The Kingdom. R Q 
should increase their strength), is much too refined for bar¬ 
barians. Be this as it may, thus Livy and Dionysius relate 
the rape of the Sabines. Romulus, by the advice of Numitor, 
and the approbation of the god Neptune, instituted a festival 
or day of sports, and invited thereto the surrounding nations. 
When the day fixed was come, the king presided in a striped 
robe, which the Latins called trabea:—“ The assembly con¬ 
sisted of a vast number of people, which were come together 
from the neighbouring countries; but chiefly from the cities, or 
rather little towns of Csenina, Crustuminum and Antennae, 
whichseemedto be emptied to furnish spectators for theRoman 
sports: men, women, girls, and children, all came to them: but 
it maybe affirmed, that the Sabines came in greater numbers 
than other people. The shows and fair lasted a considerable 
time; for the feast began atthe beginning of the month Sextiles, 
and did not end till the 20th of that month. The peace and 
harmony that continued during the sports, lulled the spec¬ 
tators into security: for the Romans did not put their enter- 
prize in execution till the last day of the festival. They had 
orders to come armed to the last spectacle, and conceal their 
arms under their clothes. And in the mean time every one 
during the sports pitched upon the woman whom he - deter¬ 
mined should be his wife. When, therefore, the multitude 
was most attentive to the show, Romulus rose from his seat, 
adjusted his robe, folded it and unfolded it again. This was 
the signal agreed on for beginning the rape ; and instantly 
the Roman youth appeared sword in hand and fell upon the 
spectators. They being unarmed and frightened, fell in dis¬ 
order; and in the tumult the Romans, who had no design 
of shedding blood, carried off every one his prey. The rest 
of the strangers were suffered to disperse themselves, and to 
go home and bewail the loss of their daughters or sisters.” 
There is one remarkable circumstance worth mentioning: 
“ In the hurry of the rape, some Romans of distinction per¬ 
ceiving a body of their people of the meanest sort running 
away with a young woman of singular beauty, envied them 
so fine a prey, and they to prevent their being deprived of 
their booty, cried out, Thalassio, Thalassio, a word used in 
Rome in the celebration of marriages ever after. Their 
meaning was, that the young person they were carrying away 
was designed for Thalassius, an illustrious Roman who was 
in great esteem in the colony. And from hence it was that 
the crying out Thalassio was always customary at Rome in 
the marriage ceremony, in the same manner as Hymen and 
Hymenea prevailed among the Greeks; and in memory of 
this rape, it afterwards became customary in all marriages 
there-for the brides to be taken up under the arms, and car¬ 
ried at least over the threshliold of the door when they 
entered their husbands’ houses, as if they had been taken 
from their fathers by force.” The first attempt to revenge 
this affront was made by Acron, king of Caenina, a city on 
the confines of Latium, who, having entered into a league 
with the inhabitants of Crustuminum and Antennas, invaded 
the Roman territories. Romulus marched against them 
without delay, defeated the confederate army, killed their 
king in single combat, decreed himself a triumph, and con¬ 
secrated the spoils of Acron to Jupiter Feretrius, under the 
name of Opima Spolia. Several cities of Etruria volun¬ 
tarily submitted to him. But the Sabines, not in the least 
dismayed at this increase of the Roman forces, sent a depu- 
tion to Romulus, demanding restitution of the young 
women who had been carried off; and, upon his refusal, 
marched to Rome with an army of 25,000 foot and 1000 
horse, under the command of their king Titus Tatius. Ro¬ 
mulus, having received supplies from Numifor and from 
Etruria, likewise took the field, with 20,000 foot and 800 
horse, with whom he seized an advantageous post, and forti¬ 
fied himself so strongly, that he could not be attacked. 
The Sabine monarch, perceiving the military skill of Romu¬ 
lus, began to be apprehensive of the event; but was extri¬ 
cated out of his difficulties by the treachery of Tarpeia, 
daughter to the governor of the citadel, who agreed to 
betray that important fortress to the enemy, on condition of 
being rewarded with what the Sabines wore on their left arms, 
(meaning their bracelets.) But when they became masters of 
’ VOL. XXII. No. 1495. 
M E. The Kingdom. 217 
this important place, they are said to have crushed Tarpeia 
under the weight of their bucklers, pretending that thus they 
discharged their promise, as they- wore their bucklers also 
on their left arms. The possession of the citadel enabled the 
Sabines to carry on the war with more success; at last, 
in a general engagement, they had the misfortune to be 
driven back into the citadel, whither they were pursued by 
the Romans, who expected to have retaken that important 
post; but the enemy, rolling down great stones from the top 
of the hill, wounded Romulus on the head, so that he was 
carried insensible out of the field of battle, while, in the 
mean time, his troops were repulsed, and pursued to the very 
gates of Rome. However, the king soon recovering himselt, 
encouraged his routed troops, and drove the enemy back 
into the citadel. But while the two nations were thus fiercely 
contending, the women, for whose cause the war had been 
commenced, undertook the office of mediators; and having- 
obtained leave from the senate, marched in a body to the 
camp of the Sabines, where they pleaded the cause of their 
husbands so effectually, that a treaty of union between the 
two nations was set on foot, and a peace was at last conclu¬ 
ded on the following terms. 1. That the two kings should 
reside and reign jointly at Rome. 2. That the city should 
still, from Romulus, be called Rome; but the inhabitants 
quirites, a name till then peculiar to the Sabines. 3. That 
the two nations should become one ; and that the Sabines 
should be made free in Rome, and enjoy all the privileges 
of Roman citizens. As Rome was chiefly indebted for this 
increase of her power and splendour to the Sabine women, 
honourable privileges and marks of distinction were allowed 
them. Every one was commanded to give way to them 
when they passed along the streets: in capital causes they 
were exempted from the jurisdiction of the ordinary judges; 
and their children were distinguished by a golden ball 
hanging from their necks, and a particular kind of robe 
called praetexta. There is nothing more probable than 
that this story of Tarpeia was feigned to excuse the defeat 
of the Romans. 
The two kings reigned with great harmony for the space of 
five years; during which time the only military exploit they 
accomplished was the reduction of the city of Cameria, at 
a small distance from Rome. Four thousand of the Came- 
rini were transplanted to Rome, and a Roman colony sent 
to repeople Cameria; soon after which, the Sabine king 
was murdered by the Lavinians, on account of his granting 
protection to some of his friends who had ravaged then- 
territories. The Lavinians, fearing the resentment of Ro¬ 
mulus, delivered up the assassins into his hands; but he sent 
them back unpunished, which gave occasion to suspect that 
he was not displeased with the death of his colleague. 
Soon after the death of Tatius, Rome was afflicted with 
famine and pestilence, which encouraged the Camerini to 
revolt; but Romulus marching against them suddenly, 
defeated them with the loss of 6000 men. After which he 
attacked the Fidenates, whose city stood about five miles 
from Rome, took their capital, and made it a Roman colony. 
This drew upon him the resentment of the Veientes, a power¬ 
ful nation in the neighbourhood, who claimed Fidenae as 
within their jurisdiction; but their forces being defeated in 
two engagements, and a great number of them taken 
prisoners, they were obliged to sue for peace. Romulus 
granted them a truce for 100 years, on condition that they 
delivered to him seven small towns on the Tiber,-together 
with some salt-pits near the mouth of that river, and sent • 
50 of their chief citizens as hostages to Rome. The prisoners 
taken in this war were all sold for slaves. 
The remaining part of the life of Romulus was spent 
in making laws for the good of his people; but towards 
the latter end of his reign, being elated with success, he 
began to enlarge the bounds formerly set to his prero- " 
gative, and to behave in an arbitrary manner. He paid no 
longer any regard'to the voice of the senate, but assembled 
them only for form’s sake to ratify his commands. The 
senate therefore conspired to destroy him, and accomplished 
their purpose while he was reviewing his troops. A violent 
3 K storm 
