Our Youths' Department.

THE HISTORY OF ROME.

NUMA POMPILIUS.-TULLUS HOSTILIUS.-ANCUS MARCIUS. (A.U. 38-138; B.C. 716-616.)

Chapter JV.

1. Interregnum-Choice of a King.-2. Character of Numa Pompilius-Measures in Favour of Religion and Peace-Division of Lands-Terminus-Encouragement of Agriculture-Grouping of the People.-3. Reformation of the CalendarPontifex Maximus-Flamens - Augurs - Vestals - Salii - Egeria-Picus and Faunus-Egeria and the Banquet.-4. Numa's Death.-5. Tullus HostiliusHis Character.-6. Dispute with Alba-War-C. Cluilius-Mettius Fuffetius7. Combat of the Horatii and Curiatii-Roman Success.-8. Meeting of Horatius and his Sister-Her Death-His Trial.-9. Revolt of Fidena-Alban Treachery --Roman Victory-Punishment of Mettius-Destruction of Alba.-10. War with Sabines-Latter Days and Death of Tullus.-11. Ancus Marcius-His care for Religion- War with Latins -Ostia.-12. The Janiculum-Fossa QuiritiumDeath of Ancus.

1. NUMA (B.C. 716-672). The senators were not anxious to choose a king in the place of Romulus, but divided themselves into parties of ten (decuries), and agreed that each party should rule in turn for five days. This government, called an Interregnum, lasted for a whole year, till the people grew discontented and loudly demanded a king. The demand was reasonable, the people were resolute, and the Senate yielded; but then there was a dispute as to whether the followers of Romulus or of T. Tatius should give a king to the united peoples. The Romans had built the city, and shared its possessions and privileges with the subjects of Tatius; but the Sabines had joined the people of Romulus as equals, had obeyed that king after the death of their own, and now claimed the right in their turn to select the next monarch. It was at length settled that one people should choose a king from the other, and the Romans chose Numa Pompilius of Cures (B.C. 715).

2. Numa was a Sabine, famed for his learning and piety, and loved by all for his justice and purity. King Tatius had bestowed on him his only daughter, and Pythagoras, the celebrated Grecian sage, was believed to have taught him wisdom. All parties were delighted to have such a man for king, but Numa would not accept the honour

till by augury he had consulted the gods, and found it to be their will that he should ascend the throne. Nor was he less mindful, when he became a sovereign, of religion and justice. Through his whole reign he feared the gods, and strove to soften the rudeness and to subdue the fierceness of the rabble that had followed Romulus, by mixing religious ceremonies with their social festivities. He made peace with the neighbouring States, and during the whole of his reign the Temple of Janus was never once opened, for there was no war. He built a Temple to Faith, and ordered his subjects to worship her, that they might learn to speak the truth, keep their word, and in all things act uprightly; and such was his success, that not only his own people, but all the nations round, began to love peace and justice, and strove to be first only in those pursuits which help to make men wise and happy. Among his own people, Numa divided the lands which Romulus had won in war, and that each might keep his own, every portion was marked out and entrusted to the keeping of Terminus, the god of landmarks, whilst a curse was denounced against any who should dare to move a landmark. By encouraging them to till this land and to gather its fruits, Numa hoped to turn his subjects from violence and war to the quiet pursuits of life. To this end he forbade the shedding of blood on the altars, nor would he allow the use of images of the gods, but taught the people to sacrifice only the fruits of the earth. The city craftsmen, who had no land, he divided into companies, according to their trades or callings, that this bond of union might put an end to the mutual bickerings and jealousies of the Romans and Sabines.

3. The year, as left by Romulus, was divided into ten months, beginning with March, and the number of days in the year was 304. This agreed neither with the course of the sun nor of the moon. The lunar Greek year consisted of 354 days. This year Numa adopted, but raised the number of days to 355 from some fondness for odd numbers, and to make the months correspond he added January and February. Numa's lunar year was then made to harmonize with the solar one of 365 days, by the insertion of an intercalary month every other year, which became the cause of much confusion for several centuries. This king is also said to have marked out the days which should be held sacred to religious purposes, from those on which it was lawful to transact public business. Though Numa performed many sacred rites himself, he knew that all kings would not be so pious, and he therefore appointed various orders of persons to attend regularly to sacred things. All religious institutions, public

and private, he placed under the care of the Chief Pontiff (Pontifex Maximus), to whom he entrusted in writing an entire system of religious rites, with instructions to see that all things relating to the gods-their temples, sacrifices, and sacred days-were properly attended to. He appointed the flamens, or priests, of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus to minister in their temples; the Augurs to find out for the guidance of men the will of Heaven; the Vestal Virgins to tend the sacred, ever-burning fire; and the twelve Salii of Mars Gradivus, who to the honour of the god of arms, sang and danced in armour through the City and kept the sacred shield (ancile), which fell from heaven, and eleven others made exactly like it. These measures Numa believed would please the gods, because in all things he followed the directions of the nymph Egeria, who, it is said, loved him so much as to make him her husband; and who, by the spring in her sacred grove, showed him whatever he ought to do. The groves and fountains of the Aventine, as the story informs us, were much frequented by the gods Picus and Faunus, famed for their feats and skill in magic. By the advice of Egeria, Numa mixed wine and honey with the water in the fountain, from which they used to drink. In this way he caught their godships, bound them in chains and forced them to tell him how he could bring down Jupiter, and get him to declare his will by lightning or by the flight of birds. That no one might doubt that Egeria instructed him, Numa invited many citizens to sup with him: when all were seated, and a homely meal was set before them in the plainest earthern vessels, he told his guests that Egeria was coming to visit him. Then of a sudden the cups and dishes became of gold and precious stones, and delicious meats and drinks in great plenty covered the table. This is very much like a fable.

4. Three-and-forty years Numa reigned in peace, the favourite of men, and, as was thought, of the gods too; but he was above fourscore years old when he died of gentle decay (B.C. 672). He was buried beyond the Tiber, under the hill Janiculum. Close by, but in a separate tomb, were buried his sacred books.

5. TULLUS HOSTILIUS (B.C. 672-640). After another short interreign (Interregnum), the people chose for king, Tullus Hostilius, grandson of one Hostilius, who had come from the Latin city Medullia, and had fought bravely for Romulus against the Sabines. Tullus was more warlike even than Romulus, yet he was a friend of the poor, among whom he divided the royal lands. He fixed his abode on the Cælian Mount, and there he invited the houseless to

settle. But war was his delight, and his restless spirit soon embroiled his people with their kinsmen of Alba.

6. When Caius Cluilius ruled Alba, the peasants of that State and those of Rome sorely wronged and plundered one another. Cluilius sent ambassadors to Rome, and at the same time Tullus sent ambassadors to Alba, to complain of these outrages and to demand satisfaction. Tullus instructed his ambassadors to press their demands without delay, but he cunningly feasted those of Alba, and kept them waiting till he heard that the Albans had rejected his demands. War was then declared, and both sides hastened their preparations. The Albans moved towards Rome, and entrenched their camp within five miles of the City. Here Cluilius died, and the Alb ans made Mettius Fuffetius dictator. During this time, Tullus had passed the enemy's camp, and by marching into the Alban territory, he forced Mettius to quit his entrenchments. The hostile forces faced each other and were ready for battle, when Mettius invited Tullus to meet him between the two armies. There, by showing him how the mutual slaughter of Romans and Albans would only weaken both, and make conquered and conquerors alike an easy prey to the ambitious Tuscans, he persuaded Tullus to agree that a few from each army should fight, and that the people whose champions proved victorious should rule over the other.

7. In each army there were three twin brothers, whose mothers were sisters, and whose age and strength were equal. The Romans were called Horatii; the Albans, Curiatii;* and these were the champions chosen to decide the quarrel, and to secure for their countrymen victory and rule, or defeat and subjection. A solemn treaty bound both peoples to abide by the result, and, at a given signal, the three brothers from each side fell to with their swords in sight of both armies. Hope and dread, and painful expectation riveted the attention of all, till a shout of joy rang through the Alban ranks, and hopeless horror chilled every Roman heart, to see two of the Horatii fall dead, one upon the other. All the Curiatii were wounded. The last, Horatius, was unhurt, and he took to flight. Suddenly turning, he saw his antagonists running after him with unequal speed and at a good distance from each other. Then he fell on the foremost and slew him before his brother could come to his help. The second he despatched in like manner; and the third, wounded, weary with running, and dismayed by the death of his

Livy tells us that it was doubtful whether the Horatii or the Curiatii were the Roman champions. Liv. I. 24.

brothers, was speedily stretched lifeless at the feet of the Roman champion.

8. The Romans returned home, and at their head was Horatius, bearing the spoils of the Curiatii. He was about to enter the city, when, near the Capenian gate, he was met by his sister, who had been betrothed to one of the Curiatii. Seeing on her brother's shoulder a cloak her own hands had wrought for her lover, she tore her hair, and with wild wailings called by name on the fallen champion she had loved. Her tears enraged the victor; he plunged his sword into his sister's heart, and said, "Go hence with thy unseasonable love to thy spouse, and so perish every Roman maiden who shall weep for her country's enemy." Everybody was horror-stricken. Horatius was tried and condemned to be scourged, and with his head covered to be hanged with a rope from the accursed tree. By the king's advice he appealed to the people. His father, however, pleaded for him with tears, and the Roman people, unwilling to hang the champion who had just won for them so signal a victory, set him free, and furnished money for sacrifices to atone for the pollution of blood.

9. Eager to get back their independence, the Albans stirred up the Fidenates to throw off the yoke of Rome. The people of Veii helped those of Fidenæ, and the Albans were called upon to aid the Romans. Crossing the Anio, Tullus pitched his camp at the confluence of that river with the Tiber. Mettius Tuffetius, meaning to betray the Romans, quietly drew off the Albans and watched the fight from a neighbouring hill. The Fidenates were put to flight, and the Veientines were driven in great numbers into the river. Then Mettius led down his force to congratulate Tullus on his victory and was civilly received. But when, according to orders, the Albans without their arms met the King on the morrow, they were quietly surrounded by the Roman soldiers. For his treachery Mettius was seized and bound between two chariots, one of which was driven towards Rome, the other towards Fidene, and the traitor's limbs were torn asunder. The city of Alba, excepting its temples, was reduced to ruins, and the people, led away to Rome, were settled on the Cælian Hill, which was now added to the city. The destruction of Alba doubled the power and population of Rome.

10. With his forces increased, Tullus successfully made war on the Sabines, next to the Etruscans the most powerful nation of Italy. Rome was now famous and flourishing. Tullus had nothing to fear from men, but he had neglected the worship of the gods. A shower