THE

HISTORY OF ROME.

BOOK I.

The arrival of Eneas in Italy, and his achievements there; the reign of Ascanius in Alba, and of the other Syl. vian kings, his successors. Birth of Romulus and Remus. Romulus builds Rome; forms the senate; divides the people into curias. His wars. He offers the spolia opima to Jupiter Feretrius; is deified. Numa Pompilius institutes the rites of religious worship; builds a temple to Janus; rules in peace, and is succeeded by Tullus Hostilius. His war with the Albans; combat of the Horatii and Curiatii, The Albans removed to Rome. Tullus killed by lightning. Ancus Martius conquers the Latines, and incorporates them with the Romans; enlarges the city, and the bounds of his dominions. Lucumo arrives at Rome; assumes the name of Tarquinius; aud, on the death of Ancus, gains possession of the throne; defeats the Latines and Sabines; builds a wall round the city, and makes the common sewers; is slain by the sons of Ancus, and is succeeded by Servius Tullius. He institutes the census; divides the people into classes and centuries; extends the pomoerium; is murdered by Lucius Tarquinius, afterwards surnamed Superbus. He seizes the throne, wages war with the Volscians, and, with their spoils, builds a temple to Jupiter in the Capitol; in consequence of his son Sextus having forcibly violated the chastity of Lucretia, he is dethroned and banished. Consuls elected.

PREFACE.

researches must be carried back through a space of more than seven hundred years; that the WHETHER, in tracing the series of the Roman state has, from very small beginnings, gradually History, from the foundation of the city, I increased to such a magnitude, that it is now shall employ my time to good purpose, is a distressed by its own bulk; and that there is question which I cannot positively determine; every reason to apprehend that the generality nor, were it possible, would I venture to pro- of readers will receive but little pleasure from nounce such determination; for I am aware the accounts of its first origin, or of the times that the matter is of high antiquity, and has immediately succeeding, but will be impatient been already treated by many others; the latest to arrive at that period, in which the powers of writers always supposing themselves capable, this overgrown state have been long employed either of throwing some new light on the sub-in working their own destruction. On the other ject, or, by the superiority of their talents for composition, of excelling the more inelegant writers who preceded them. However that may be, I shall, at all events, derive no small satisfaction from the reflection that my best endeavours have been exerted in transmitting to posterity the achievements of the greatest people in the world; and if, amidst such a multitude of writers, my name should not emerge from obscurity, I shall console myself by attributing it to the eminent merit of those who stand in my way in the pursuit of fame. It may be further observed, that such a subject must require a work of inmense extent, as our J.

hand, this much will be derived from my labour, that, so long at least as I shall have my thoughts totally occupied in investigating the transactions of such distant ages, without being embarrassed by any of those unpleasing considerations, in respect of later days, which, though they might not have power to warp a writer's mind from the truth, would yet be sufficient to create uneasiness, I shall withdraw myself from the sight of the many evils to which our eyes have been so long accustomed. As to the relations which have been handed down of events prior to the founding of the city, or to the circumstances that gave occasion to its being founded, and

A

at least of this undertaking, avoid gloomy reflections, which, when perhaps unavoidable, will not, even then, be agreeable. If it were customary with us, as it is with poets, we would more willingly begin with good omens, and vows, and prayers to the gods and goddesses, that they would propitiously grant success to our endeavours, in the prosecution of so arduous a task.

which bear the semblance rather of poetic fic- | in many, a passion for ruining themselves, and tions, than of authentic records of history. all around them. But let us, in the first stage these, I have no intention either to maintain or refute. Antiquity is always indulged with the privilege of rendering the origin of cities nore venerable, by intermixing divine with human agency; and if any nation may claim the privilege of being allowed to consider its original as sacred, and to attribute it to the operations of the gods, surely the Roman people, who rank so high in military fame, may well expect, that, while they choose to represent Mars as their own parent, and that of their founder, the other nations of the world may acquiesce in this, with the same deference with which they acknowledge their sovereignty. But what degree of attention or credit may be given to these and such-like matters I shall not consider as very material. To the following considerations, I wish every one seriously and earnestly to attend; by what kind of men, and by what sort of conduct, in peace and war, the empire has been both acquired and extended then, as discipline gradually declined, let him follow in his thoughts the structure of ancient morals, at first, as it were, leaning aside, then sinking farther and farther, then beginning to fall precipitate, until he arrives at the present times, when our vices have attained to such a height of enormity, that we can no longer endure either the burden of them, or the sharpness of the necessary remedies. This is the great advantage to be derived from the study of history; indeed the only one which can make it answer any profitable and salutary purpose; for, being abundantly furnished with clear and distinct examples of every kind of conduct, we may select for ourselves, and for the state to which we belong, such as are worthy of imitation; and, carefully noting such, as, being dishonourable in their principles, are equally so in their effects, learn to avoid them. Now, either partiality to the subject of my intended work misleads me, or there never was any state either greater, or of purer morals, or richer in good examples, than this of Rome; nor was there ever any city into which avarice and luxury made their entrance so late, or where poverty and frugality were so highly and so long held in honour; men contracting their desires in proportion to the narrowness of their circumstances. Of late years, indeed, opulence has introduced a greediness for gain, and the boundless variety of dissolute pleasures has created,

I. It has been handed down to us, as a certain fact, that the Greeks, when they had taken Troy, treated the Trojans with the utmost severity; with the exception, however, of two of them, Æneas and Antenor, towards whom they exercised none of the rights of conquest. This lenity they owed, partly, to an old connection of hospitality, and, partly, to their having been, all along, inclined to peace, and to the restoration of Helen. These chiefs experienced afterwards great varieties of fortune. Antenor, being joined by a multitude of the Henetians, who had been driven out of Paphlagonia in a civil war, and having lost their king Pylæmenes at Troy, were at a loss both for a settlement and a leader, came to the innermost bay of the Adriatic sea, and expelling the Euganeans, who then inhabited the tract between the Alps and the sea, settled the Trojans and Henetians in the possession of the country. The place where they first landed is called Troy, and from thence the Trojan canton also has its name; the nation in general were called Hene tians. Eneas, driven from home by the same calamity, but conducted by the fates to an establishment of more importance, came first to Macedonia; thence, in search of a settlement, he sailed to Sicily, and from Sicily proceeded with his fleet to the country of the Laurentians. Here also, to the spot where they landed was given the name of Troy. Here the Trojans disembarked; and as, after wandering about for a great length of time, they had nothing left, beside their ships and arms, they began to make prey of whatever they found in the country. On this king Latinus, and the Aborigines, who were then in possession of those lands, assembled hastily from the city and country, in order to repel the violence of the strangers. Of what followed, there are two

1 The Trojans were in number about six hundred.

IV. But the fates, I suppose, demanded the increasing, they carried on both their business,"

1 It was called Alba, from a white sow with a litter the sports of the Lupercal," which we still of thirty young ones, found there by Eneas.

celebrate, were practised on the Palatine hill, VI. In the beginning of the tumult, Numiand that this was called Palatium, from Pallan- tor, calling out that the city was assaulted by teum, a city of Arcadia, and afterwards the an enemy, and the palace attacked, had drawn Palatine hill; and that Evander, who was of away the Alban youth to the citadel, on prethat tribe of Arcadians, and had been many years tence of securing it by an armed garrison; and, before in possession of this part of the country, in a little time, seeing the young men, after had instituted there this solemnity brought from perpetrating the murder, coming towards him, Arcadia, in which young men were to run with expressions of joy, he instantly called the about naked, in sport and wantonness, in honour people to an assembly, laid before them the of Lycean Pan, whom the Romans afterwards iniquitous behaviour of his brother towards called Inuus. While they were intent on the himself; the birth of his grandchildren, how performance of these sports, the time of their they were begotten, how educated, how discelebration being generally known, the robbers, covered; then informed them of the death of enraged at the loss of their booty, attacked the usurper, and that he had himself encouraged them by surprise, having placed themselves in the design. The youths at the same time adambush. Romulus making a vigorous defence, vancing with their followers, through the midst extricated himself; but they took Remus of the assembly, saluted their grandfather as prisoner, delivered him up to king Amulius, king; on which the multitude, testifying their and had the assurance to accuse them both of assent by universal acclamations, ratified to criminal misbehaviour. The principal charge him the royal title and authority. When Numade against them was, that they had made mitor was thus reinstated in the sovereignty at violent inroads on the lands of Numitor, and, Alba, Romulus and Remus were seized with a with a band of youths which they had collected, desire of building a city in the place where they plundered the country in a hostile manner. In had been exposed and educated. There were consequence of this, Remus was given up to great numbers of Albans and Latines, who Numitor to be punished. From the very be- could be spared for the purpose, and these were ginning, Faustulus had entertained hopes, that joined by a multitude of shepherds; so that, all the children, whom he educated, would prove together, they formed such a numerous body, to be descended of the royal blood; for he knew as gave grounds to hope that Alba and Lavinithat the infants of Rhea had been exposed by um would be but small, in comparison with the order of the king, and that the time, when he city which they were about to found. These had taken them up, corresponded exactly with views were interrupted by an evil, hereditary that event; but he had resolved to avoid any in their family, ambition for rule. Hence arose hasty disclosure, unless some favourable con- a shameful contest; though they had in the bejuncture or necessity should require it. The ginning rested their dispute on this amicable necessity happened first; wherefore, constrain- footing, that, as they were twins, and conseed by his apprehensions, he imparted the affair quently, no title to precedence could be derived to Romulus. It happened also that Numitor, from priority of birth, the gods, who were while he had Remus in his custody, heard that guardians of the place, should choose by anthe brothers were twins; and when he combin- guries', which of the two should give a name ed with this circumstance their age, and their to the new city, and enjoy the government of turn of mind, which gave no indication of a ser- it when built. Romulus chose the Palatine, vile condition, he was struck with the idea of Remus the Aventine mount, as their consetheir being his grandchildren; and, all his in- crated stands to wait the auguries. We are quiries leading to the same conclusion, he was told that the first omen appeared to Remus, upon the point of acknowledging Remus. In consisting of six vultures; and that, after this consequence, a plot against the king was con- had been proclaimed, twice that number showcerted between all the parties. Romulus, noted themselves to Romulus; on which each going at the head of a band of youths, for he was unequal to an open attempt, but ordering the shepherds to come at a certain hour, by different roads, to the palace, forced his way co the king, and was supported by Remus, with another party, procured from the house of Numitor. Thus they put the king to death.

was saluted king by his own followers; the former claiming the kingdom, on the ground of the priority of time; the latter, on that of the number of the birds. On their meeting, an

4 For an account of augurs, auspices, &c. see Adam, p. 296.