21) describes such an occasion in connection with the ovation given to Marcellus, the conqueror of Syracuse, who afterwards entered Rome amid scenes of great splendor. The ancient city of Alba Longa must not be confused with Albanum (Albano, a town which grew up in later times on the opposite side of the lake), the site of which is supposed to be indicated roughly by Castel Gandolfo. Because of its healthful situation and its beauty, the region became a favorite resort of wealthy Romans and many splendid villas were built in its neighborhood, among them, in the Republican period, those of Pompey (who is said by Plutarch to have been buried here), Clodius, and Brutus. The emperors, too, were fond of this region. Augustus, for example, lived at Albanum; Caligula went there after the death of his sister Drusilla, assuaging his grief by gambling and other diversions (Sen. Dial. xi. 17, 4); and for many years Domitian made it his favorite abode, even summoning the senate to his palace on occasions and transacting state matters in general from this center (Juv. iv. 144-149). At puer Ascanius, cui nunc cognomen Iulo additur Ilus erat, dum res stetit Ilia regno triginta magnos volvendis mensibus orbis imperio explebit, regnumque ab sede Lavini transferet, et longam multa vi muniet Albam. hic iam ter centum totos regnabitur annos gente sub Hectorea, donec regina sacerdos Marte gravis geminam partu dabit Ilia prolem. inde lupae fulvo nutricis tegmine laetus Romulus excipiet gentem, et Mavortia condet. moenia Romanosque suo de nomine dicet. his ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono; imperium sine fine dedi. Vir. Aen. i. 267-279. Is igitur, ut natus sit, cum Remo fratre dicitur ab Amulio, rege Albano, ob labefactandi regni timorem ad Tiberim exponi iussus esse; quo in loco cum esset silvestris beluae sustentatus uberibus pastoresque eum sustulissent et in agresti cultu laboreque aluissent, perhibetur, ut adoleverit, et corporibus viribus et animi ferocitate tantum ceteris praestitisse, ut omnes, qui tum eos agros, ubi hodie est haec urbs, incolebant, aequo animo illi libenterque parerent. Quorum copiis cum se ducem praebuisset, ut iam a fabulis ad facta veniamus, oppressisse Longam Albam, validam urbem et potentem temporibus illis, Amuliumque regem interemisse fertur. Cic. de Re Pub. ii. 4. Candidaque antiquo detinet Alba lare. 1 Aeneas. Tibull. i. 7, 58. 2 The Trojans build their first city at Lavinium, a town in Latium. 3 Rhea Silvia, descendant from the Trojan line, who through the agency of a wicked uncle was made a vestal that she might not bear an heir to the throne of Alba which he had usurped. But the birth of twin sons, whose father was reported to be none less than the god Mars, thwarted bis ambitious schemes. A following passage relates the effort made by the king to destroy the infants and so make his sovereignty secure. For a full account, see Livy i. 4ff. Jupiter Promises a Glorious Destiny to the Founders of Alba Longa His1 heir, Ascanius, now Iulus called For Alba Longa its well-bastioned wall. T. C. WILLIAMS The Story of Romulus and Remus It is related, then, that soon after the birth of Romulus and his brother Remus, Amulius, king of Alba, fearing that they might one day undermine his authority, ordered that they should be exposed on the banks of the Tiber; and that in this situation, the infant Romulus was suckled by a wild beast; that he was afterwards educated by the shepherds, and brought up in the rough way of living and labours of the countrymen; and that he acquired, when he grew up, such superiority over the rest by the vigour of his body and the courage of his soul, that all the people who at that time inhabited the plains in the midst of which Rome now stands, tranquilly and willingly submitted to his government. And when he had made himself the chief of those bands, to come from fables to facts, he took Alba Longa, a powerful and strong city at that time, and slew its king, Amulius. White Alba's ancient homesteads. C. D. YONGE J. P. POSTGATE Inter haec iam praemissi Albam erant equites, qui multitudinem traducerent Romam. Legiones deinde ductae ad diruendam urbem. Quae ubi intravere portas, non quidem fuit tumultus ille nec pavor, qualis captarum esse urbium solet, cum effractis portis stratisve ariete muris aut arce vi capta clamor hostilis et cursus per urbem armatorum omnia ferro flammaque miscet; sed silentium triste ac tacita maestitia ita defixit omnium animos, ut prae metu [obliti], quid relinquerent, quid secum ferrent, deficiente consilio rogitantesque alii alios nunc in liminibus starent, nunc errabundi domos suas ultimum illud visuri pervagarentur. Ut vero iam equitum clamor exire iubentium instabat, iam fragor tectorum, quae diruebantur, ultimis urbis partibus audiebatur pulvisque ex distantibus locis ortus velut nube inducta omnia inpleverat, raptim quibus quisque poterat elatis cum larem ac penates tectaque, in quibus natus quisque educatusque esset, relinquentes exirent, iam continens agmen migrantium inpleverat vias, et conspectus aliorum mutua miseratione integrabat lacrimas, vocesque etiam miserabiles exaudiebantur mulierum praecipue, cum obsessa ab armatis templa augusta praeterirent ac velut captos relinquerent deos. Egressis urbe Albanis Romanus passim publica privataque omnia tecta adaequat solo, unaque hora quadringentorum annorum opus, quibus Alba steterat, excidio ac ruinis dedit; templis tamen deum-ita enim edictum ab rege fuerat-temperatum est. Liv. i. 29, 1-6. Et stetit Alba potens, albae suis omine nata, hinc ubi Fidenas longa erat isse via. Prop. iv. 1, 35-36. 4 An account of the destruction of the city by Tullus Hostilius, one of the early kings of Rome. The Destruction of Alba Longa1 While this was going on, horsemen had already been sent on to Alba to fetch the inhabitants to Rome, and afterwards the legions were marched over to demolish the city. When they entered the gates, there was not, indeed, the tumult and panic which usually follow the capture of a city, when its gates have been forced or its walls breached with a ram or its stronghold stormed, when the shouts of the enemy and the rush of armed men through the streets throw the whole town into a wild confusion of blood and fire. But at Alba oppressive silence and grief that found no words quite overwhelmed the spirits of all the people; too dismayed to think what they should take with them and what leave behind, they would ask each other's advice again and again, now standing on their thresholds, and now roaming aimlessly through the houses they were to look upon for the last time. But when at length the horsemen began to be urgent, and clamorously commanded them to come out; when they could now hear the crash of the buildings which were being pulled down in the outskirts of the city; when the dust rising in different quarters had overcast the sky like a gathering cloud; then everybody made haste to carry out what he could, and forth they went, abandoning their lares and penates, and the houses in which they had been born and brought up. And now the streets were filled with an unbroken procession of emigrants, whose mutual pity as they gazed at one another, caused their tears to start afresh; plaintive cries, too, began to be heard, proceeding chiefly from the women, when they passed the venerable temples beset by armed men, and left in captivity, as it seemed to them, their gods. When the Albans had quitted the city, the Romans everywhere levelled with the ground all buildings, both public and private, and a single hour gave over to destruction and desolation the work of the four hundred years during which Alba had stood. But the temples of the gods were spared, for so the king had decreed. B. O. FOSTER Then Alba, born of the white sow's omen, still stood in power, in the days when 'twas a long journey from Rome to Fidenae. H. E. BUTLER |