalent to the kingdom the treasure and gold that werebrought from Troy. Numitor chose the kingdom； but Amulius, havingthe money, and being able to do more with that than Numitor, tookhis kingdom from him with great ease, and, fearing lest his daughtermight have children, made her a Vestal, bound in that condition foreverto live a single and maiden life. This lady some call Ilia, othersRhea, and others Silvia； however, not long after, she was, contraryto the established laws of the Vestals, discovered to be with child,and should have suffered the most cruel punishment, had not Antho,the king's daughter, mediated with her father for her； nevertheless,she was confined, and debarred all company, that she might not bedelivered without the king's knowledge. In time she brought forthtwo boys, of more than human size and beauty, whom Amulius, becomingyet more alarmed, commanded a servant to take and cast away； thisman some call Faustulus, others say Faustulus was the man who broughtthem up. He put the children, however, in a small trough, and. wenttowards the river with a design to cast them in； but, seeing the watersmuch swollen and coming violently down, was afraid to go nearer, anddropping the children near the bank, went away. The river overflowing,the flood at last bore up the trough, and, gently wafting it, landedthem on a smooth piece of ground, which they now called Cermanus,formerly Germanus, perhaps from Germani with signifies brothers.

    Near this place grew a wild fig-tree, which they called Ruminalis,either from Romulus （as it is vulgarly thought）, or from ruminating,because cattle did usually in the heat of the day seek cover underit, and there chew the cud； or, better, from the suckling of thesechildren there, for the ancients called the dug or teat of any creatureruma； and there is a tutelar goddess of the rearing of children whomthey still call Rumilia, in sacrificing to whom they use no wine,but make libations of milk. While the infants lay here, history tellsus, a she-wolf nursed them, and a woodpecker constantly fed and watchedthem； these creatures are esteemed holy to the god Mars； the woodpeckerthe Latins still especially worship and honour. Which things, as muchas any, gave credit to what the mother of the children said, thattheir father was the god Mars； though some say that it was a mistakeput upon her by Amulius, who himself had come to her dressed up inarmour.

    Others think that the first rise of this fable came from the children'snurse, through the ambiguity of her name； for the Latins not onlycalled wolves lupoe, but also women of loose life； and such an onewas the wife of Faustulus, who nurtured these children, Acca Larentiaby name. To her the Romans offer sacrifices, and in the month of Aprilthe priest of Mars makes libations there； it is called the LarentianFeast. They honour also another Larentia, for the following reason：the keeper of Hercules's temple having, it seems, little else to do,proposed to his deity a game at dice, laying down that, if he himselfwon, he would have something valuable of the god； but if he were beaten,he would spread him a noble table, and procure him a fair lady's company.Upon these terms, throwing first for the god and then for himself,he found himself beaten. Wishing to pay his stakes honourably, andholding himself bound by what he had said, he both provided the dietya good supper, and giving money to Larentia, then in her beauty, thoughnot publicly known, gave her a feast in the temple, where he had alsolaid a bed, and after supper locked her in, as if the god were reallyto come to her. And indeed, it is said, the deity did truly visither, and commanded her in the morning to walk to the marketplace,and, whatever man she met first, to salute him, and make him her friend.She met one named Tarrutius, who was a man advanced in years, fairlyrich, without children, and had always lived a single life. He receivedLarentia, and loved her well, and at his death left her sole heirof all his large and fair possessions, most of which she, in her lastwill and testament, bequeathed to the people. It was reported of her,being now celebrated and esteemed the mistress of a god, that shesuddenly disappeared near the place where the first Larentia lay buried；the spot is at this day called Velabrum, because, the river frequentlyoverflowing, they went over in ferry-boats somewhere hereabouts tothe forum, the Latin word for ferrying being velatura. Others derivethe name from velum, a sail； because the exhibitors of public showsused to hang the road that leads from the forum to the Circus Maximuswith sails, beginning at this spot. Upon these accounts the secondLarentia is honoured at Rome.

    Meantime Faustulus, Amulius's swineherd, brought up the children withoutany 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 calledRomulus and Remus （from ruma, the dug）, as we had before, becausethey were found sucking the wolf. In their very infancy, the sizeand beauty of their bodies intimated their natural superiority； andwhen they grew up, they both proved brave and manly, attempting allenterprises that seemed hazardous, and showing in them a courage altogetherundaunted. But Romulus seemed rather to act by counsel, and to showthe sagacity of a statesman, and in all his dealings with their neighbours,whether relating to feeding of flocks or to hunting, gave the ideaof being born rather to rule than to obey. To their comrades and inferiorsthey were therefore dear； but the king's servants, his bailiffs andoverseers, as being in nothing better than themselves, they despisedand slighted, nor were the least concerned at their commands and menaces.They used honest pastimes and liberal studies, not esteeming slothand idleness honest and liberal, but rather such exercises as huntingand running, repelling robbers, taking of thieves, and deliveringthe wronged and oppressed from injury. For doing such things theybecame famous.

    A quarrel occurring betwixt Numitor's and Amulius's cowherds, thelatter, not enduring the driving away of their cattle by the others,fell upon them and put them to flight, and rescued the greatest partof the prey. At which Numitor being highly incensed, they little regardedit, but collected and took into their company a number of needy menand runaway slaves,- acts which looked like the first stages of rebellion.It so happened that when Romulus was attending a sacrifice, beingfond of sacred rites and divination, Numitor's herdsmen, meeting withRemus on a journey with few companions, fell upon him, and after somefighting, took him prisoner, carried him before Numitor, and thereaccused him. Numitor would not punish him himself, fearing his brother'sanger, but went to Amulius, and desired justice, as he was Amulius'sbrother and was affronted by Amulius's servants. The men of Alba likewiseresenting the thing, and thinking he had been dishonourably used,Amulius was induced to deliver Remus up into Numitor's hands, to usehim as he thought fit. He therefore took and carried him home, and,being struck with admiration of the youth's person, in stature aidstrength of body exceeding all men, and perceiving in his very countenancethe courage and force of his mind, which stood unsubdued and unmovedby his present circumstances, and hearing further that all the enterprisesand actions of his life were answerable to what he saw of but chiefly,as it seemed, a divine influence aiding and directing the first stepsthat were to lead to great results, out of the mere thought of hismind and casually, as it were, he put his hand upon the fact, and,in gentle terms and with a kind aspect, to inspire him with confidenceand hope, asked him who he was, and whence he was derived. He, takingheart, spoke thus： "I will hide nothing from you, for you seem tobe of a more princely temper than Amulius, in that you give a hearingand examine before you punish, while he condemns before the causeis heard. Formerly, then, we （for we are twins） thought ourselvesthe sons of Faustulus and Larentia, the king's servants； but sincewe have been accused and aspersed with calumnies, and brought in perilof our lives here before you, we hear great things of ourselves, thetruth of which my present danger is likely to bring to the test. Ourbirth is said to have been secret, our fostering and nurture in ourinfancy still more strange； by birds and beasts, to whom we were castout, 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 troughis still in being, and is preserved, with brass plates round it, andan inscription in letters almost effaced, which may prove hereafterunavailing 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 comeat 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 Romulusto assist in his rescue, informing him then plainly of the particularsof his birth, not but he had before given hints of it, and told asmuch as an attentive man might make no small conclusions from； hehimself, full of concern and fear of not coming in time, took thetrough, and ran instantly to Numitor； but giving a suspicion to someof the king's sentries at his gate, and being gazed upon by them andperplexed with their questions, he let it be seen that he was hidingthe trough under his cloak. By chance there was one among them whowas at the exposing of the children, and was 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 kingof it, brought in the man to be examined. Faustulus, hard beset, didnot show himself altogether proof against terror； nor yet was he whollyforced out of all； confessed indeed the children were alive, but lived,he said, as shepherds, a great way from Alba； he himself was goingto carry the trough to Ilia, who had often greatly desired to seeand handle it, for a confirmation of her hopes of her children. Asmen generally do who are troubled in mind and act either in fear orpassion, it so fell out Amulius now did； for he sent in haste as amessenger, a man, otherwise honest, and friendly to Numitor, withcommands to learn from Numitor whether any tidings were come to himof the children being alive. He, coming and seeing how little Remuswanted of being received into the arms and embraces of Numitor, bothgave him surer confidence in his hope, and advised them, with allexpedition, to proceed to action； himself too joining and assistingthem, and indeed, had they wished it, the time would not have letthem 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, divided into companies each of anhundred men, every captain carrying a small bundle of grass and shrubstied to a pole. The Latins call such bundles manipuli, and from henceit is that in their armies they still call their captains manipulares.Remus rousing the citizens within to revolt, and Romulus making attacksfrom without, the tyrant, not knowing either what to do, or what expedientto think of for his security, in this perplexity and confusion wastaken and put to death. This narrative for the most part given byFabius and Diocles of Peparethus, who seem to be the earliest historiansof the foundation of Rome, is suspected by some, because of its dramaticand 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 higha pitch without a divinely ordered origin, attended with great andextraordinary circumstances.

    Amulius now being dead and matters quietly disposed, the two brotherswould neither dwell in Alba without governing there, nor take thegovernment into their own hands during the life of their grandfather.Having therefore delivered the dominion up into his hands, and paidtheir mother befitting honour, they resolved to live by themselves,and build a city in the same place where they were in their infancybrought up. This seems the most honourable reason for their departure；though perhaps it was necessary, having such a body of slaves andfugitives collected about them, either to come to nothing by dispersingthem, or if not so, then to live with them elsewhere. For that theinhabitants of Alba did not think fugitives worthy of being receivedand incorporated as citizens among them plainly appears from the matterof the women, an attempt made not wantonly but of necessity, becausethey could not get wives by good-will. For they certainly paid unusualrespect and honour to those whom they thus forcibly seized.

    Not long after the first foundation of the city, they opened a sanctuaryof refuge for all fugitives, which they called the temple of the godAsylaeus, where they received and protected all, delivering none back,neither the servant to his master, the debtor to his creditor, northe murderer into the hands of the magistrate, saying it was a privilegedplace, 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 thathereafter.

    Their minds being full bent upon building, there arose presently adifference about the place. Romulus chose what was called Roma Quadrata,or the Square Rome, and would have the city there. Remus laid outa piece of ground on the Aventine Mount, well fortified by nature,which was from him called Remonium, but now Rignarium. Concludingat last to decide the contest by a divination from a flight of birds,and placing themselves apart at some distance. Remus, they say, sawsix vultures, and Romulus double that number； others say, Remus didtruly see his number, and that Romulus feigned his, but when Remuscame to him, that then he did indeed see twelve. Hence it is thatthe Romans, in their divinations from birds, chiefly regard the vulture,though Herodorus Ponticus relates that Hercules was always very joyfulwhen a vulture appeared to him upon any action. For it is a creaturethe least hurtful of any, pernicious neither to corn, fruit-tree,nor cattle； it preys only upon carrion, and never kills or hurts anyliving thing； and as for birds, it touches not them, though they aredead, as being of its own species, whereas eagles, owls, and hawksmangle and kill their own fellow-creatures； yet, as Aeschylus says,-

    "What bird is clean that preys on fellow bird？" Besides, all otherbirds are, so to say, never out of our eyes； they let themselves beseen of us continually； but a vulture is a very rare sight, and youcan seldom meet with a man that has seen their young； their rarityand infrequency has raised a strange opinion in some, that they cometo us from some other world； as soothsayers ascribe a divine originationto all things not produced either of nature or of themselves.

    When Remus knew the cheat, he was much displeased； and as Romuluswas 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 himselfstruck him, others Celer, one of his companions； he fell, however,and in the scuffle Faustulus also was slain, and Plistinus, who, beingFaustulus's brother, story tells us, helped to bring up Romulus. Celerupon this fled instantly into Tuscany, and from him the Romans callall men that are swift of feet Celeres； and because Quintus Metellus,at his father's funeral, in a few days' time gave the people a showof gladiators, admiring his expedition in getting it ready, they gavehim 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 outof Tuscany, who directed him by sacred usages and written rules inall the ceremonies to be observed, as in a religious rite. First,they dug a round trench about that which is now the Comitium, or Courtof Assembly, and into it solemnly threw the first-fruits of all thingseither good by custom or necessary by nature； lastly, every man takinga small piece of earth of the country from whence he came, they allthrew in promiscuously together. This trench they call, as they dothe heavens, Mundus； making which their centre, they described thecity in a circle round it. Then the founder fitted to a plough a brazenploughshare, and, yoking together a bull and a cow, drove himselfa deep line or furrow round the bounds； while the business of thosethat followed after was to see that whatever earth was thrown up shouldbe turned all inwards towards the city； and not to let any clod lieoutside. With this line they described the wall, and called it, bya contraction, Pomoerium, that is, postmurum, after or beside thewall； and where they designed to make a gate, there they took outthe share, carried the plough over, and left a space； for which reasonthey consider the whole wall as holy, except where the gates are；for had they adjudged them also sacred, they could not, without offenceto religion, have given free ingress and egress for the necessariesof human life, some of which are in themselves unclean.

    As for the day they began to build the city, it is universally agreedto have been the twenty-first of April, and that day the Romans annuallykeep holy, calling it their country's birthday. At first, they say,they sacrificed no living creature on this day, thinking it fit topreserve the feast of their country's birthday pure and without stainof blood. Yet before ever the city was built, there was a feast ofherdsmen and shepherds kept on this day, which went by the name ofPalilia. The Roman and Greek months have now little or no agreement；they say, however, the day on which Romulus began to build was quitecertainly the thirtieth of the month, at which time there was an eclipseof the sun which they conceived to be that seen by Antimachus, theTeian poet, in the third year of the sixth Olympiad. In the timesof Varro the philosopher, a man deeply read in Roman history, livedone Tarrutius, his familiar acquaintance, a good philosopher and mathematician,and one, too, that out of curiosity had studied the way of drawingschemes and tables, and was thought to be a proficient in the art；to him Varro propounded to cast Romulus's nativity, even to the firstday and hour, making his deductions from the several events of theman's life which he should be informed of, exactly as in working backa geometrical problem； for it belonged, he said, to the same scienceboth to foretell a man's life by knowing the time of his birth, andalso to find out his birth by the knowledge of his life. This taskTarrutius undertook, and first looking into the actions and casualtiesof the man, together with the time of his life and manner of his death,and then comparing all these remarks together, he very confidentlyand positively pronounced that Romulus was conceived in his mother'swomb the first year of the second Olympiad, the twenty-third day ofthe month the Aegyptians call Choeac, and the third hour after sunset,at which time there was a total eclipse of the sun； that he was bornthe twenty-first day of the month Thoth, about sunrising； and thatthe first stone of Rome was laid by him the ninth day of the monthPharmuthi, between the second and third hour. For the fortunes ofcities as well as of men, they think, have their certain periods oftime prefixed, which may be collected and foreknown from the positionof the stars at their first foundation. But these and the like relationsmay perhaps not so much take and delight the reader with their noveltyand curiosity, as offend him by their extravagance.

    The city now being built, Romulus enlisted all that were of age tobear arms into military companies, each company consisting of threethousand footmen and three hundred horse. These companies were calledlegions, because they were the choicest and most select of the peoplefor fighting men. The rest of the multitude he called the people；an hundred of the most eminent he chose for counsellors； these hestyled patricians, and their assembly the senate, which signifiesa council of elders. The patricians, some say, were so called becausethey were the fathers of lawful children； others, because they couldgive a good account who their own fathers were, which not every oneof the rabble that poured into the city at first could do； others,from patronage, their word for protection of inferiors, the originof which they attribute to Patron, one of those that came over withEvander, who was a great protector and defender of the weak and needy.But perhaps the most probable judgment might be, that Romulus, esteemingit the duty of the chiefest and wealthiest men, with a fatherly careand concern to look after the meaner, and also encouraging the commonaltynot to dread or be aggrieved at the honours of their superiors, butto love and respect them, and to think and call them their fathers,might from hence give them the name of patricians. For at this verytime all foreigners give senators the style of lords； but the Romans,making use of a more honourable and less invidious name, call themPatres Conscripti； at first, indeed, simply Patres, but afterwards,more being added, Patres Conscripti. By this more imposing title hedistinguished the senate from the populace； and in other ways separatedthe nobles and the commons, calling them patrons, and these theirclients, by which means he created wonderful love and amity betwixtthem, productive of great justice in their dealings. For they werealways their clients' counsellors in law cases, their advocates incourts of justice； in fine, their advisers and supporters in all affairswhatever. These again faithfully served their patrons, not only payingthem all respect and deference, but also, in case of poverty, helpingthem to portion their daughters and pay off their debts； and for apatron to witness against his client, or a client against his patron,was what no law nor magistrate could enforce. In aftertimes, all otherduties subsisting still between them, it was thought mean and dishonourablefor the better sort to take money from their inferiors. And so muchof these matters.

    In the fourth month, after the city was built, as Fabius writes, theadventure of stealing the women was attempted and some say Romulushimself, being naturally a martial man, and predisposed too, perhapsby certain oracles, to believe the fates had ordained the future growthand greatness of Rome should depend upon the benefit of war, uponthese accounts first offered violence to the Sabines, since he tookaway only thirty virgins, more to give an occasion of war than outof any want of women. But this is not very probable； it would seemrather that, observing his city to be filled by a confluence of foreigners,a few of whom had wives, and that the multitude in general, consistingof a mixture of mean and obscure men, fell under contempt, and seemedto be of no long continuance together, and hoping farther, after thewomen were appeased, to make this injury in some measure an occasionof confederacy and mutual commerce with the Sabines, he took in handthis exploit after this manner. First, he gave it out as if he hadfound an altar of a certain god hid under ground； the god they calledConsus, either the god of counsel （for they still call a consultationconsilium, and their chief magistrates consules, namely, counsellors）,or else the equestrian Neptune, for the altar is kept covered in theCircus Maximus at all other times, and only at horse-races is exposedto public view； others merely say that this god had his altar hidunder ground because counsel ought to be secret and concealed. Upondiscovery of this altar, Romulus, by proclamation, appointed a dayfor a splendid sacrifice, and for public games and shows, to entertainall sorts of people： many flocked thither, and he himself sat in front,amidst his nobles clad in purple. Now the signal for their fallingon was to be whenever he rose and gathered up his robe and threw itover his body； his men stood all ready armed, with their eyes intentupon him, and when the sign was given, drawing their swords and fallingon with a great shout they ravished away the daughters of the Sabines,they themselves flying without any let or hindrance. They say therewere but thirty taken, and from them the Curiae or Fraternities werenamed； but Valerius Antias says five hundred and twenty-seven, Juba,six hundred and eighty-three virgins： which was indeed the greatestexcuse Romulus could allege, namely, that they had taken no marriedwoman, save one only, Hersilia by name, and her too unknowingly； whichshowed that they did not commit this rape wantonly, but with a designpurely of forming alliance with their neighbours by the greatest andsurest bonds. This Hersilia some say Hostilius married, a most eminentman among the Romans； others, Romulus himself, and that she bore twochildren to him,- a daughter, by reason of primogeniture called Prima,and one only son, whom, from the great concourse of citizens to himat that time, he called Aollius, but after ages Abillius. But Zenodotusthe Troezenian, in giving this account, is contradicted by many.

    Among those who committed this rape upon the virgins, there were,they say, as it so then happened, some of the meaner sort of men,who were carrying off a damsel, excelling all in beauty and comelinessand stature, whom when some of superior rank that met them, attemptedto take away, they cried out they were carrying her to Talasius, ayoung man, indeed, but brave and worthy； hearing that, they commendedand applauded them loudly, and also some, turning back, accompaniedthem with good-will and pleasure, shouting out the name of Talasus.Hence the Romans to this very time, at their weddings, sing Talasiusfor their nuptial word, as the Greeks do Hymenaeus, because they sayTalasius was very happy in his marriage. But Sextius Sylla the Carthaginian,a man wanting neither learning nor ingenuity, told me Romulus gavethis word as a sign when to begin the onset； everybody, therefore,who made prize of a maiden, cried out, Talasius； and for that reasonthe custom continues so now at marriages. But most are of opinion（of whom Juba particularly is one） that this word was used to new-marriedwomen by way of incitement to good housewifery and talasia （spinning）,as we say in Greek, Greek words at that time not being as yet overpoweredby Italian. But if this be the case, and if the Romans did at thetime use the word talasia as we do, a man might fancy a more probablereason of the custom. For when the Sabines, after the war againstthe Romans were reconciled, conditions were made concerning theirwomen, that they should be obliged to do no other servile officesto their husbands but what concerned spinning； it was customary, therefore,ever after, at weddings, for those that gave the bride or escortedher or otherwise were present, sportingly to say Talasius, intimatingthat she was henceforth to serve in spinning and no more. It continuesalso a custom at this very day for the bride not of herself to passher husband's threshold, but to be lifted over, in memory that theSabine virgins were carried in by violence, and did not go in of theirown will. Some say, too, the custom of parting the bride's hair withthe head of a spear was in token their marriages began at first bywar and acts of hostility, of which I have spoken more fully in mybook of Questions.

    This rape was committed on the eighteenth day of the month Sextilis,now called August, on which the solemnities of the Consualia are kept.

    The Sabines were a numerous and martial people, but lived in small,unfortified villages, as it befitted, they thought, a colony of theLacedaemonians to be bold and fearless； nevertheless, seeing themselvesbound by such hostages to their good behaviour, and being solicitousfor their daughters, they sent ambassadors to Romulus with fair andequitable requests, that he would return their young women and recallthat act of violence, and afterwards, by persuasion and lawful means,seek friendly correspondence between both nations. Romulus would notpart with the young women, yet proposed to the Sabines to enter intoan alliance with them； upon which point some consulted and demurredlong, but Acron, king of the Ceninenses, a man of high spirit anda good warrior, who had all along a jealousy of Romulus's bold attempts,and considering particularly, from this exploit upon the women, thathe was growing formidable to all people, and indeed insufferable,were he not chastised, first rose up in arms, and with a powerfularmy advanced against him. Romulus likewise prepared to receive him；but when they came within sight and viewed each other, they made achallenge to fight a single duel, the armies standing by under arms,without participation. And Romulus, making a vow to Jupiter, if heshould conquer, to carry himself, and dedicate his adversary's armourto his honour, overcame him in combat, and a battle ensuing, routedhis army also, and then took his city； but did those he found in itno injury, only commanded them to demolish the place and attend himto Rome, there to be admitted to all the privileges of citizens. Andindeed there was nothing did more advance the greatness of Rome, thanthat she did always unite and incorporate those whom she conqueredinto herself. Romulus, that he might perform his vow in the most acceptablemanner to Jupiter, and withal make the pomp of it delightful to theeye 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'swhole suit of armour disposed in proper form； then he himself, girdinghis clothes about him, and crowning his head with a laurel garland,his hair gracefully flowing, carried the trophy resting erect uponhis right shoulder, and so marched on, singing songs of triumph, andhis whole army following after, the citizens all receiving him withacclamations of joy and wonder. The procession of this day was theorigin and model of all after triumphs. This trophy was styled anoffering to Jupiter Feretrius, from ferire, which in Latin is to smite；for Romulus prayed he might smite and overthrow his enemy； and thespoils were called opima, or royal spoils, says Varro, from theirrichness, which the word opes signifies； though one would more probablyconjecture from opus, an act； for it is only to the general of anarmy who with his own hand kills his enemies' general that this honouris granted of offering the opima spolia. And three only of the Romancaptains have had it conferred on them： first, Romulus, upon killingAcron the Ceninensian； next, Cornelius Cossus, for slaying Tolumniusthe Tuscan； and lastly, Claudius Marcellus, upon his conquering Viridomarus,king of the Gauls. The two latter, Cossus and Marcellus, made theirentries in triumphant chariots, bearing their trophies themselves；but that Romulus made use of a chariot, Dionysius is wrong in asserting.History says, Tarquinius, Damaratus's son, was the first that broughttriumphs to this great pomp and grandeur； others, that Publicola wasthe first that rode in triumph. The statues of Romulus in triumphare, as may be seen in Rome, all on foot.

    After the overthrow of the Ceninensians, the other Sabines still protractingthe time in preparations, the people of Fidenae, Crustumerium, andAntemna joined their forces against the Romans； they in like mannerwere defeated in battle, and surrendered up to Romulus their citiesto be seized, their lands and territories to be divided, and themselvesto be transplanted to Rome. All the lands which Romulus acquired,he distributed among the citizens, except only what the parents ofthe stolen virgins had； these he suffered to possess their own. Therest of the Sabines, enraged hereat, choosing Tatius their captain,marched straight against Rome. The city was almost inaccessible, havingfor its fortress that which is now the Capitol, where a strong guardwas placed, and Tarpeius their captain； not Tarpeia the virgin, assome say who would make Romulus a fool. But Tarpeia, daughter to thecaptain, coveting the golden bracelets she saw them wear, betrayedthe fort into the Sabines' hands, and asked, in reward of her treachery,the things they wore on their left arms. Tatius conditioning thuswith her, in the night she opened one of the gates, and received theSabines. And truly Antigonus, it would seem, was not solitary in sayinghe loved betrayers, but hated those who had betrayed； nor Caesar,who told Rhymitalces the Thracian, that he loved the treason, buthated the traitor； but it is the general feeling of all who have occasionfor wicked men's service, as people have for the poison of venomousbeasts； they are glad of them while they are of use, and abhor theirbaseness when it is over. And so then did Tatius behave towards Tarpeia,for he commanded the Sabines, in regard to their contract, not torefuse her the least part of what they wore on their left arms； andhe himself first took his bracelet off his arm, and threw that, togetherwith his buckler, at her； and all the rest following, she, being bornedown 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, as Jubasays Sulpicius Galba relates. Those who write otherwise concerningTarpeia, as that she was the daughter of Tatius, the Sabine captain,and being forcibly detained by Romulus, acted and suffered thus byher father's contrivance, speak very absurdly, of whom Antigonus isone. And Simylus, the poet, who thinks Tarpeia betrayed the Capitol,not to the Sabines, but the Gauls, having fallen in love with theirking, talks mere folly, saying thus：-

    "Tarpeia 'twas, who, dwelling close thereby, Laid open Rome unto the enemy, She, for the love of the besieging Gaul, Betrayed the city's strength, the Capitol."

    And a little after, speaking of her death：-

    "The numerous nations of the Celtic foe Bore her not living to the banks of Po； Their heavy shields upon the maid they threw, And with their splendid gifts entombed at once and slew."

    Tarpeia afterwards was buried there, and the hill from her was calledTarpeius, until the reign of King Tarquin, who dedicated the placeto Jupiter, at which time her bones were removed, and so it lost hername, except only that part of the Capitol which they still calledthe Tarpeian Rock, from which they used to cast down malefactors.

    The Sabines being possessed of the hill, Romulus, in great fury, badethem battle, and Tatius was confident to accept it, perceiving, ifthey were overpowered, that they had behind them a secure retreat.The level in the middle, where they were to join battle, being surroundedwith many little hills seemed to enforce both parties to a sharp anddesperate conflict, by reason of the difficulties of the place, whichhad but a few outlets, inconvenient either for refuge or pursuit.It happened, too, the river having overflowed not many days before,there was left behind in the plain, where now the forum stands, adeep blind mud and slime, which, though it did not appear much tothe eye, and was not easily avoided, at bottom was deceitful and dangerous；upon which the Sabines being unwarily about to enter, met with a pieceof good fortune； for Curtius, a gallant man, eager of honour, andof aspiring thoughts, being mounted on horseback, was galloping onbefore the rest, and mired his horse here, and, endeavouring for awhile, by whip and spur and voice to disentangle him, but findingit impossible, quitted him and saved himself； the place from him tothis very time is called the Curtian Lake. The Sabines, having avoidedthis danger, began the fight very smartly, the fortune of the daybeing very dubious, though many were slain； amongst whom was Hostilius,who, they say, was husband to Hersilia, and grandfather to that Hostiliuswho reigned after Numa. There were many other brief conflicts, wemay suppose, but the most memorable was the last, in which Romulus,having received a wound on his head by a stone, and being almost felledto the ground by it, and disabled, the Romans gave way, and, beingdriven out of the level ground, fled towards the Palatium. Romulus,by this time recovering from his wound a little, turned about to renewthe battle, and, facing the fliers, with a loud voice encouraged themto stand and fight. But being overborne with numbers, and nobody daringto face about, stretching out his hands to heaven, he prayed to Jupiterto stop the army, and not to neglect, but maintain the Roman cause,now in extreme danger. The prayer was no sooner made, than shame andrespect for their king checked many； the fears of the fugitives changedsuddenly into confidence. The place they first stood at was wherenow is the temple of Jupiter Stator （which may be translated the Stayer）；there they rallied again into ranks and repulsed the Sabines to theplace 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 theSabines, 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 deadbodies, to come at their husbands and their fathers, some with theiryoung babes in their arms, others their hair loose about their ears,but all calling, now upon the Sabines, now upon the Romans, in themost tender and endearing words. Hereupon both melted into compassion,and fell back, to make room for them betwixt the armies. The sightof the women carried sorrow and commiseration upon both sides intothe hearts of all, but still more their words, which began with expostulationand upbraiding, and ended with entreaty and supplication.

    "Wherein," say they, "have we injured or offended you, as to deservesuch sufferings past and present？ We were ravished away unjustly andviolently by those whose now we are； that being done, we were so longneglected by our fathers, our brothers and countrymen, that time,having now by the strictest bonds united us to those we once mortallyhated, has made it impossible for us not to tremble at the dangerand weep at the death of the very men who once used violence to us.You did not come to vindicate our honour, while we were virgins, againstour assailants； but do come now to force away wives from their husbandsand mothers from their children, a succour more grievous to its wretchedobjects than the former betrayal and neglect of them. Which shallwe call the worst, their love-making or your compassion？ If you weremaking war upon any other occasion, for our sakes you ought to withholdyour hands from those to whom we have made you fathers-in-law andgrandsires. If it be for our own cause, then take us, and with usyour sons-in-law and grandchildren. Restore to us our parents andkindred, but do not rob us of our children and husbands. Make us not,we entreat you, twice captives." Hersilia having spoken many suchwords as these, and the others 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 fathersand brothers； gave those that wanted meat and drink, and carried thewounded home to be cured, and showed also how much they governed withindoors, and how indulgent their husbands were to them, in demeaningthemselves towards them with all kindness and respect imaginable.Upon this, conditions were agreed upon, that what women pleased mightstay where they were, exempt, as aforesaid, from all drudgery andlabour but spinning； that the Romans and Sabines should inhabit thecity together； that the city should be called Rome from Romulus； butthe Romans, Quirites, from the country of Tatius； and that they bothshould govern and command in common. The place of the ratificationis still called Comitium, from come to meet.

    The city being thus doubled in number, an hundred of the Sabines wereelected senators, and the legions were increased to six thousand footand 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 theAsylum stood, whither many fled for sanctuary, and were received intothe city. And that they were just three, the very name of tribe andtribune seems to show； each tribe contained ten curiae, or brotherhoods,which, some say, took their names from the Sabine women； but thatseems to be false, because many had their names from various places.Though it is true, they then constituted many things in honour tothe women； as to give them the way wherever they met them； to speakno ill word in their presence； not to appear naked before them, orelse be liable to prosecution before the judge, of homicide； thattheir children should wear an ornament about their necks called thebulla （because it was like a bubble）, and the proetexta, a gown edgedwith purple.

    The princes did not immediately join in council together, but at firsteach met with his own hundred； afterwards all assembled together.Tatius dwelt where now the temple of Moneta stands, and Romulus, closeby the steps, as they call them, of the Fair Shore, near the descentfrom the Mount Palatine to the Circus Maximus. There, they say, grewthe holy cornel tree, of which they report, that Romulus once, totry his strength, threw a dart from the Aventine Mount, the staffof 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 beingfertile, gave nourishment to the wood, which sent forth branches,and produced a cornel stock of considerable bigness. This did posteritypreserve and worship as one of the most sacred things； and thereforewalled it about； and if to any one it appeared not green nor flourishing,but inclining to pine and wither, he immediately made outcry to allhe met, and they, like people hearing of a house on fire, with oneaccord would cry for water, and run from all parts with buckets fullto the place. But when Caius Caesar, they say, was repairing the stepsabout it, some of the labourers digging too close, the roots weredestroyed, and the tree withered.

    The Sabines adopted the Roman months, of which whatever is remarkableis mentioned in the Life of Numa. Romulus, on the other hand, adoptedtheir long shields, and changed his own armour and that of all theRomans, who before wore round targets of the Argive pattern. Feastsand sacrifices they partook of in common, not abolishing any whicheither nation observed before, and instituting several new ones； ofwhich one was the Matronalia, instituted in honour of the women, fortheir extinction of the war； likewise the Carmentalia. This Carmentasome think a deity presiding over human birth； for which reason sheis much honoured by mothers. Others say she was the wife of Evander,the Arcadian, being a prophetess, and wont to deliver her oraclesin verse, and from carmen, a verse, was called Carmenta； her propername being Nicostrata. Others more probably derive Carmenta from carensmente, or insane, in allusion to her prophetic frenzies. Of the feastof Palilia we have spoken before. The Lupercalia, by the time of itscelebration, may seem to be a feast of purification, for it is solemnisedon the dies nefasti, or non-court days, of the month February, whichname signifies purification, and the very day of the feast was ancientlycalled Februata； but its name is equivalent to the Greek Lycaea； andit seems thus to be of great antiqui