romulus-第5章

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are　of　opinion　（of　whom　Juba　particularly　is　one）　that　this　word　was
used　to　new…married　women　by　way　of　incitement　to　good　housewifery　and
talasia　（spinning）；　as　we　say　in　Greek；　Greek　words　at　that　time　not
being　as　yet　overpowered　by　Italian。　But　if　this　be　the　case；　and　if
the　Romans　did　at　the　time　use　the　word　talasia　as　we　do；　a　man
might　fancy　a　more　probable　reason　of　the　custom。　For　when　the
Sabines；　after　the　war　against　the　Romans　were　reconciled；
conditions　were　made　concerning　their　women；　that　they　should　be
obliged　to　do　no　other　servile　offices　to　their　husbands　but　what
concerned　spinning；　it　was　customary；　therefore；　ever　after；　at
weddings；　for　those　that　gave　the　bride　or　escorted　her　or　otherwise
were　present；　sportingly　to　say　Talasius；　intimating　that　she　was
henceforth　to　serve　in　spinning　and　no　more。　It　continues　also　a
custom　at　this　very　day　for　the　bride　not　of　herself　to　pass　her
husband's　threshold；　but　to　be　lifted　over；　in　memory　that　the
Sabine　virgins　were　carried　in　by　violence；　and　did　not　go　in　of　their
own　will。　Some　say；　too；　the　custom　of　parting　the　bride's　hair　with
the　head　of　a　spear　was　in　token　their　marriages　began　at　first　by　war
and　acts　of　hostility；　of　which　I　have　spoken　more　fully　in　my　book　of
Questions。
　　This　rape　was　committed　on　the　eighteenth　day　of　the　month　Sextilis；
now　called　August；　on　which　the　solemnities　of　the　Consualia　are　kept。
　　The　Sabines　were　a　numerous　and　martial　people；　but　lived　in
small；　unfortified　villages；　as　it　befitted；　they　thought；　a　colony　of
the　Lacedaemonians　to　be　bold　and　fearless；　nevertheless；　seeing
themselves　bound　by　such　hostages　to　their　good　behaviour；　and　being
solicitous　for　their　daughters；　they　sent　ambassadors　to　Romulus
with　fair　and　equitable　requests；　that　he　would　return　their　young
women　and　recall　that　act　of　violence；　and　afterwards；　by　persuasion
and　lawful　means；　seek　friendly　correspondence　between　both　nations。
Romulus　would　not　part　with　the　young　women；　yet　proposed　to　the
Sabines　to　enter　into　an　alliance　with　them；　upon　which　point　some
consulted　and　demurred　long；　but　Acron；　king　of　the　Ceninenses；　a
man　of　high　spirit　and　a　good　warrior；　who　had　all　along　a　jealousy　of
Romulus's　bold　attempts；　and　considering　particularly；　from　this
exploit　upon　the　women；　that　he　was　growing　formidable　to　all
people；　and　indeed　insufferable；　were　he　not　chastised；　first　rose
up　in　arms；　and　with　a　powerful　army　advanced　against　him。　Romulus
likewise　prepared　to　receive　him；　but　when　they　came　within　sight
and　viewed　each　other；　they　made　a　challenge　to　fight　a　single　duel；
the　armies　standing　by　under　arms；　without　participation。　And　Romulus；
making　a　vow　to　Jupiter；　if　he　should　conquer；　to　carry　himself；　and
dedicate　his　adversary's　armour　to　his　honour；　overcame　him　in　combat；
and　a　battle　ensuing；　routed　his　army　also；　and　then　took　his　city；
but　did　those　he　found　in　it　no　injury；　only　commanded　them　to
demolish　the　place　and　attend　him　to　Rome；　there　to　be　admitted　to　all
the　privileges　of　citizens。　And　indeed　there　was　nothing　did　more
advance　the　greatness　of　Rome；　than　that　she　did　always　unite　and
incorporate　those　whom　she　conquered　into　herself。　Romulus；　that　he
might　perform　his　vow　in　the　most　acceptable　manner　to　Jupiter；　and
withal　make　the　pomp　of　it　delightful　to　the　eye　of　the　city；　cut　down
a　tall　oak　which　he　saw　growing　in　the　camp；　which　he　trimmed　to　the
shape　of　a　trophy；　and　fastened　on　it　Acron's　whole　suit　of　armour
disposed　in　proper　form；　then　he　himself；　girding　his　clothes　about
him；　and　crowning　his　head　with　a　laurel　garland；　his　hair
gracefully　flowing；　carried　the　trophy　resting　erect　upon　his　right
shoulder；　and　so　marched　on；　singing　songs　of　triumph；　and　his　whole
army　following　after；　the　citizens　all　receiving　him　with　acclamations
of　joy　and　wonder。　The　procession　of　this　day　was　the　origin　and　model
of　all　after　triumphs。　This　trophy　was　styled　an　offering　to　Jupiter
Feretrius；　from　ferire；　which　in　Latin　is　to　smite；　for　Romulus　prayed
he　might　smite　and　overthrow　his　enemy；　and　the　spoils　were　called
opima；　or　royal　spoils；　says　Varro；　from　their　richness；　which　the
word　opes　signifies；　though　one　would　more　probably　conjecture　from
opus；　an　act；　for　it　is　only　to　the　general　of　an　army　who　with　his
own　hand　kills　his　enemies'　general　that　this　honour　is　granted　of
offering　the　opima　spolia。　And　three　only　of　the　Roman　captains　have
had　it　conferred　on　them：　first；　Romulus；　upon　killing　Acron　the
Ceninensian；　next；　Cornelius　Cossus；　for　slaying　Tolumnius　the　Tuscan；
and　lastly；　Claudius　Marcellus；　upon　his　conquering　Viridomarus；
king　of　the　Gauls。　The　two　latter；　Cossus　and　Marcellus；　made　their
entries　in　triumphant　chariots；　bearing　their　trophies　themselves；　but
that　Romulus　made　use　of　a　chariot；　Dionysius　is　wrong　in　asserting。
History　says；　Tarquinius；　Damaratus's　son；　was　the　first　that
brought　triumphs　to　this　great　pomp　and　grandeur；　others；　that
Publicola　was　the　first　that　rode　in　triumph。　The　statues　of　Romulus
in　triumph　are；　as　may　be　seen　in　Rome；　all　on　foot。
　　After　the　overthrow　of　the　Ceninensians；　the　other　Sabines　still
protracting　the　time　in　preparations；　the　people　of　Fidenae；
Crustumerium；　and　Antemna　joined　their　forces　against　the　Romans；　they
in　like　manner　were　defeated　in　battle；　and　surrendered　up　to
Romulus　their　cities　to　be　seized；　their　lands　and　territories　to　be
divided；　and　themselves　to　be　transplanted　to　Rome。　All　the　lands
which　Romulus　acquired；　he　distributed　among　the　citizens；　except　only
what　the　parents　of　the　stolen　virgins　had；　these　he　suffered　to
possess　their　own。　The　rest　of　the　Sabines；　enraged　hereat；　choosing
Tatius　their　captain；　marched　straight　against　Rome。　The　city　was
almost　inaccessible；　having　for　its　fortress　that　which　is　now　the
Capitol；　where　a　strong　guard　was　placed；　and　Tarpeius　their
captain；　not　Tarpeia　the　virgin；　as　some　say　who　would　make　Romulus
a　fool。　But　Tarpeia；　daughter　to　the　captain；　coveting　the　golden
bracelets　she　saw　them　wear；　betrayed　the　fort　into　the　Sabines'
hands；　and　asked；　in　reward　of　her　treachery；　the　things　they　wore
on　their　left　arms。　Tatius　conditioning　thus　with　her；　in　the　night
she　opened　one　of　the　gates；　and　received　the　Sabines。　And　truly
Antigonus；　it　would　seem；　was　not　solitary　in　saying　he　loved
betrayers；　but　hated　those　who　had　betrayed；　nor　Caesar；　who　told
Rhymitalces　the　Thracian；　that　he　loved　the　treason；　but　hated　the
traitor；　but　it　is　the　general　feeling　of　all　who　have　occasion　for
wicked　men's　service；　as　people　have　for　the　poison　of　venomous
beasts；　they　are　glad　of　them　while　they　are　of　use；　and　abhor　their
baseness　when　it　is　over。　And　so　then　did　Tatius　behave　towards
Tarpeia；　for　he　commanded　the　Sabines；　in　regard　to　their　contract；
not　to　refuse　her　the　least　part　of　what　they　wore　on　their　left　arms；
and　he　himself　first　took　his　bracelet　off　his　arm；　and　threw　that；
together　with　his　buckler；　at　her；　and　all　the　rest　following；　she；
being　borne　down　and　quite　buried　with　the　multitude　of　gold　and　their
shields；　died　under　the　weight　and　pressure　of　them；　Tarpeius　also
himself；　being　prosecuted　by　Romulus；　was　found　guilty　of　treason；
as　Juba　says　Sulpicius　Galba　relates。　Those　who　write　otherwise
concerning　Tarpeia；　as　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　Tatius；　the　Sabine
captain；　and　being　forcibly　detained　by　Romulus；　acted　and　suffered
thus　by　her　father's　contrivance；　speak　very　absurdly；　of　whom
Antigonus　is　one。　And　Simylus；　the　poet；　who　thinks　Tarpeia　betrayed
the　Capitol；　not　to　the　Sabines；　but　the　Gauls；　having　fallen　in
love　with　their　king；　talks　mere　folly；　saying　thus：…

　　　　　　　　〃Tarpeia　'twas；　who；　dwelling　close　thereby；
　　　　　　　　Laid　open　Rome　unto　the　enemy；
　　　　　　　　She；　for　the　love　of　the　besieging　Gaul；
　　　　　　　　Betrayed　the　city's　strength；　the　Capitol。〃

　　And　a　little　after；　speaking　of　her　death：…

　　　　　　　　〃The　numerous　nations　of　the　Celtic　foe
　　　　　　　　Bore　her　not　living　to　the　banks　of　Po；
　　　　　　　　Their　heavy　shields　upon　the　maid　they　threw；
　　　　　　　　And　with　their　splendid　gifts　entombed　at　once　and　slew。