romulus-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


little　else　to　do；　proposed　to　his　deity　a　game　at　dice；　laying　down
that；　if　he　himself　won；　he　would　have　something　valuable　of　the
god；　but　if　he　were　beaten；　he　would　spread　him　a　noble　table；　and
procure　him　a　fair　lady's　company。　Upon　these　terms；　throwing　first
for　the　god　and　then　for　himself；　he　found　himself　beaten。　Wishing
to　pay　his　stakes　honourably；　and　holding　himself　bound　by　what　he　had
said；　he　both　provided　the　diety　a　good　supper；　and　giving　money　to
Larentia；　then　in　her　beauty；　though　not　publicly　known；　gave　her　a
feast　in　the　temple；　where　he　had　also　laid　a　bed；　and　after　supper
locked　her　in；　as　if　the　god　were　really　to　come　to　her。　And　indeed；
it　is　said；　the　deity　did　truly　visit　her；　and　commanded　her　in　the
morning　to　walk　to　the　marketplace；　and；　whatever　man　she　met　first；
to　salute　him；　and　make　him　her　friend。　She　met　one　named　Tarrutius；
who　was　a　man　advanced　in　years；　fairly　rich；　without　children；　and
had　always　lived　a　single　life。　He　received　Larentia；　and　loved　her
well；　and　at　his　death　left　her　sole　heir　of　all　his　large　and　fair
possessions；　most　of　which　she；　in　her　last　will　and　testament；
bequeathed　to　the　people。　It　was　reported　of　her；　being　now　celebrated
and　esteemed　the　mistress　of　a　god；　that　she　suddenly　disappeared　near
the　place　where　the　first　Larentia　lay　buried；　the　spot　is　at　this　day
called　Velabrum；　because；　the　river　frequently　overflowing；　they
went　over　in　ferry…boats　somewhere　hereabouts　to　the　forum；　the
Latin　word　for　ferrying　being　velatura。　Others　derive　the　name　from
velum；　a　sail；　because　the　exhibitors　of　public　shows　used　to　hang　the
road　that　leads　from　the　forum　to　the　Circus　Maximus　with　sails；
beginning　at　this　spot。　Upon　these　accounts　the　second　Larentia　is
honoured　at　Rome。
　　Meantime　Faustulus；　Amulius's　swineherd；　brought　up　the　children
without　any　man's　knowledge；　or；　as　those　say　who　wish　to　keep
closer　to　probabilities；　with　the　knowledge　and　secret　assistance　of
Numitor；　for　it　is　said；　they　went　to　school　at　Gabii；　and　were　well
instructed　in　letters；　and　other　accomplishments　befitting　their
birth。　And　they　were　called　Romulus　and　Remus　（from　ruma；　the　dug）；　as
we　had　before；　because　they　were　found　sucking　the　wolf。　In　their　very
infancy；　the　size　and　beauty　of　their　bodies　intimated　their　natural
superiority；　and　when　they　grew　up；　they　both　proved　brave　and
manly；　attempting　all　enterprises　that　seemed　hazardous；　and　showing
in　them　a　courage　altogether　undaunted。　But　Romulus　seemed　rather　to
act　by　counsel；　and　to　show　the　sagacity　of　a　statesman；　and　in　all
his　dealings　with　their　neighbours；　whether　relating　to　feeding　of
flocks　or　to　hunting；　gave　the　idea　of　being　born　rather　to　rule
than　to　obey。　To　their　comrades　and　inferiors　they　were　therefore
dear；　but　the　king's　servants；　his　bailiffs　and　overseers；　as　being　in
nothing　better　than　themselves；　they　despised　and　slighted；　nor　were
the　least　concerned　at　their　commands　and　menaces。　They　used　honest
pastimes　and　liberal　studies；　not　esteeming　sloth　and　idleness
honest　and　liberal；　but　rather　such　exercises　as　hunting　and
running；　repelling　robbers；　taking　of　thieves；　and　delivering　the
wronged　and　oppressed　from　injury。　For　doing　such　things　they　became
famous。
　　A　quarrel　occurring　betwixt　Numitor's　and　Amulius's　cowherds；　the
latter；　not　enduring　the　driving　away　of　their　cattle　by　the　others；
fell　upon　them　and　put　them　to　flight；　and　rescued　the　greatest　part
of　the　prey。　At　which　Numitor　being　highly　incensed；　they　little
regarded　it；　but　collected　and　took　into　their　company　a　number　of
needy　men　and　runaway　slaves；…　acts　which　looked　like　the　first　stages
of　rebellion。　It　so　happened　that　when　Romulus　was　attending　a
sacrifice；　being　fond　of　sacred　rites　and　divination；　Numitor's
herdsmen；　meeting　with　Remus　on　a　journey　with　few　companions；　fell
upon　him；　and　after　some　fighting；　took　him　prisoner；　carried　him
before　Numitor；　and　there　accused　him。　Numitor　would　not　punish　him
himself；　fearing　his　brother's　anger；　but　went　to　Amulius；　and　desired
justice；　as　he　was　Amulius's　brother　and　was　affronted　by　Amulius's
servants。　The　men　of　Alba　likewise　resenting　the　thing；　and　thinking
he　had　been　dishonourably　used；　Amulius　was　induced　to　deliver　Remus
up　into　Numitor's　hands；　to　use　him　as　he　thought　fit。　He　therefore
took　and　carried　him　home；　and；　being　struck　with　admiration　of　the
youth's　person；　in　stature　aid　strength　of　body　exceeding　all　men；　and
perceiving　in　his　very　countenance　the　courage　and　force　of　his
mind；　which　stood　unsubdued　and　unmoved　by　his　present
circumstances；　and　hearing　further　that　all　the　enterprises　and
actions　of　his　life　were　answerable　to　what　he　saw　of　but　chiefly；
as　it　seemed；　a　divine　influence　aiding　and　directing　the　first
steps　that　were　to　lead　to　great　results；　out　of　the　mere　thought　of
his　mind　and　casually；　as　it　were；　he　put　his　hand　upon　the　fact；　and；
in　gentle　terms　and　with　a　kind　aspect；　to　inspire　him　with　confidence
and　hope；　asked　him　who　he　was；　and　whence　he　was　derived。　He；
taking　heart；　spoke　thus：　〃I　will　hide　nothing　from　you；　for　you
seem　to　be　of　a　more　princely　temper　than　Amulius；　in　that　you　give
a　hearing　and　examine　before　you　punish；　while　he　condemns　before
the　cause　is　heard。　Formerly；　then；　we　（for　we　are　twins）　thought
ourselves　the　sons　of　Faustulus　and　Larentia；　the　king's　servants；　but
since　we　have　been　accused　and　aspersed　with　calumnies；　and　brought　in
peril　of　our　lives　here　before　you；　we　hear　great　things　of　ourselves；
the　truth　of　which　my　present　danger　is　likely　to　bring　to　the　test。
Our　birth　is　said　to　have　been　secret；　our　fostering　and　nurture　in
our　infancy　still　more　strange；　by　birds　and　beasts；　to　whom　we　were
cast　out；　we　were　fed；　by　the　milk　of　a　wolf　and　the　morsels　of　a
woodpecker；　as　we　lay　in　a　little　trough　by　the　side　of　the　river。　The
trough　is　still　in　being；　and　is　preserved；　with　brass　plates　round
it；　and　an　inscription　in　letters　almost　effaced；　which　may　prove
hereafter　unavailing　tokens　to　our　parents　when　we　are　dead　and　gone。〃
Numitor；　upon　these　words；　and　computing　the　dates　by　the　young
man's　looks；　slighted　not　the　hope　that　flattered　him；　but
considered　how　to　come　at　his　daughter　privately　（for　she　was　still
kept　under　restraint）；　to　talk　with　her　concerning　these　matters。
　　Faustulus；　hearing　Remus　was　taken　and　delivered　up；　called　on
Romulus　to　assist　in　his　rescue；　informing　him　then　plainly　of　the
particulars　of　his　birth；　not　but　he　had　before　given　hints　of　it；　and
told　as　much　as　an　attentive　man　might　make　no　small　conclusions　from；
he　himself；　full　of　concern　and　fear　of　not　coming　in　time；　took　the
trough；　and　ran　instantly　to　Numitor；　but　giving　a　suspicion　to　some
of　the　king's　sentries　at　his　gate；　and　being　gazed　upon　by　them　and
perplexed　with　their　questions；　he　let　it　be　seen　that　he　was　hiding
the　trough　under　his　cloak。　By　chance　there　was　one　among　them　who　was
at　the　exposing　of　the　children；　and　was　employed　in　the　office；　he；
seeing　the　trough　and　knowing　it　by　its　make　and　inscription；
guessed　at　the　business；　and；　without　further　delay；　telling　the
king　of　it；　brought　in　the　man　to　be　examined。　Faustulus；　hard
beset；　did　not　show　himself　altogether　proof　against　terror；　nor　yet
was　he　wholly　forced　out　of　all；　confessed　indeed　the　children　were
alive；　but　lived；　he　said；　as　shepherds；　a　great　way　from　Alba；　he
himself　was　going　to　carry　the　trough　to　Ilia；　who　had　often　greatly
desired　to　see　and　handle　it；　for　a　confirmation　of　her　hopes　of　her
children。　As　men　generally　do　who　are　troubled　in　mind　and　act
either　in　fear　or　passion；　it　so　fell　out　Amulius　now　did；　for　he　sent
in　haste　as　a　messenger；　a　man；　otherwise　honest；　and　friendly　to
Numitor；　with　commands　to　learn　from　Numitor　whether　any　tidings
were　come　to　him　of　the　children　being　alive。　He；　coming　and　seeing
how　little　Remus　wanted　of　being　received　into　the　arms　and　embraces
of　Numitor；　both　gave　him　surer　confidence　in　his　hope；　and　advised
them；　with　all　expedition；　to　proceed　to　action；　himself　too　joining
and　assisting　them；　and　indeed；　had　they　wish