The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08
princes, coming up with their band through the middle of the assembly,
saluted their grandfather king, an approving shout, following from all
the people present, ratified to him both that title and the sovereignty.
Thus the government of Alba being committed to Numitor, a desire seized
Romulus and Remus to build a city on the spot where they had been
exposed and brought up. And there was an overflowing population of
Albans and of Latins. The shepherds too had come into that design, and
all these readily inspired hopes, that Alba and Lavinium would be but
petty places in comparison with the city which they intended to build.
But ambition of the sovereignty, the bane of their grandfather,
interrupted these designs, and thence arose a shameful quarrel from a
beginning sufficiently amicable. For as they were twins, and the respect
due to seniority could not determine the point, they agreed to leave to
the tutelary gods of the place to choose, by augury, which should give a
name to the new city, which govern it when built.
7. Romulus chose the Palatine and Remus the Aventine hill as their
stands to make their observations. It is said, that to Remus an omen
came first, six vultures; and now, the omen having been declared, when
double the number presented itself to Romulus, his own party saluted
each king; the former claimed the kingdom on the ground of priority of
time, the latter on account of the number of birds. Upon this, having
met in an altercation, from the contest of angry feelings they turn to
bloodshed; there Remus fell from a blow received in the crowd. A more
common account is, that Remus, in derision of his brother, leaped over
his new-built wall, and was, for that reason, slain by Romulus in a
passion; who, after sharply chiding him, added words to this effect: "So
shall every one fare, who shall dare to leap over my
fortifications."[12] Thus Romulus got the sovereignty to himself; the
city, when built, was called after the name of its founder. His first
work was to fortify the Palatine hill where he had been educated. To the
other gods he offers sacrifices according to the Alban rite; to
Hercules, according to the Grecian rite, as they had been instituted by
Evander. There is a tradition, that Hercules, having killed Geryon,
drove his oxen, which were extremely beautiful, into those places; and
that, after swimming over the Tiber, and driving the cattle before him,
being fatigued with travelling, he laid himself down on the banks of the
river, in a grassy place, to refresh them with rest and rich pasture.
When sleep had overpowered him, satiated with food and wine, a shepherd
of the place, named Cacus, presuming on his strength, and charmed with
the beauty of the oxen, wished to purloin that booty, but because, if he
had driven them forward into the cave, their footsteps would have guided
the search of their owner thither, he therefore drew the most beautiful
of them, one by one, by the tails, backwards into a cave. Hercules,
awaking at day-break, when he had surveyed his herd, and observed that
some of them were missing, goes directly to the nearest cave, to see if
by chance their footsteps would lead him thither. But when he observed
that they were all turned from it, and directed him no other way,
confounded, and not knowing what to do, he began to drive his cattle
out of that unlucky place. Upon this, some of the cows, as they usually
do, lowed on missing those that were left; and the lowings of those that
were confined being returned from the cave, made Hercules turn that way.
And when Cacus attempted to prevent him by force, as he was proceeding
to the cave, being struck with a club, he was slain, vainly imploring
the assistance of the shepherds. At that time Evander, who had fled from
the Peloponnesus, ruled this country more by his credit and reputation
than absolute sway. He was a person highly revered for his wondrous
knowledge of letters,[13] a discovery that was entirely new and
surprising to men ignorant of every art; but more highly respected on
account of the supposed divinity of his mother Carmenta, whom these
nations had admired as a prophetess, before the coming of the Sibyl into
Italy. This prince, alarmed by the concourse of the shepherds hastily
crowding round the stranger, whom they charged with open murder, after
he heard the act and the cause of the act, observing the person and mien
of the hero to be larger, and his gait more majestic, than human, asked
who he was? As soon as he was informed of his name, his father, and his
native country, he said, "Hail! Hercules! son of Jupiter, my mother, a
truth-telling interpreter of the gods, has revealed to me, that thou
shalt increase the number of the celestials; and that to thee an altar
shall be dedicated here, which some ages hence the most powerful people
on earth shall call Ara Maxima, and honour according to thy own
institution." Hercules having given him his right hand, said, "That he
accepted the omen, and would fulfil the predictions of the fates, by
building and consecrating an altar." There for the first time a
sacrifice was offered to Hercules of a chosen heifer, taken from the
herd, the Potitii and Pinarii, who were then the most distinguished
families that inhabited these parts, having been invited to the service
and the entertainment. It so happened that the Potitii were present in
due time, and the entrails were set before them; when they were eaten
up, the Pinarii came to the remainder of the feast. From this time it
was ordained, that while the Pinarian family subsisted, none of them
should eat of the entrails of the solemn sacrifices. The Potitii, being
instructed by Evander, discharged this sacred function as priests for
many ages, until the office, solemnly appropriated to their family,
being delegated to public slaves, their whole race became extinct. This
was the only foreign religious institution which Romulus adopted, being
even then an abettor of immortality attained by merit, to which his own
destinies were conducting him.
[Footnote 12: According to Cato, Rome was founded on the day of the
_Palilia_, the 11th of the Calends of May, in the first year of the 7th
Olympiad, and 751 B.C. This is two years short of Varro's computation.]
[Footnote 13: He taught the Italians to read and write.]
8. The duties of religion having been duly performed, and the multitude
summoned to a meeting, as they could be incorporated into one people by
no other means than fixed rules, he gave them a code of laws, and
judging that these would be best respected by this rude class of men, if
he made himself dignified by the insignia of authority, he assumed a
more majestic appearance both in his other appointments, and especially
by taking twelve lictors to attend him. Some think that he chose this
number of officers from that of the birds, which in the augury had
portended the kingdom to him. I do not object to be of the opinion of
those who will have it that the apparitors (in general), and this
particular class of them,[14] and even their number, was taken from
their neighbours the Etrurians, from whom were borrowed the curule
chair, and the gown edged with purple; and that the Etrurians adopted
that number, because their king being elected in common from twelve
states, each state assigned him one lictor. Meanwhile the city increased
by their taking in various lots of ground for buildings, whilst they
built rather with a view to future numbers, than for the population[15]
which they then had. Then, lest the size of the city might be of no
avail, in order to augment the population, according to the ancient
policy of the founders of cities, who, after drawing together to them an
obscure and mean multitude, used to feign that their offspring sprung
out of the earth, he opened as a sanctuary, a place which is now
enclosed as you go down "to the two groves."[16] Hither fled from the
neighbouring states, without distinction whether freemen or slaves,
crowds of all sorts, desirous of change: and this was the first
accession of strength to their rising greatness. When he was now not
dissatisfied with his strength, he next sets about forming some means of
directing that strength. He creates one hundred senators, either because
that number was sufficient, or because there were only one hundred who
could name their fathers. They certainly were called Fathers, through
respect, and their descendants, Patricians.[17]
[Footnote 14: _Apparitores hoc genus_. There is something incorrect in
the language of the original here. In my version I have followed
Drakenborch. Walker, in his edition, proposes to read _ut_ for _et_;
thus, _quibus ut apparitores et hoc genus ab Etruscis ---- numerum
quoque ipsum ductum placet, "who will have it, that as public servants
of this kind, so was their number also, derived from the Etrurians_."]
[Footnote 15: The population at that time consisted of not more than
3,000 foot, and less than 300 horse. At the death of Romulus, it is said
to have amounted to 46,000 foot and almost 1,000 horse.]
[Footnote 16: t? µeta?? ?????? t?? te ?ap?t????? ?a? t?? ???a? ?
?a?e?ta? ??? ?at? t?? ??µa??? d???e?t?? µe?????? d???? d??µ??. Dio. ii.
15.]
[Footnote 17: _Ex industria_--_deditâ operá_--?p? pa?as?e???.]
9. And now the Roman state was become so powerful, that it was a match
for any of the neighbouring nations in war, but, from the paucity of
women, its greatness could only last for one age of man; for they had no
hope of issue at home, nor had they any intermarriages with their
neighbours. Therefore, by the advice of the Fathers, Romulus sent
ambassadors to the neighbouring states to solicit an alliance and the
privilege of intermarriage for his new subjects. "That cities, like
every thing else, rose from very humble beginnings. That those which the
gods and their own merit aided, gained great power and high renown. That
he knew full well, both that the gods had aided the origin of Rome, and
that merit would not be wanting. Wherefore that, as men, they should
feel no reluctance to mix their blood and race with men." No where did
the embassy obtain a favourable hearing: so much did they at the same
time despise, and dread for themselves and their posterity, so great a
power growing up in the midst of them. They were dismissed by the
greater part with the repeated question, "Whether they had opened any
asylum for women also, for that such a plan only could obtain them
suitable matches?" The Roman youth resented this conduct bitterly, and
the matter unquestionably began to point towards violence. Romulus, in
order that he might afford a favourable time and place for this,
dissembling his resentment, purposely prepares games in honour of
Neptunus Equestris; he calls them Consualia. He then orders the
spectacle to be proclaimed among their neighbours; and they prepare for
the celebration with all the magnificence they were then acquainted
with, or were capable of doing, that they might render the matter
famous, and an object of expectation. Great numbers assembled, from a
desire also of seeing the new city; especially their nearest neighbours,
the Cæninenses, Crustumini, and Antemnates. Moreover the whole multitude
of the Sabines came, with their wives and children. Having been
hospitably invited to the different houses, when they had seen the
situation, and fortifications, and the city crowded with houses, they
became astonished that the Roman power had increased so rapidly. When
the time of the spectacle came on, and while their minds and eyes were
intent upon it, according to concert a tumult began, and upon a signal
given the Roman youth ran different ways to carry off the virgins by
force. A great number were carried off at hap-hazard, according as they