 Part 5, Book 1 of From the Founding of the City, Volume 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Mark Harrington. From the Foundation of the City, Volume 1 by Titus Livius, translated by George Baker. Book 1, Part 5. When all was over, the Alban troops, who had been spectators of the engagement, marched down into the plain, and medias congratulated Tullus on his victory over the enemy. Tullus answered him, without showing any sign of displeasure, and gave orders that the Alban should, with the favor of fortune, join their camp with that of the Romans, and appointed a sacrifice of purification to be performed next day. As soon as it was light, all things being prepared in the usual manner, he commanded both armies to be summoned to an assembly. The heralds, beginning at the outside, summoned the Alban's first, and they, struck with the novelty of the affair, and wishing to hear the Roman king delivering a speech, took their places nearest to him. The Roman troops, under arms, pursuant to directions previously given, formed a circle around them, and a charge was given to the centurions to execute without delay such orders as they should receive. Then Tullus began in this manner, if ever Romans there hitherto occurred at any time or in any war an occasion that called on you to return thanks, first to the immortal gods, and next to your own valor. It was the battle of yesterday, for ye had to struggle not only with your enemies, but what is a more difficult and dangerous struggle with the treachery and perfidy of your allies, for I will now undeceive you. It was not by my order that the Alban's withdrew to the mountains, nor was what ye heard me say the issuing of orders but a stratagem and a pretext of having given orders, to the end that while ye were kept in ignorance of your being deserted, your attention might not be drawn away from the fight, and that at the same time the enemy, believing themselves to be surrounded on the rear, might be struck with terror and dismay. But the guilt which I am exposing to you extends not to all the Alban's. They followed their leader, as ye would have done, had I chosen that the army should make any movement from the ground which it occupied. Medius there was the leader of that march. The same Medius was the schemer of this war. Medius it was who broke the league between the Romans and Alban's. May others dare to commit like crimes if I do not now make him a conspicuous example to all mankind. On this the centurions and arms gathered round Medius, and the king proceeded in his discourse, Alban's be the measure prosperous, fortunate and happy to the Roman people, to me and to you. It is my intention to remove the entire people of Alba to Rome, to give the commons the privileges of citizens and to enroll the principal inhabitants among the fathers, to form of the whole one city, one republic. As the state of Alba from being one people was heretofore divided into two, so let these be now reunited. On hearing this the Alban youth who were unarmed and surrounded by armed troops, however different their sentiments were, yet being all restrained by the same apprehensions kept a profound silence. Tullus then said, Medius Fufedius, if you were capable of learning to preserve faith and a regard to treaties, I should suffer you to live and supply you with instructions. But your disposition is incurable. Let your punishment then teach mankind to consider those things as sacred which you have dared to violate. As therefore you lately kept your mind divided between the interest of the Fidonations and of the Romans, so shall you now have your body divided and torn in pieces. Then two chariots being brought, each drawn by four horses, he tied Medius extended at full length to the carriages of them and the horses being driven violently in different directions, bore away on each carriage part of his mangled body with the limbs which were fastened by the corns. The eyes of all were turned with horror from this shocking spectacle. This was the first and the last instance among the Romans of any punishment inflicted without regard to the laws of humanity. In every other case we may justly boast that no nation in the world has shown greater mildness. During these proceedings, the cavalry had been sent forward to Alba to remove the multitude to Rome. The legions were now led thither to demolish the city. As soon as they entered the gates, they're ensued not a tumult or panic, as is usual in cities taken by storm, where the gates being burst open, where the walls leveled by the ram, where the citadel being taken by force, the shouts of the enemy and the troops running furiously through the city throw all into confusion with fire and sword. But gloomy silence and dumb sorrow stupefied the inhabitants that, not knowing in their distraction what to leave behind or what to carry with them and incapable of forming any plan, they stood at their doors making inquiries of each other or wandered through their own houses which they were now to see for the last time. But now when the horsemen with shouts urged them to depart and the crash of the houses which the troops were demolishing in the outer parts of the city assailed their ears and the dust raised in distant places had filled all parts enveloping them as with a cloud. Each of them hastily snatching up whatever he could and leaving behind his guardian deity, his household gods, and the house wherein he had been born and educated. They began their departure and soon filled the roads with one continued troop of emigrants. The sight of each other continually renewed their tears through the mutual commiseration which had excited in every breast. Their ears were assailed with bitter lamentations especially from the women as they passed the temples which they had been used to revere now filled with armed soldiers and reflected that they were leaving their gods as it were in captivity. When the Albans had evacuated the city the Romans leveled to the ground all the buildings in every part of it both public and private one hour ruined and destroyed the work of 400 years during which Alba had stood. The temples of the gods however they left untouched for so the king had commanded. Meanwhile from this destruction of Alba Rome received a considerable augmentation the number of citizens was doubled the Kylian Mount was added to the city and in order to induce others to fix their habitations there Tullus chose that situation for his palace where from thence forth he resided. The persons of chief note among the Albans the Tulli-e, Servile-e, Quinti-e, Gagani-e, Curiati-e, Cloyli-e he enrolled among the senators that this part of the state also might receive in addition and as a consecrated place of meeting for this body thus augmented he built a senate house which retained the name of Hostilia even within the memory of our fathers and that every order in the state might receive an accession of strength from this new people he chose from among the Albans ten troops of horsemen from among them also he drew recruits with which he both filled up the old and formed some new legions encouraged by this formidable state of his forces he declared war against the Sabines a nation the most powerful of that age next to the Eturians both in point of numbers and of skill and arms injuries had been offered on both sides and satisfaction demanded in vain Tullis complained that some Roman traders had been seized in an open fair at the temple of Faronia the Sabines that prior to this some of their people had fled into the asylum and were detained at Rome these were the reasons assigned for the war the Sabines reflecting that a great part of their original strength had been fixed at Rome by Tatius and that the Roman power had been also lately increased by the accession of the people of Alba took care on their part to look round for foreign aid Eturia lay in their neighborhood and the state of the Eturians nearest to them was that of the Viencians from among these they procured a number of volunteers who were induced to take part against the Romans principally by the resentment which they still retained on account of their former quarrels several also of the populace who were indigent and unprovided of a settlement were allured by pay from the government they received no assistance and the Viencians for it was less surprising and others adhered to the terms of the truce stipulated with Romulus vigorous preparations being made on both sides and it being evident that whichever party should first commence hostilities would have considerably the advantage Tullus seized the opportunity of making an incursion into the lands of the Sabines a furious battle ensued at the wood called Militiosa in which the Romans obtained the victory for this they were indebted not only to the firm strength of their infantry but chiefly to the cavalry which had been lately augmented since by a sudden charge of this body the ranks of the Sabines were thrown into such disorder that they were neither able to continue the fight nor to make good their retreat without great slaughter after the defeat of the Sabines the government of Tullus and the Roman state in general possessed a large degree of power and of fame at this time an account was brought to the king and the senate that a shower of stones had fallen on the Albin Mount this appearing scarcely credible and some persons being sent to examine their prodigy there fell from the air in their sight a vast quantity of stones like a storm of hail they imagined also that they heard a loud voice from the grove on the summit of the hill ordering that the Albin should perform religious rites according to the practice of their native country these the Albin's had entirely neglected as if with their country they had also abandoned its deities and had adopted the Roman practice perhaps incensed against fortune had renounced the worship of the gods on account of the same prodigy the Romans also instituted for themselves by order of government a festival of nine days either in obedience to a voice from heaven uttered on the Albin Mount for that likewise is mentioned or by direction of the Haraspe case be this as it may it is certain that whenever an account was received by the Roman phenomenon a festival for nine days was celebrated in a short time after the country was afflicted with a pestilence and though this necessarily rendered men averse to military service yet the king in himself fond of war and persuaded that young men enjoyed better health while employed abroad than when loitering at home gave them no rest from arms until he was seized by a tedious disorder with the strength of his body the fierceness of his spirit was reduced to such a degree that he who, lately, thought nothing less becoming a king than to busy his thoughts in matters of religion became at once a slave to every kind of superstition in cases either of great or of trifling import and even filled the minds of the people also with superstitious notions the generality and the state of their affairs with that which they had enjoyed under Numa became possessed of an opinion that the only prospect left them of being relieved from the sickness was in obtaining pardon and favor from the gods it is said that the king himself turning over the commentaries of Numa and discovering therein that certain sacrifices of a secret and solemn nature had been performed to Jupiter Ilicias shut himself up not about the performance of the solemnity but not having undertaken or conducted the rights in due form he not only failed of obtaining any notification from the gods but through the resentment of Jupiter for being addressed in an improper manner was struck with lightning and reduced to ashes together with his house Tullus reigned 32 years highly renowned for his military achievements on the death of Tullus the direction of affairs according to the mode adopted from the beginning fell into the hands of the senate they nominated and interacts who presided at the election when the people created Ancus Marcius king and the senate approved of their choice Ancus Marcius was the grandson of Numa Pompilius by his daughter as soon as he was in possession of the throne reflecting on the glory which his grandfather had acquired considering that the late reign though highly honorable in other respects yet in one particular had been very deficient the affairs of religion having been either quite neglected or improperly managed he judged it to be a matter of the utmost consequence to provide that the public worship should be performed in the manner instituted by Numa and ordered the pontiff to make a transcript of every particular right in the commentaries of that king on white tables and to expose it to the view of the people from these proceedings not only as subjects whose wishes tended to peace but the neighboring states also conceived hopes that the king would conform himself to the manners and institutions of his grandfather in consequence of which the latines with whom a treaty had been concluded in the reign of Tullus and made an incursion into the Roman territories and when the Romans demanded satisfaction returned a haughty answer imagining the Roman king so averse to action that he would spend his reign among the chapels and altars the genius of Ancus was of a middle kind partaking both of that of Numa and of Romulus he was sensible not only that peace had been more necessary in the reign of his grandfather people who were but lately incorporated and still uncivilized but also that the tranquility which had obtained at that time could not now be preserved without a tame submission to injuries that they were making a trial of his patience and would soon come to despise it in short that the times required a king like Tullus rather than one like Numa however being desirous that as Numa had instituted the religious rights to be observed in time of peace so the ceremonies to be observed in war should have himself for their founder and that wars should not only be waged but be proclaimed likewise according to a certain established mode he borrowed from the ancient race of the Iquicoli that form of demanding satisfaction which is still used by the heralds the ambassador when he comes to the frontiers of the state from whom satisfaction is demanded having his head covered with a fillet of wool says oh Jupiter hear me hear ye frontiers naming the state to which they belong let justice hear I am a public messenger of the Roman people I come an ambassador duly authorized according to the forms of justice and religion let my words therefore meet with credit he then makes his demands and afterwards appeals to Jupiter if I demand that those persons and those effects should be given up to me the messenger of the Roman people contrary to justice and the law of nations then suffer me not to enjoy my native country these words he repeats when he passes over the boundaries the same to the first person that he meets again when he enters the gate and lastly when he enters the forum only making the necessary change of a few words in the form of the declaration and of the oath if the persons whom he demands are not given up then on the expiration of 33 days that being the number enjoined by the rule he declares war in this manner oh Jupiter hear me and thou, Juno, queerness and all ye gods of heaven and ye of the earth and ye of the infernal regions here I call you to witness all naming them whoever they are are unjust and do not perform what equity requires but concerning those affairs we will consult the elders in our own country by what means we may obtain our right after this the messenger returned to Rome in order that the opinion of the government might be taken the king immediately consulted the senate nearly in these words concerning those matters controversies and arguments that were agitated between the pate patratus of the Roman people the querites and the pate patratus of the ancient latines and the ancient latin people which matters ought to have been granted, performed and discharged but which they have neither granted performed nor discharged declare, said he to the person whose vote he first asked what is your opinion the other then said that the performance of them ought to be exacted in just and regular war wherefore I consent to and vote for it the rest were then asked in order and the majority of those present being of the same opinion a vote passed for war it was a customary practice for the herald to carry a spear pointed with steel or burnt at the point and dipped in blood to the frontiers and there in the presence of at least three grown up persons to say for as much as the states of the ancient latines and the ancient latin people have acted against and behaved unjustly towards the Roman people the querites for as much as the Roman people the querites have ordered that there should be a war with the ancient latines and the senate of the Roman people the querites have given their opinion consented and voted that war should be made with the ancient latines and why and the Roman people do declare and make war against the states of the ancient latines and the ancient latine people and saying this he threw the spear within their boundaries in this manner was satisfaction demanded from the latines at that time and war declared succeeding generations adopted the same method Ancus having committed the care of religious affairs Romans and other priests assembled a new army set out to the war and took a city of the latines by storm then pursuing the practice of former kings who had augmented the power of the Roman state by receiving enemies into the number of their citizens he removed the whole multitude to Rome and as the original Romans entirely occupied the ground around the palladium the Sabines the capital the Albans the Kylian mount the Aventine was assigned to this body of new citizens and in a little time after on the reduction of Talenei and Fakana an additional number of inhabitants were settled in the same place Polatorium was soon after attack a second time by the Roman forces the ancient latines having taken possession of it when left without inhabitants and this induced the Romans to demolish that city that it might not again serve as a receptacle for the enemy at length the whole force of the latine war was collected about Medullia and the contest was carried on there with various success for the city was not only well defended by works and secured by a strong garrison but the army of the latines having pitched their camp in the open country fought the Romans several times in close engagement with the last anchors making a vigorous effort with all his force first defeated them in the field and then made himself master of the city from whence he returned with immense booty to Rome on this occasion too many thousands of the latines being admitted into the number of citizens had ground allotted to them near the temple of Murcia in order to unite the Aventine to the Palatine hill the geniculum also was taken in not for want of Rome but to prevent its serving at any time as a place of strength to an enemy and it was determined that this should be joined to the city not only by a wall but likewise for the convenience of passage by a wooden bridge which was then first built over the Tiber the Coritian trench also no inconsiderable defense to those parts which from their low situation are of easy access including anchors in consequence of these vast accessions to the state and the numbers of people becoming so very large many disregarding the distinctions between right and wrong committed various crimes and escaped discovery in order to suppress by terror the boldness which the vicious assumed from hence and which gained ground continually a prison was built in the middle of the city but the territory also and boundaries of the state were extended by this king the Mesian forest was taken away from the Vanchans the Roman Dominion extended as far as the sea and the city of Ostia built at the mouth of the Tiber near which salt pits were formed and in consequence of the glorious success obtained in war the temple of Jupiter for Retrius was enlarged End of Part 5 Part 6, Book 1 of From the Founding of the City, Volume 1 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Mark Harrington From the foundation of the city, Volume 1 by Titus Livius translated by George Baker Book 1, Part 6 During the reign of Ancus a person named Lukimo of an enterprising spirit and possessed of great wealth came and settled at Rome led principally by ambition in hopes of attaining higher honors than he could expect at Tarquinii where also he was considered as an alien He was the son of Demaratus a Corinthian who having left his native country in consequence of some intestine commotions happened to fix his residence at Tarquinii and marrying there had two sons Their names were Lukimo and Arons Lukimo survived his father and inherited all his property Arons died before the father leaving a wife pregnant The father did not long survive his son and not knowing that his daughter-in-law was with child he died without taking any notice of a grandson in his will who was born after his grandfather's decease not being entitled to any share of his property was called from the poverty of a situation egregious Lukimo, on the other hand becoming sole heir was by his riches inspired with elevated notions and these were much increased by his marriage with Tanaquil a woman of the highest distinction who could not endure with patience that the rank of the man whom she had married should remain inferior to that of the family which gave her birth As the Eturians looked with contempt on Lukimo, the descendant of a foreign exile, she could not support the indignity but disregarding her natural attachment to her country in comparison with the pleasure of seeing her husband raised to an honorable rank formed the design of removing from Tarquinii Rome appeared best suited to her purpose in a new state where all nobility was of late date and acquired by merit she thought there would be room for a man of spirit and industry she considered that Tatius, a Sabine had enjoyed the throne that Numa had been called to the crown from Curace and that Ancus was of a Sabine family by his father and could show only the single image of Numa to entitle him to nobility it was not difficult to persuade her husband who was ambitious of honors and had no natural attachment to Tarquinii except through his mother to enter into her designs wherefore, carrying their effects along with them, they set out together for Rome they happened to come through the geniculum there as he sat in the chariot with his wife, an eagle suspending herself on her wings stooped gently and took off his cap and for some time over the chariot with loud screams replaced it in its proper position on his head as if she had been sent by some deity to perform that office and then, flying up into the air disappeared it is said that this augury was received with great joy by Tanaquil who was well skilled in celestial prodigies, as the Aturians generally are embracing her husband, she desired hopes of high and magnificent fortune for that such a bird from such a quarter of the heaven the messenger of such a deity portended no less that it had exhibited the omen on the most elevated part of the human body and had lifted up the ornament placed on the head of man in order to replace it on the same part by direction of the gods full of these thoughts and expectations they advanced into the city and having purchased a house there they gave out his name as Lucius Tarquinius the circumstance of his being a stranger and his wealth soon attracted the general notice of the Romans nor was he wanting, on his part in aiding the efforts of fortune in his favor he conciliated the friendship of all to the utmost of his power by his courteous address hospitable entertainments and generous acts at last his character reached even the palace having thus procured an introduction there he soon improved it to such a degree by his politeness and dexterity in paying his court that he was admitted to the privileges of familiar friendship and was consulted in all affairs both public and private foreign and domestic and having acquitted himself to satisfaction in all was at length by the king's will appointed guardian to his children for twenty-four years equal and renowned and in the arts both of peace and war to any of the former kings the sons of Ancus had now nearly reached the age of manhood for which reason Tarquinius the more earnestly pressed than an assembly might be convened as speedily as possible for the election of the king the proclamation for this purpose being issued when the time approached for the existence on a hunting party he is said to have afforded the first instance of making way to the crown by paying court to the people and to have made a speech composed for the purpose of gaining the affections of the populace telling them that it was no new favor which he solicited if that were the case people might indeed be displeased and surprised that he was not the first foreigner but the third who aimed at the government of Rome but that he was very fictitious from being not only a foreigner but even an enemy was made king and Numa entirely unacquainted with the city and not proposing himself as a candidate had been from their own choice invited to accept the crown that he as soon as he became his own master had removed to Rome with his wife and all his substance that he had spent the most active part of his life at Rome that both in civil and military employments he had learned the Roman laws and Roman customs under such a master as ought to be wished for king Ancus himself that in duty and obedience to the king he had vied with all men in kindness towards others with the king himself as these assertions were no more than the truth the people unanimously consented that he should be elected king and this was the reason that this man of extraordinary merit in other respects retained through the whole course of his reign the same effectation of popularity which he had used in suing for the crown for the purpose of strengthening his own authority as well as of increasing the power of the commonwealth he added 100 to the number of the senate who afterwards were entitled Minorum Gentium i.e. of the younger families and necessarily constituted a party in favor of the king by whose kindness they had been brought into the senate his first war was with the latines from whom he took the city Apioli by storm and having brought from thence a greater quantity of booty than had been expected from a war of so little consequence he exhibited games in a more expensive and splendid manner than any of the former kings on that occasion the ground was first marked out for the circus which is now called maximus the principal in which certain divisions were set apart for the senators and knights where each were to build seats for themselves which were called fory benches they remained during the exhibition on these seats supported by pieces of timber 12 feet high from the ground the games consisted of horse races and the performances of wrestlers collected mostly from aturia and from that time continued to be celebrated annually being termed the roman and sometimes the great games by the same king lots for building were assigned to private persons around the form where porticoes and shops were erected he intended also to have surrounded the city with a stone wall but a war with the sabines interrupted his designs and so suddenly did this break out that the enemy passed the anio before the roman troops could march out to meet them and stop their progress this produced a great alarm at Rome and in the first engagement the victory remained undecided after great slaughter on both sides the enemy afterwards having retired to their camp and allowed the roman's time to prepare for the war anew observing that the principal defect of his army was the want of cavalry resolved to add other centuries to the remnences titienses and lucares instituted by romulus and to have them distinguished by his own name as romulus when he first formed this institution had made use of augury ackias naivius a celebrated auger at that time insisted that no alteration or addition could be made to it without the sanction of the birds the king was highly displeased at this and in ridicule of the art said as we are told come you diviner discover by your augury whether what i am now thinking of can be accomplished the other having tried the matter according to the rules of augury and declared that it could be accomplished well said he what i was thinking of was whether you could cut a wet stone in two with a razor take these then and perform what your birds pretend to be practicable on which as the story goes he without any difficulty cut the wet stone there was a statue of ackias with a fillet on his head in the place where the transaction happened in the comitium or place of assembly just on the steps at the left hand side of the senate house it is also said that the wet stone was fixed in the same place there to remain as a monument of this miracle to posterity this is certain that the respect paid to auguries and the office of augurs rose so high that from that time forth no business either of war or peace was undertaken without consulting the birds meetings of the people embodying of armies or postpone when the birds did not allow them nor did tarquinius then make any change in the number of the centuries of the knights but double the number in each so that there were 1,800 men in the 3 centuries the additional men were only distinguished by the appellation of the younger prefix to the original names of their centuries and these at present for they have been since doubled are called 6 centuries having augmented this part of the army he came to a second engagement with the sabines and here besides that the roman army had an addition of strength a stratagem also was made use of which the enemy with all their vigilance could not elude a number of men were sent to throw a great quantity of timber which lay on the bank of the anio into the river after setting it on fire the wind being favorable the blazing timber most of which was placed on rafts being driven against the piers where it stuck fast burned down the bridge this event not only struck terror into the sabines during the fight but prevented their retreating when they betook themselves to flight so that great numbers who had escaped the enemy perished in the river and their arms being known at the city as they floated in the tiber gave an assurance of the victory sooner almost than any messenger could arrive in that battle the cavalry gained extraordinary honor we are told that being posted on both wings when the line of their infantry which formed the center was obliged to give ground they made so furious a charge on the flanks of the enemy that they not only checked the sabine legions who were vigorously pressing the troops which gave way to the route the sabines fled precipitately toward the mountains which but few of them reached the greatest part as has been mentioned were driven by the cavalry into the river Tarquinius judging it proper to pursue the enemy closely before they should recover from their dismay as soon as he had sent off the booty and prisoners to Rome and burned the spoils collected together in a great heap according to a vow which he had made to Falcon proceeded to lead his army forward into the sabine territories on the other hand the sabines though they had met with a defeat and had no reason to hope that they should be able to retrieve it yet their circumstances not allowing time for deliberation advanced to meet him with such troops as they had hastily levied and being routed a second time and reduced almost to ruin they sued for peace Colatia and all the land around that city was taken from the sabines and Igarius son to the king's brother was left there with a garrison this was the manner as I understand in which the people of Colatia came under the dominion of the Romans and this was the form of the surrender the king asked are you ambassadors and deputies on behalf of the people of Colatia to surrender yourselves and the people of Colatia we are are the people of Colatia in their own disposal they are do you surrender yourselves and the people of Colatia together with your city, lands, waters, boundaries, temples, utensils all property both sacred and common under my dominion and that of the Roman people we do surrender them well I receive them and thus concluded Tarquinius returned in triumph to Rome soon after this he made war on the ancient Latins during which there happened no general engagement by leading about his army to the several towns he reduced the whole Latin race to subjection Corniculum, Old Ficulnia, Camaria, Christa Maryam Amariola, Medulia, Namentum which either belonged to the ancient Latins or had revolted to them or taken and soon after peace was re-established he then applied himself to works of peace with a degree of spirit which even exceeded the efforts that he had made in war so that the people enjoyed little more rest at home than they had during the campaigns for he set about surrounding with a wall of stone which he had not already fortified which work had been interrupted at the beginning by the war of the Sabines the lower parts of the city about the forum and the other hollows that lay between the hills from whence it was difficult to discharge the water by reason of their situation he drained by means of sewers drawn on a slope down to the Tiber he also marked out using a court round the temple of Jupiter in the capital which he had vowed during the Sabine war his mind already presaging the future magnificence of the place about that time a prodigy was seen in the palace wonderful both in the appearance and in the event they relate that whilst the boy whose name was Servius Tullius lay asleep his head blazed with fire that by the loud cries of astonishment occasioned by such a miraculous appearance the king and queen were alarmed and that when some of the servants brought water to extinguish it the queen prevented them and having quieted the uproar forbade the boy to be disturbed until he awake of his own accord in a short time on his awaking the flame disappeared then Taniquil calling her husband aside to a private place said to him do you see this boy whom we educate in such a humble style be assured that he will hereafter prove a light to dispel a gloom which will lie heavy on our affairs and will be the support of our palace in distress let us therefore with every degree of attention that we can bestow nourish this plant which is hereafter to become the greatest ornament to our family and our state from that time they treated the boy as if he were their own child and had him instructed in all those liberal arts by which the mind is qualified to support high rank with dignity that is easily brought to pass which is pleasing to the gods the youth proved to be of a disposition truly royal so that when Tarquinius came to look for a son-in-law there was not one among the Roman youth who could be set in competition in any kind of merit and to him Tarquinius betrothed his daughter this extraordinary honor conferred on him whatever might be the reason for it will not let us believe that he was born of a slave and had himself been a slave in his childhood I am rather inclined to be of their opinion who say that when Corniculum was taken the wife of Servius Tullius the principal man in that city being pregnant when her husband was slain and being known among the rest of the prisoners and on account of her high rank exempted from servitude by the Roman queen was delivered of a son at Rome in the house of Tarquinius Priscus that in consequence of such kind treatment an intimacy grew between the ladies and that the boy also being brought up in the house from his infancy was highly beloved and respected and that the circumstance of his mother having fallen into the enemy's hands on the taking of her native city gave rise to the opinion of his being born of a slave about the 38th year of the reign of Tarquinius Servius Tullius stood in the highest degree of estimation not only with the king but with the senate and the commons at this time the two sons of Ancus although they had before this always considered it as the highest indignity that they should be expelled from the throne of their father by the perfidy of their guardian and that the sovereignty of Rome should be enjoyed by a stranger whose family so far from being natives of the city were not even natives of Italy yet now felt their indignation rise to a higher pitch of violence at the probability that the crown was not to revert to them even after Tarquinius but was to continue to sink one step after another until it fell on the head of a slave so that within the space of a little more than 100 years from the time when Romulus descended from a deity and himself a deity had during his abode on earth held the government a slave the son of a slave should now get possession of it they looked on it as a disgrace to the Roman name in general it would lead to their own house if while there was male issue of King Angus surviving the government of Rome should be prostituted not only to strangers but to slaves they determined therefore to prevent this dishonor by the sword but resentment for the injury which they had suffered stimulated them strongly to attack Tarquinius himself rather than Servius who survived would be able to take severer vengeance for any murder committed than a private citizen could and that besides were Servius put to death it was to be expected that whatever other son-in-law he might choose would be made heir of the kingdom for these reasons they formed a plot against the king himself for the execution of which two of the most undaunted of the shepherds were chosen armed with the iron tools of husbandmen which they were used to carry pretended a quarrel in the porch of the palace and attracted by their outrageous behavior the tension of all the king's attendants then both appealing to the king and their clamor having reached the palace they were called in and brought before him at first they both bawled aloud and each furiously abused the other until being rebuked by Elector and ordered to speak in their turns they desisted from railing then as they had concerted one began to explain the affair and while the king attentive to him was turned quite to that side the other raising up his axe struck it into his head and leaving the weapon in the wound they both rushed out of the house end of book one part six part seven book one of from the founding of the city volume one this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Anne Boulay the foundation of the city volume one by Titus Livia's translated by George Baker book one part seven whilst the person's present raised up Tarquinius who scarcely retained any signs of life the Lictor sees the assassins who were endeavoring to escape and uproar immediately ensued and the people ran together in crowds surprised and eager to be informed of what had happened Tanaquil during this tumult turned out every person from the palace ordered the doors to be shut and at the same time appeared to be very busy in procuring such things as were necessary for the dressing of the wound as if there were reason to hope nor did she neglect to provide other means of safety in case her hopes should fail sending instantly for Servius and showing him her husband just expiring she laid hold of his right hand he sought him that he would not suffer the death of his father-in-law and revenge nor his mother-in-law to be exposed to the insults of their enemies Servius she said if you act as a man the kingdom is yours and not theirs who by the hands of others have perpetrated the basis of crimes call forth your best exertions and follow the guidance of the gods who formerly by the divine fire which they spread around your head gave an evident indication that it would afterwards be crowned with glory now let that heavenly flame rouse you now awake your real glory we, though foreigners have reigned before you consider your present situation not of what family you are sprung if the suddenness of this event deprives you of the power of forming plans of your own then follow mine when the clamor and violence of the populace could hardly be withstood Tannock will address them from the heart of the palace through the windows facing the new street for the king resided near the temple of Jupiter's stator she desired them not to be disheartened told them that the king had been stunned by a sudden blow that the weapon had not sunk deep into his body that he had come to himself again that when the blood was wiped off the wound had been examined and all appearances were favorable that she hope he might be able to show himself to them again in a few days and that in the meantime he commanded the people to obey the orders of Servius Tullius that he would administer justice and supply the king's place in other departments Servius came forth in the robe of state attended by the lictors and seating himself on the king's throne a judge some causes and concerning others pretended that he would consult the king thus though Tarquinius had already expired his death was concealed for several days while Servius under the appearance of supplying the place of another strengthened his own interest then at length the truth being made public and loud lamentations raised in the palace Servius supported by a strong guard with approbation of the senate took possession of the kingdom being the first who attained the sovereignty without the orders of the people sons of Ancus as soon as they found that the instruments of their villainy were seized and understood that the king was alive and that the interests of Servius was so strong had gone into exile in Sueza Pometia and now Servius labored to confirm his authority not only by schemes of a public but by others of a private nature unless the sons of Tarquinius should entertain the same sediments of resentment against him he had animated the sons of Ancus against Tarquinius he joined his two daughters in marriage to the young princes the Tarquinii, Lucius and Arons but by no human devices could he break through the unalterable decrees of fate or prevent envy of the sovereign power from raising discourse and animosity even among those of his own family very seasonably for preserving stability to the present establishment war was undertaken against the Vientians the truce with them having expired and against the other Etrurians in that war both the Valar and the good fortune of Tullius were very conspicuous and after vanquishing a powerful army of the enemy he returned to Rome no longer considering his authority as precarious whether it were to depend on the disposition of the patricians towards himself or on that of the commons he then entered on an improvement in civil polity of the utmost importance intending that as Numa had been the founder of such institutions as relating to the worship of the gods so posterity should celebrate Servius as the author of every distinction between the members of the state and of that subordination of ranks by means of which the limits between the several degrees of dignity and fortune as exactly ascertained for he instituted the senses in ordinance of the most salutary consequence in an empire that was to rise to such a pitch of greatness according to which several services requisite in war and peace were to be discharged not by every person indiscriminately as formerly but according to the proportion of their several properties he then according to the senses formed the plan of the classes and centuries and the arrangement which subsists at present calculated to preserve regularity and propriety in all transactions either of peace or war of those who possessed a hundred thousand asses or more he formed 80 centuries 40 elder and the same number of younger the collective body of these were denominated the first class the business of the elder was to guard the city that of the younger to carry on war abroad the arms which they were ordered to provide were a helmet shield grieves coat of mail all of brass these for the defense of the body their weapons of offense were a spear and a sword to this class were added two centuries of artificers who were to serve without arms the service allotted to them was to attend to the machines in war the fortune fix for the second class was from a hundred down to 75,000 asses of these elder and younger were formed 20 centuries the arms for these were a buckler instead of a shield and all the rest except the coat of mail the same with the former the fortune of the third class he fixed at 50,000 asses the number of centuries was the same and these regulated by the same distinctions of age nor was any difference made in their arms only the grieves were taken from them in the fourth class the fortune was 20,000 asses the same number of centuries were formed their arms were different they were allowed none but a spear and a buckler the fifth class was larger it contained 30 centuries these carried slings and stones which they were to throw among these the extraordinary the trumpeters and fifers were distributed into three centuries this class was rated at 11,000 asses the rest of the Romulus were comprehended under an estimate lower than this and of them was formed one century exempted from military service the food forces being thus distinguished and armed he enrolled 12 centuries of horsemen from among the principal persons of the state he formed likewise six other centuries out of the three instituted by Romulus preserving still the original names under which they had been incorporated 10,000 asses were given these out of the public funds to purchase horses and certain widows were appointed who were to pay them annually 2,000 asses each towards the maintenance of their horses in all these instances the burden was taken off from the poor and laid on the rich to make the latter some amends additional honors were conferred on them for henceforth suffrages were given not according to the mode established by Romulus but by the other kings man by man promiscuously with equal weight and equal privileges but degrees of precedency were established in such a manner that while no one appeared to be excluded from giving his suffrage still the whole power was lodged in the chiefs of the state the knights being first called then the eighties centuries of the higher class if there was a difference of opinion among these which seldom happened the second class were to be called and scarcely ever did an instance occur of their descending beyond this so as to come to the lower classes nor odd it to be wondered at that the arrangement which subsists at present after the tribes had been increased to 35 and the number of them almost doubled does not agree in the number of centuries younger and elder with the amount of those instituted by survey as tullius for the city being laid out into four divisions according to the several quarters and hills the parts that were inhabited these were what he called tribes I suppose from the tribute for the mode of the peoples paying their shares of this in an equal proportion of their rated property took its rise also from him nor had these tribes any relation to the number and distribution of the centuries when the census was completed which he had expedited by the terrors of a law passed concerning such as should neglect to attend it with denunciations of confinement and death he issued a proclamation that all citizens of Rome horse and foot should assemble in the campus marshes at the dawn of day each in his respective century and having their drawn up the whole army in order he performed the lustration or purification of it by the ceremonies and sacrifices called Suoveturalia this was called the closing of the lustrum because it was the conclusion of the census in that survey 80,000 citizens are said to have been rated Fabius Pictor the most ancient of our writers adds that this was the number of those who were able to bear arms to accommodate so great a multitude it was found necessary to enlarge the city in proportion he added to it therefore two hills the Quirinal and Viminal and immediately adjoining the latter extended to the limits of the Esquilier and there fixed his own residence in order to bring the place into repute he surrounded the city with a rampart trenches and a wall and thus extended the Pomeria those who consider entirely the etymology of the word explain Pomerium as denoting a space on the outside of the wall post-merium but it is rather a space on each side of the wall which the Etruians formerly on the founding of cities consecrated with the ceremonies used by augers in the direction wherein they intended the wall should run of a certain breath on both sides of it with the intention that on the inside no building should be erected close to the walls though now they are in many places joined to them and also that on the outside a certain space of ground should lie open and unoccupied this space which it was unlawful either to inhabit or to till the Romans called Pomerium not because it was on the outside of the wall any more than because the wall was on the outside of it and always on occasion of an addition being made to the city as far as they intended that the wall should advance outward so far these sacred limits were extended having increased the power of the state by this enlargement of the city and made every internal regulation that appeared best adapted to the extrigencies both of war and peace the king who wished that the acquisition of power should not always depend on the mere force of arms laid a scheme for extending his dominion by the wisdom of his councils and raising at the same time a conspicuous ornament to the city the temple of Diana at Ephesus was at that time universally celebrated and it was commonly believed that it had been built by a general contribution from the several states of Asia. Servius in conversation with the chief men of the latins with whom he had taken pains to form connections of hospitality and friendship both in his public and private capacity used frequently in the strongest terms to recommend concord and social union between their several gods and by often repeating the same sentiments prevailed so far at last that the latin states agreed to build in conjunction with the roman people a temple to Diana at Rome this was an acknowledgement that Rome was the sovereign head of both nations a point which had been so often disputed in arms but though the latins finding all their efforts in war ineffectual seem now to have thrown aside all concern with regard to that matter yet among the savings one particular person did not neglect an opportunity which seem to be thrown in his way by fortune of recovering independence by the execution of a scheme which he planned himself it is related that this person the head of a family had a heifer calf of extraordinary size and beauty produced by one of his cows her horns which remain for many ages fixed in the porch of the temple Diana were a monument of this wonder the matter was considered in the light of a prodigy as it deserved and the soothsayers declared that the sovereignty would reside in that state whose subject should sacrifice this heifer to Diana and this prediction had reached the ears of the priest who had the charge of Diana's temple the saving as soon as he had fixed on the proper day for the sacrifice drove the heifer to Rome brought her to the temple of Diana and placed her before the altar the priest suspecting the truth from the size of the victim of which he had heard so much and remembering the prediction addresses the saving thus stranger what are you preparing to do to perform sacrifice to Diana without the necessary purification why do you not first dip yourself in a running stream the tiber flows along in the bottom of that veil the stranger struck with the scruple and anxious to have everything performed in due order that the event might answer to the prodigy went down from the temple to the tiber in the meantime the Roman sacrificed the heifer to Diana a circumstance which gave great pleasure to the king and to the whole state Servius though long possession had now rendered his title to the crown indisputable yet having heard that young Tarquinius sometimes threw out insinuations that he held the government without the order of the people first ingratiated himself with the commons by making a general distribution among them of the lands taken from the enemy and then ventured to propose the question to the people whether they chose an order that he should be king where upon he was declared king with greater unanimity than had ever before appeared on any similar occasion but the event did not lessen the hopes which Tarquinius had conceived of being able to seat himself on the throne on the contrary having observed that the proceedings relative to the land for the commons were highly disagreeable to the patricians he embraced the more eagerly the opportunity which this afforded him of arraigning the conduct of Servius before them and of increasing his own influence in the senate this young man was naturally a fiery temper and his restless spirit was continually stimulated at home by his wife Talia the palace at Rome was destined to exhibit a scene of tragical villainy so that, disgusted at kings the people might become more ripe for the asserting of their liberty and that a reign founded in wickedness should prove the last whether this lucius Tarquinius was the son or grandson of Tarquinius Priscus is not clear however the authority of the greater number I have chosen to call him his son he had a brother Aaron's Tarquinius a youth of a mild disposition to these two as has already been mentioned were Mary the tutulias the kings daughters who were also of widely different tempers it happened luckily that the two violent dispositions were not united in wedlock owing I presume to the good fortune of the Roman people that the reign of Servius being lengthened the manners of the people might be fully formed the honey Talia was highly chagrined at finding in her husband no principle either of ambition or enterprise she turned therefore her whole regard towards the other Tarquinius him she admired him she called a man and a true descendant of the royal blood her sister she despised who having got a man for her husband though nothing of that spirit of enterprise which became a woman similarity of disposition quickly produced an intimacy between them as is generally the case evil is fit as to consort with its like but it was the woman who set on foot the scene of universal confusion which followed in the many private conversations which she used to hold with her sister's husband she refrained not from throwing out the most violent reproaches against her own to his mother and against her sister to that sister's husband affirming that it were better that both he and she were unmarried than to be so unsuitably matched that through the stupidity of others they were condemned to a life of inactivity if the gods had granted her such a husband as she deserved quickly would be seen in her own house that crown which was now upon her father's head she soon inspired the young man with notions as desperate as her own Aaron's Tarquinias and the younger Talia dying almost immediately after and thus leaving room in their families for new nuptials they were joined in matrimony Servius rather not obstructing than approving of the match from that time forward Talia's now in an advanced age found himself daily exposed to new disquietudes and his authority to new dangers for Talia now prepared to proceed from one wickedness to another and never ceased either night or day teasing her husband not to let the parasites which they had committed pass without effect she wanted not she said a person who should give her the name of a wife or with whom she might in silence submit to bondage what she desired was one who would consider himself as worthy of the throne and remember that he was the son of Tarquinias Priscus who would prefer the present possession to distant hopes of a kingdom if you be such a man as I took you for when I married you I address you by the titles of my husband and my king if not my condition is now changed so far from the worst that in you together with poverty of spirit I find villainy united why not proceed in the business you are obliged to set out from Corinth or Tarquinii as your father was to struggle for foreign kingdoms the gods of your family and those of your native country and your father's image and the royal palace in which you reside and the royal throne in that palace and the name of Tarquinias these constitute you and call you king or if you had not a spirit daring enough for such an enterprise why deceive the nation why assume the figure of a youth of royal blood get you hence to Tarquinii or to Corinth sink back again into the original obscurity of your race fitter to be compared with your brother than with your father with these and other such reproaches and incentives she spurred on the young man nor could she herself with any degree of patience endure the reflection and her spirited exertions acquired such consequence as to be able to dispose of the kingdom twice successively first to her husband and next to her son-in-law while she sprung from royal blood was to have no influence in bestowing it or taking it away Tarquinias hurried on by the frenzy infused into him by this woman went round among the patricians particularly those of the younger families and solicited their interest put them in mind of his father's kindness to them and demanded a requital of it enticed the young men by presence and endeavored to increase his consequence on every occasion both by magnificent promises on his part and by heavy charges of misconduct against the king at length judging the season right for accomplishment of his purpose he rushed suddenly into the forum attended by a band of our men and while all were struck motionless with terror proceeded through it and then seating himself on the king's throne in the senate house ordered the senators to be summoned by a herald to attend their king Tarquinias they assembled instantly some having been prepared before for the occasion others dreading ill consequences to themselves in case they did not attend for they were filled with amazement at the novelty and strangeness of the proceeding and thought the case of Servius utterly desperate then Tarquinias beginning his invictus with reflections on the king's immediate ancestors represented him as a slave the son of a slave who after the untimely death of his parent without an interregnum being appointed as usual without an election being held had taken possession of the throne not in consequence of a vote of the people or the approbation of the senate but as the gift of a woman being thus descended and thus created king ever favoring the lower class of people to which he himself belonged he had through an antipathy to the honorable descent of others taken away the lands from the chief men in the state and distributed them among the very meanest all the burdens which heretofore had been born in common he had thrown on those of highest rank he had instituted the census in order that the fortunes of the more wealthy might be more conspicuously exposed to envy and become a ready fund out of which he could when he chose give bribes to the most needy end of book one part seven part eight book one of from the founding of the city volume one this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Anne Boulay from the foundation of the city volume one by Titus Livius translated by George Baker book one part eight in the midst of this harangue servius having been alarmed by an account of the disturbance entered and immediately from the porch of the senate house called out with a loud voice what is the matter here Tarquinius? how dare you presume while I am alive to convene the senate or to sit on my throne to this the other in a determined tone replied that the seat which he occupied was the seat of his own father that as the king son he was much better entitled to inherit the throne than a slave and that he, servius had been suffered long enough to insult his masters with arbitrary insolence a clamorous dispute immediately began between the partisans of each the people ran together in crowds into the senate house and it became evident that the possession of the throne depended on the issue of this contest on this Tarquinius compelled now by necessity to proceed to the last extremity having greatly the advantage in point of stage and strength caught servius by the middle and carrying him out of the senate house threw him from the top to the bottom of the stairs and then returned to keep the senators together the king's officers and attendants fled immediately he himself being desperately hurt attempted with the royal retinue who were terrified almost to death to retire to his house and had arrived at the head of the Cyprian street he was slain by some who had been sent thither for that purpose by Tarquinius and had over taken him in his flight it is believed other instances of her wickedness rendering it credible that this was done by the advice of Talia it is certain for there is sufficient proof of the fact that she drove into the forum in her chariot and without being abashed at such a multitude of men called out her husband from the senate house and was the first who saluted him king she was then ordered by him to withdraw from such a tumult and when in her return home she arrived at the head of the Cyprian street where the enclosure of Diana lately stood as the chariot turned to the right towards the verbian hill in order to drive up to the Esquilion mount the person who drove the horses struck with horror stopped and drew in the reins and showed his mistress Servius lying on the ground her behavior on this occasion is represented as inhuman and shocking and the place bears testimony to it being then called the wicked street where Talia, divested of all feeling agitated by the furies the avengers of her sister and husband is said to have driven her chariot over her father's corpse and to have carried on her bloody vehicle part of the body and the blood of that parent with which she herself was also sprinkled and stained to the household gods of her and her husband's family through whose resentment followed shortly after a train of events suited to the iniquitous commencement of this reign Servius Talia's reign 44 years during which his conduct was such that even a good and moderate successor would have found it difficult to support a competition with him this circumstance and also still further enhanced his fame that together with him perished all regular and legal government mild and moderate as his administration was yet because the government was lodged in the hands of a single person some authors tell us he intended to have resigned it had not the wickedness of his family broken off the designs which he meditated for establishing the liberty of his country thus began the reign he as Tarquinius who from his subsequent behavior acquired the surname of the proud for this unworthy son-in-law prohibited the burial of the king alleging that Romulus likewise had remained unburied the principal senators whom he suspected of favoring the interest of Servius he put to death and soon becoming apprehensive that the precedent of acquiring the crown by wicked means might be adopted from his own practice against himself he kept an armed band about him for the security of his person for he had no kind of title to the crown but that of force holding it neither by the order of the people nor with the approbation of the senate and besides this as he could place no reliance on the affection of his subjects he was obliged to raise in their fears offense to his authority in order to diffuse these the more extensively he took entirely into his own hands the cognizance of capital offenses which he determined without consulting with any person whatever so that he could put to death banish or impose fines not only on those whom he suspected or disliked but on persons with respect to whom he could have no other view than that of plunder having by these means diminished the number of the senate whom his proceedings were chiefly leveled he determined not to fill up the vacancies hoping that the smallness of their number would expose that body to the greater contempt and that they would show the less resentment at their not being consulted on any business for he was the first of the kings who discontinued the practice of his predecessors of consulting the senate upon every occasion in the administration of public affairs he advised with none but his own private family war peace treaties alliances he of himself with such advisors as he chose declared contracted and dissolved without any order either of the people or of the senate he took particular pains to attach the nation of the latins to his interest availing himself of foreign aid the more effectually to ensure his safety at home and he formed with their chiefs not only connections of hospitality but affinities to Octavius Mamelius of Tuscalum he gave his daughter in marriage Mamelius was of the most illustrious family by far of any among the latins being descended if we may give credit to fame from Ulysses and the goddess Circe by this match he engaged the support of his numerous friends and relations Tarquinius now possessed great influence among the latin chiefs when he issued orders that they should assemble on a certain day at the grove of Farentina saying that he wished to confer with them on some matters of common concern they accordingly met in great numbers at the dawn of day Tarquinius himself observed indeed the day but did not come until a little before sunset meanwhile many topics were being discussed and various opinions uttered in the assembly Ternus Herdonius of Eresia invade violently against Tarquinius for not attending it was no wonder he said that the surname of Proud had been bestowed on him at Rome for at this time they generally gave him the appellation though only in private discourse could any instance be given of greater pride than his trifling thus with the whole nation of the latins after their chiefs had been brought together by his summons had so great a distance from home the very person who called the meeting did not attend he was certainly making trial of their patients intending if they submitted to the yoke to crush them when they could not resist for who did not see plainly that he was aiming at sovereignty over the latins and if his own countrymen had reason to be pleased at having entrusted him with that power or if in reality it had been entrusted to him not forcibly seized on through parasite then the latins ought also to entrust him with it but no not even in that case because he was a foreigner yet if the romans repined at his government exposed as they were to murders banishment and confiscations without end what better prospect could the latins entertain if they listened to him they would depart each to his own home and would pay no more regard to the day of the assembly than was shown by the person who appointed it whilst this man who was naturally seditious and turbulent and who had by these means acquired some degree of power at home was thus haranguing the people Tarquinius came into the assembly this put an end to his discourse everyone turned away from him to salute Tarquinius who being advised by his friends to make an apology for having come at that time of the day Tarquinius was made told them that he had been chosen arbiter between father and son and had been detained by the pains which he was obliged to take to bring about a reconciliation and that as that business had consumed the day he would on the morrow lay before them what he had to propose even this we are told was not suffered by Ternus to pass without notice for he observed that he was harder than one between a father and son which might be dispatched in a few words if the son did not submit to his father he should take the ill consequences uttering these reflections against the Roman king the heiressian withdrew from the assembly and Tarquinius who was more incensed at his behavior than he appeared to be began immediately to contrive schemes to destroy Ternus in order to strike the same terror which he had depressed the spirits of his subjects at home and as he could not of his own mere authority openly put him to death he effected by a false accusation the ruin of an innocent man by means of some heiressians of the opposite faction he bribed a servant of Ternus to suffer a large quantity of swords to be privately conveyed into his lodging this part of his scheme being completed during the course of that same night Tarquinius, a little before day called together about him the chiefs of the Latins as if he had been alarmed by some extraordinary occurrence and told them that his delay yesterday as if it were the effect of the particular care of the gods had been the means of preserving him and them from destruction that he had received information that a plan had been laid by Ternus to murder him and the Latin chiefs in order that he might enjoy on the government of the Latins that he intended to have fallen upon them yesterday in the assembly but the business was deferred because the person who called the meeting and who was his principal object was not there this was the reason of all that abuse thrown on him for being absent because by that absence he had frustrated his design that he had no doubt but if the intelligence was true he would early next morning when the assembly met come thither in arms and attended by an armed force he was told that a vast number of swords have been carried to his house whether that was false or not might be instantly known and he requested that they go with him directly to Ternus they saw some grounds of suspicion in the violent temper of Ternus his discourse the day before and the delay of Tarquinius and it seemed not impossible that they had been deferred on that account they went therefore with minds and client to believe the report but at the same time determined unless the swords were discovered to consider all the rest is groundless when they came to the spot guards were placed round Ternus who was roused from sleep and the servants who out of affection to their master prepared to use force being secured the swords which had been concealed were drawn out from every part of the lodging and then the affair appeared manifest Ternus was loaded with chains and a great tumult ensuing an assembly of the Latins was immediately summoned there on the swords being placed in the midst of them to such a pitch of fury were they raised that not allowing him to make a defense and using an extraordinary method of execution they threw him into the reservoir of the water of the Farentina where a hurdle being placed over him and a heap of stones cast on that he was drowned Tarquinius having then reassembled the Latins and highly commended them for having inflicted on Ternus as one convicted of parasite the punishment which he had merited by his attempt to overturn the government spoke to this purpose that he might without doubt take upon himself to act in virtue of a right long since established because all the Latins deriving their origin from Alba were comprehended in that treaty by which under Tullus the whole Alban nation together with their colonies were subject to the dominion of the Romans however for the sake of the general advantage of all parties he rather wished that that treaty should be renewed and that the Latins should as partners enjoy the good fortune of the Roman people then live always under the apprehension of the dominance of the demolition of their cities and the devastation of their lands to which they had during the reign of Ancus first and afterwards in that of his father being continually exposed he found no difficulty in persuading the Latins though in that treaty the advantage lay on the side of the Romans they saw too that the chiefs of the Latin nation in their behavior and sentiments concurred with the king and Ternus was a recent instance of the danger to be apprehended by anyone who should attempt opposition the treaty was therefore renewed and the orders were given to the young men of the Latins that they should on a certain day according to the treaty attend in a body under arms at the grove of Farentina and when in obedience to the edict of the Roman king they had assembled there from all the several states in order that they should not have a general command or their own colors he mixed the Romans and Latins together in companies by dividing every company into two parts and then forming two of these divisions one of each nation into a company and having by this means double the number of the companies he appointed Centurions to command them iniquitous as he was in his conduct as king his behavior at the head of an army was not equally reprehensible in that capacity indeed he would have equaled his predecessors had not his degeneracy in other particulars detracted from the merit which in that line he possessed he began the war against the Volskans which lasted for more than two hundred years after his death and took Suvasa Pometia from them by storm from the sale of the plunder of which place having amassed silver and gold to the value of forty talents he conceived a design of erecting a temple to Jupiter of such grandeur as should be worthy of the king of gods and men worthy of the Roman Empire and of the dignity of the place itself for the building of this temple he set apart the money which arose from the spoils he was soon after engaged in a war which gave him employment longer than he expected during which having in vain attempted by storm to make himself master Gabyai a town in his neighborhood and seeing no reason to hope for success from a blockade after he had been repulsed from the walls he at length resolved to pursue the attack not in a method becoming a Roman but by fraud and stratagem accordingly whilst he pretended to have laid aside all thoughts of proceeding in the war and to have his attention entirely engaged in laying the foundation of the temple and the construction of other works in the city his son Sextus the youngest of three pursuant to a plan concerted fled as a deserter to Gabyai making grievous complaints of his father's intolerable severity towards him saying that he now made his own family feel the effects of his pride which hitherto had fallen only on strangers and was uneasy at seeing a number even of his own children about him so that he intended to cause the same desolation in his own house which he had already caused in the senate house and not to suffer any of his offspring or any heir of the kingdom to remain that he himself had with difficulty made his escape from the sword of his father and could in no place consider himself safe except among the foes of Luchius Tarquinius that the war against them which was pretended to be laid aside was not at an end but on the first opportunity when he found them off their guard he would certainly attack them for his part if among them suppliants could find no refuge he would traverse every part of Latium and if rejected there would apply to the Volskans the Aquans and the Hernicians nor rest until he found some who were disposed to afford protection to the children from the cruel and unnatural severity of fathers perhaps too he should meet with those who might be inspired with ardor to take arms and wage war against the proudest of kings and the most overbearing of nations the Gavians supposing that if they did not show some regard to him he would go from them full of resentment to some other place received him with every mark of kindness told him he ought not to be surprised that his father's behavior towards his children now was no better than what had formerly shown towards his subjects and allies that if other objects could not be found he would at last vent his rage on himself assured him that his coming was very acceptable to them and that they expected in a short time to see the seat of war transferred with his assistance from the gates of Gavii to the walls of Rome he was immediately admitted to a share in their public councils and on these occasions while he declared that in other affairs he would be guided by the opinion of the Gavian elders who had better knowledge of these matters than he could have he took every opportunity of recommending war in respect of which he assumed to himself a superior degree of judgment because he was well acquainted with the resources of both nations and knew how utterly detestable to his subjects the king's pride had become which even his own children could not endure while see thus by degrees worked at the minds of the Gavian chiefs to a renewal of the war he used to go out himself with the boldest of the youth on expeditions and plundering parties and as all his words and actions were framed to the purpose of carrying on the deceit their ill grounded confidence in him increased to such a degree that at length he was chosen commander in chief of the army in this capacity several slight engagements with the Romans in which he generally got the advantage so that the Gavians from the highest to the lowest began to consider Sextus Tarquinius as a leader sent to them by the favor of the gods among the soldiers particularly from his readiness to expose himself to danger and fatigue and likewise from the liberal distribution of the spoil he was so highly beloved that Tarquinius was not more absolute at Rome than Sextus was at Gabyi finding himself therefore secure of his support sufficient to carry him through any enterprise he sent one of his attendants to his father at Rome to inquire in what manner he would choose that he should proceed since the gods had granted to him the entire disposal of everything at Gabyi to this messenger no answer was given in words I suppose because he did not seem fit to be trusted the king seemingly employed in deep deliberation walked out into a garden adjoining the palace followed by the messenger and walked there in silence as we are told struck off with his king the heads of the tallest poppies the messenger weary of repeating the question and waiting for an answer returned to Gabyi without having accomplished his business as he thought told what he himself had said and what he had seen the finger or dislike or the pride natural to his disposition had not uttered a word Sextus readily comprehending his father's meaning and what conduct he recommended by those silent intimations cut off all the principal men of the state some by prosecutions before the people others who being generally odious could be attacked with greater safety he put to death of his own authority many were executed openly several against whom accusations would appear less plausible were privately murdered some who chose to fly were not prevented others were forced into banishment and the effects of the absentees as well as of those who had suffered death were distributed enlarges among the people by these means all sense of the public calamity was so entirely drowned in the sweets of bribery, plunder and private profit that at length the gabion state stripped of its counselors and supporters was delivered over without a struggle into the hands of the roman king end of book one part eight part nine book one of from the foundation of the city volume one this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lenny from the foundation of the city volume one by Titus Livius translated by George Baker book one part nine Tarquinius having thus acquired possession of Gabyae concluded a peace with the nation of the equans renew the treaty with the Etrurians and then turn his thoughts to the internal business of the city among which the object of his principal concern was to leave the temple of Jupiter on the Torpean mount a monument of his reign and of his name to testify that of two Tarquinii both of whom reigned the father had vowed and the son completed it and in order that the ground might be clear from the interference of any of the other gods and the temple to be erected thereon be appropriated wholly to Jupiter he determined to cancel the inauguration of the temples and chapels several of which had been vowed first by Toshias during the very heat of the battle against Romulus and afterwards consecrated there it is related that during the preparations for founding this structure the gods exerted their divine power to exhibit indications of the stability of this great empire for whilst the birds admitted the canceling the inaugurations of all the other chapels they did not give the signs of approbation in the case of the temple of Terminus and that omen and that augury were deemed to import that the residence of Terminus must not be changed and his being the only one of the gods who would not submit to be called forth from the boundaries consecrated to him denoted that all things there were to stand firm and immovable after they had received this presage of its perpetual duration there followed another prodigy portending the greatness of the empire a human head with the face entire is said to have appeared to those who were opening the foundation of the temple which appearance denoted without the help of any far-fetched illusion that this would be the metropolis of the empire and the head of the world such was the interpretation given of it by the soothsayers both those who were in the city and others whom they sent for from Etruria to hold a consultation on the subject this encouraged the king to enlarge the expense so that the spoils of Pometia which according to his first design were to have completed the edifice were scarcely sufficient for the foundations for this reason besides his being the more ancient writer I should rather believe Fabius that these amounted to no more than 40 talents than Piso who wrote that 40,000 pounds weight of silver were set apart for that purpose a sum of money that could not be expected out of the spoil of anyone sitting that age and which must have been more than sufficient for laying the foundations even of the most magnificent of our modern structures to attend on finishing the temple he sent for workmen from all parts of Etruria and converted to that use not only the public money but the public labor and although this which was in itself no small hardship was added to the toils of military service yet the people murmured less when they considered that they were employing their hands in erecting temples to the gods they were afterwards obliged that other works which though they made less show were attended with greater difficulty the erecting seats in the circus and conducting underground the principal sewer the receptacle of all the filth of the city two works to which the magnificence of modern times can scarcely produce anything equal after the people had been fatigued by these labors the king considering so great a multitude as a burden to the city where there was not employment for them and wishing at the same time to extend the frontiers of his dominions by means of colonies sent a number of colonists to Cygnia and Cersei to serve as barrier to the city against an enemy both by land and sea while he was thus employed a dreadful prodigy appeared to him a snake sliding out of a wooden pillar terrified the beholders and made them fly into the palace this not only struck the king himself with sudden terror but filled his breast with anxious apprehensions so that whereas in the case of public prodigies the Eturian soothsayers only were applied to being thoroughly frightened at this domestic apparition as it were he resolved to send to Delphi the most celebrated oracle in the world judging it unsafe to entrust the answers which should be given to indifferent persons he sent his two sons into Greece through lands little known at that time and seas still more so Titus and Arans set out and as a companion was sent with them Lyceus Junius Brutus, son to Tarquinia the king's sister a young man of a capacity widely different from the appearance she had put on having heard that the principal man in the state and among the rest his brother had been put to death by his uncle he resolved that the king should find nothing to dread either from his manners or his means and to seek security in contempt he took care therefore to fashion his behavior to the semblance of foolishness submitting himself and his fortune to the pleasure and capacity of the king nor did he show any dislike to the surname of Brutus contempt that under the cover of that appellation the genius which was to be the deliverer of the Roman people should lie concealed and wait the proper season for exertion he was at this time carrier to Delphi by the Tarquiniai rather as a subject of sport than as a companion and is said to have brought as an offering to a polo a golden wand enclosed in a staff of Cornelwood hollowed for that purpose an emblem figurative of the state of his own capacity when they arrived there and executed their father's commission the young man felt a wish to inquire to which of them the kingdom of Rome was to belong and we are told that these words were uttered from the bottom of the cave young man whichever of you shall first kiss your mother he shall possess the sovereign power at Rome that Tarquiniai ordered that this matter should be kept secret with the utmost care that Sextus who had been left behind at Rome might remain ignorant of the answer so as to have no chance for the kingdom they themselves had recourse to lots to determine which of them should first kiss their mother on their returning to Rome Brutus judged that the expression of a polo had another meaning and as if he had accidentally stumbled and fallen he touched the earth with his lips considering that she was the common mother of all mankind on their return from thence to Rome they found vigorous preparations going on for a war against the Rutulians Ardea was a city belonging to the Rutulians considering the part of the world and the age remarkably opulent and this very circumstance gave occasion to the war for the Roman king was earnestly desirous both of procuring money for himself his treasury being exhausted by the magnificence of his public works and also of reconciling by means of the spoils the minds of his subjects who were highly dissatisfied with his government for besides other instances of his pride they thought themselves ill treated by being engaged for such a length of time in the employments of handicrafts and in labor fit for slaves an attempt was made to take Ardea by storm and that not succeeding he adopted the plan of distressing the enemy by a blockade and works erected round them in this fixed post as is generally the case when the operation of war are rather tedious vigorous leave of absence was readily granted and to the principal officers more readily than to the soldiers the young man of the royal family in particular frequently passed their leisure time in feasting and entertainments it happened that while these were drinking together at the quarters of Sextus Tarquinius where Colotinus Tarquinius the son of Egerius also subbed mention was made by their wives each extolled his own to the skies on this dispute arising Colotinus told them that there was no need of words it could easily be known in a few hours how much his Lucretia excelled the rest we are young and strong let us mount our horses and inspect in person the behavior of our wives that must be the most unexceptionable proof which meets our eyes unexpected arrival of the husband they were heated with wine agreed was the word at full speed they fly to Rome having arrived there at the first dusk of the evening they proceeded thence to Colatia where they found Lucretia not like the king's daughters-in-law whom they had seen spending their time in luxurious entertainments among those of their own rank but beazily employed with her wool at that late hour and sitting in the middle of the house with her maids at work around her the honor of superiority among the ladies mentioned in the dispute was of course acknowledged to belong to Lucretia her husband on his arrival and the Tarquinii were kindly received and the husband exulting in his victory gave the royal youths a friendly invitation there Sextus Tarquinius instigated by brutal lust formed a design of violating Lucretia's chastity by force both her beauty and her approved modesty serving as incentives after this youthful frolic of the night they returned to the camp a few days after Sextus Tarquinius without the knowledge of Colatinus went to Colatia with only a single attendant he was kindly received by the family who suspected not his design and after supper conducted to the chamber where guests were lodged then burning with desire as soon as he thought that everything was safe and the family all at rest he came with his sword drawn to Lucretia where she lay asleep and holding her down with his left hand pressed on her breast said Lucretia be silent I am Sextus Tarquinius my sword is in my hand if you utter a word you die terrified at being thus disturbed from sleep she saw no assistance near an immediate death threatening her Tarquinius then acknowledged his passion and treated mixed threats within treaties and used every argument likely to have effect on a woman's mind but finding her inflexible and not to be moved even by the fear of death he added to that fear the dread of dishonor telling her that after killing her he would murder a slave and lay him naked by her side that she might be sad to have been slain in Bey's adultery the shocking apprehensions conveyed by this menace overpowering her resolution in defending her chastity his lust became victorious and Tarquinius departed applauding himself for this triumph over a lady's honor but Lucretia plunged by such a disaster into the deepest distress dispatched a messenger to roam to her father with orders to proceed to Aurea to her husband and to desire them to come to her each with one faithful friend to tell them that there was a necessity for their doing so and speedily for that a dreadful affair had happened Spirius Lucretius came with Publius Valerius the son of Valesis Colotinas with Lucius Junius Brutus in company with whom he chance to be returning to Rome when he was met by his wife's messenger they found Lucretia sitting in her chamber melancholy and dejected on the arrival of her friends she burst into tears and on her husband's asking is all well? far from it for how can it be well with a woman who has lost her chastity? Colotinas the impression of another man is in your bed yet my person only has been violated my mind is gupless as my death will testify but give me your right hands and pledge your honor that the adulterer shall not escape and punished he is Sixtus Tarquinius who under the appearance of a guest disguising as an enemy obtained here last night by armed violence a triumph deadly to me and to himself also if you be men they all pledge their honor one after another and endeavored to comfort her distracted mind acquitting her of blame as under the compulsion of force in charging it on the violent perpetrator of the crime told her that the mind alone is the body and that where there was no such intention there could be no guilt it is your concern said she to consider what is due to him as to me though I acquit myself of the guilt I cannot dispense with the penalty nor shall any woman ever plead the example of Lucretia for surviving her chastity thus saying she plunged into her heart head concealed under her garment and falling forward on the wound dropped lifeless the husband and father shrieked aloud but Brutus while they were overpowered by grief drawing the knife from the wound of Lucretia and holding it out reeking with blood before him said by this blood most chased until injured by royal insolence I swear and call you as to witness that I will prosecute to destruction by sword, fire and every forcible means in my power both Lucius Tarquinius the proud and his impious wife together with their entire race and never will suffer one of them nor any other person whatsoever to be king in Rome he then delivered the knife to Colotinus afterwards to Lucretius who were filled with amazement as at a prodigy and at a loss to account for this unusual elevation of sentiment in the mind of Brutus however they took the oath as directed and converting their grief into rage followed Brutus who put himself at their head and called on them to proceed instantly to abolish kingly power they brought out the body of Lucretia from the house and made it to the forum and assembled the people who came together quickly in astonishment as may be supposed at a deed so atrocious and unheard of everyone exclaimed with vehemence against the villainy and violence of the prince they were deeply affected by the grief of her father and also by the discourse of Brutus who rebuked their tears and ineffectual complaints and advised them as became men as became Romans against those who had dared to treat them as enemies the most spirited among the youth offered themselves with their arms and the rest followed their example on which leaving half their number at the gates to defend Colatia and fixing guards to prevent any intelligence of the commotion being carried to the princes the rest with Brutus at their head marched to Rome and they arrived there the sight of such an armed multitude had terror and confusion wherever they came but in a little time when people observed the principal men of the state marching at their head they concluded that whatever the matter was there must be a good reason for it nor did the heinousness of the affair raise less violent emotions in the minds of the people at Rome than it had at Colatia so that from all parts of the city they hurried into the forum where as soon as the party arrived a crier summoned the people to attend the tribune of the cellaries which office happened at that time to be held by Brutus he there made a speech no way consonant to that low degree of sensibility and capacity which until that day he had counter-fated recounting the violence and lust of Sextas Tarquinius the shocking violation of Lucretius Chastity and her lamentable death the misfortune of Tricypetinus in being left childless who must feel the cause of his daughter's death as a greater injury and cruelty than her death itself to these representations he added the pride of the king himself the miseries and toils of the commons buried underground to clean sinks and sores saying that the citizens of Rome the conquerors of all the neighboring nations were from warriors reduced to laborers and stonecutters mentioned the barber's murder of King Servius Tilius his abominable daughter driving in her carriage over the body of her father and invoked the gods to avenge the cause of parents by the scanting on these and other I suppose more forcible topics which the heinousness of present injuries suggest at the time but which it is difficult for writers to repeat he inflamed the rage of the multitude to such a degree that they were easily persuaded to deprive the king of his government and to pass an order for the banishment of Lucius Tarquinius his wife and children Brutus himself having collected and armed such of the young men as voluntarily gave in their names set out for the camp at Ardea in order to excite the troops there to take part against the king the command in the city he left Lucretius time before being appointed by the king to the office of prefect of the city during the stummeled Tullia flat from her house both men and women wherever she passed imprecating curses on her head and invoking the furies the avengers of parents news of these proceedings having reached the camp and the king alarmed at such extraordinary events having begun his march towards Rome to suppress the commotions Brutus informed of his approach turned into another road in order to avoid a meeting and very nearly at the same time by different roads Brutus arrived at Ardea and Tarquinius at Rome Tarquinius found the gates shut against him and an order of banishment pronounced the deliverer of the city was received in the camp with joy and the king's sons were driven thence with disgrace two of these followed their father and went into exile at Ceri among the Atrurians 6th Tarquinius having retired to Gabyae as if to his own dominions was slain by some persons who were glad of an opportunity of gratifying old animosities which he had excited there by his rapine and murders Lucius Tarquinius' supervis reigned 25 years the government of kings continued from the building of the city to the establishment of its liberty 244 years after that in an assembly of the centuries held by the prefect of the city were elected conformably to a plan found in the commentaries of Sirius Thelius two magistrates called consuls these were Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Colotinius End of book 1 part 9