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                                    ROMULUS
                          Legendary; 8th Century B。C。

                                  by Plutarch

                           translated by John Dryden




  From whom; and for what reason; the city of Rome; a name so great in
glory; and famous in the mouths of all men; was so first called;
authors do not agree。 Some are of opinion that the Pelasgians;
wandering over the greater part of the habitable world; and subduing
numerous nations; fixed themselves here; and; from their own great
strength in war; called the city Rome。 Others; that at the taking of
Troy; some few that escaped and met with shipping; put to sea; and
driven by winds; were carried upon the coasts of Tuscany; and came
to anchor off the mouth of the river Tiber; where their women; out
of heart and weary with the sea; on its being proposed by one of the
highest birth and best understanding amongst them; whose name was
Roma; burnt the ships。 With which act the men at first were angry; but
afterwards; of necessity; seating themselves near Palatium; where
things in a short while succeeded far better than they could hope;
in that they found the country very good; and the people courteous;
they not only did the lady Roma other honours; but added also this; of
calling after her name the city which she had been the occasion of
their founding。 From this; they say; has come down that custom at Rome
for women to salute their kinsmen and husbands with kisses; because
these women; after they had burnt the ships; made use of such
endearments when entreating and pacifying their husbands。
  Some again say that Roma; from whom this city was so called; was
daughter of Italus and Leucaria; or; by another account; of
Telaphus; Hercules's son; and that she was married to Aeneas; or;
according to others again; to Ascanius; Aeneas's son。 Some tell us
that Romanus; the son of Ulysses and Circe; built it; some; Romus; the
son of Emathion; Diomede having sent him from Troy; and others; Romus;
king of the Latins; after driving out the Tyrrhenians; who had come
from Thessaly into Lydia; and from thence into Italy。 Those very
authors; too; who; in accordance with the safest account; make Romulus
give the name of the city; yet differ concerning his birth and family。
For some say; he was son to Aeneas and Dexithea; daughter of
Phorbas; and was; with his brother Remus; in their infancy; carried
into Italy; and being on the river when the waters came down in a
flood; all the vessels were cast away except only that where the young
children were; which being gently landed on a level bank of the river;
they were both unexpectedly saved; and from them the place was
called Rome。 Some say; Roma; daughter of the Trojan lady above
mentioned; was married to Latinus; Telemachus's son; and became mother
to Romulus; others that Aemilia; daughter of Aeneas and Lavinia; had
him by the god Mars; and others give you mere fables of his origin。
For to Tarchetius; they say; king of Alba; who was a most wicked and
cruel man; there appeared in his own house a strange vision; a male
figure that rose out of a hearth; and stayed there for many days。
There was an oracle of Tethys in Tuscany which Tarchetius consulted;
and received an answer that a virgin should give herself to the
apparition; and that a son should be born of her; highly renowned;
eminent for valour; good fortune; and strength of body。 Tarchetius
told the prophecy to one of his own daughters; and commanded her to do
this thing; which she avoiding as an indignity; sent her handmaid。
Tarchetius; hearing this; in great anger imprisoned them both;
purposing to put them to death; but being deterred from murder by
the goddess Vesta in a dream; enjoined them for their punishment the
working a web of cloth; in their chains as they were; which when
they finished; they should be suffered to marry; but whatever they
worked by day; Tarchetius commanded others to unravel in the night。
  In the meantime; the waiting…woman was delivered of two boys; whom
Tarchetius gave into the hands of one Teratius; with command to
destroy them; he; however; carried and laid them by the river side;
where a wolf came and continued to suckle them; while birds of various
sorts brought little morsels of food; which they put into their
mouths; till a cowherd; spying them; was first strangely surprised;
but; venturing to draw nearer; took the children up in his arms。
Thus they were saved; and when they grew up; set upon Tarchetius and
overcame him。 This one Promathion says; who compiled a history of
Italy。
  But the story which is most believed and has the greatest number
of vouchers was first published; in its chief particulars; amongst the
Greeks by Diocles of Peparethus; whom Fabius Pictor also follows in
most points。 Here again there are variations; but in general outline
it runs thus: the kings of Alba reigned in lineal descent from Aeneas;
and the succession devolved at length upon two brothers; Numitor and
Amulius。 Amulius proposed to divide things into two equal shares;
and set as equivalent to the kingdom the treasure and gold that were
brought from Troy。 Numitor chose the kingdom; but Amulius; having
the money; and being able to do more with that than Numitor; took
his kingdom from him with great ease; and; fearing lest his daughter
might have children; made her a Vestal; bound in that condition
forever to live a single and maiden life。 This lady some call Ilia;
others Rhea; and others Silvia; however; not long after; she was;
contrary to the established laws of the Vestals; discovered to be with
child; and should have suffered the most cruel punishment; had not
Antho; the king's daughter; mediated with her father for her;
nevertheless; she was confined; and debarred all company; that she
might not be delivered without the king's knowledge。 In time she
brought forth two boys; of more than human size and beauty; whom
Amulius; becoming yet more alarmed; commanded a servant to take and
cast away; this man some call Faustulus; others say Faustulus was
the man who brought them up。 He put the children; however; in a
small trough; and。 went towards the river with a design to cast them
in; but; seeing the waters much swollen and coming violently down; was
afraid to go nearer; and dropping the children near the bank; went
away。 The river overflowing; the flood at last bore up the trough;
and; gently wafting it; landed them on a smooth piece of ground; which
they now called Cermanus; formerly Germanus; perhaps from Germani with
signifies brothers。
  Near this place grew a wild fig…tree; which they called Ruminalis;
either from Romulus (as it is vulgarly thought); or from ruminating;
because cattle did usually in the heat of the day seek cover under it;
and there chew the cud; or; better; from the suckling of these
children there; for the ancients called the dug or teat of any
creature ruma; and there is a tutelar goddess of the rearing of
children whom they still call Rumilia; in sacrificing to whom they use
no wine; but make libations of milk。 While the infants lay here;
history tells us; a she…wolf nursed them; and a woodpecker
constantly fed and watched them; these creatures are esteemed holy
to the god Mars; the woodpecker the Latins still especially worship
and honour。 Which things; as much as any; gave credit to what the
mother of the children said; that their father was the god Mars;
though some say that it was a mistake put upon her by Amulius; who
himself had come to her dressed up in armour。
  Others think that the first rise of this fable came from the
children's nurse; through the ambiguity of her name; for the Latins
not only called wolves lupoe; but also women of loose life; and such
an one was the wife of Faustulus; who nurtured these children; Acca
Larentia by name。 To her the Romans offer sacrifices; and in the month
of April the priest of Mars makes libations there; it is called the
Larentian Feast。 They honour also another Larentia; for the
following reason: the keeper of Hercules's temple having; it seems;
little else to do; proposed to his deity a game at dice; laying down
that; if he himself won; he 

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