romulus-第4节

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！


but　afterwards；　more　being　added；　Patres　Conscripti。　By　this　more
imposing　title　he　distinguished　the　senate　from　the　populace；　and　in
other　ways　separated　the　nobles　and　the　commons；　calling　them　patrons；
and　these　their　clients；　by　which　means　he　created　wonderful　love
and　amity　betwixt　them；　productive　of　great　justice　in　their　dealings。
For　they　were　always　their　clients'　counsellors　in　law　cases；　their
advocates　in　courts　of　justice；　in　fine；　their　advisers　and　supporters
in　all　affairs　whatever。　These　again　faithfully　served　their
patrons；　not　only　paying　them　all　respect　and　deference；　but　also；
in　case　of　poverty；　helping　them　to　portion　their　daughters　and　pay
off　their　debts；　and　for　a　patron　to　witness　against　his　client；　or
a　client　against　his　patron；　was　what　no　law　nor　magistrate　could
enforce。　In　aftertimes；　all　other　duties　subsisting　still　between
them；　it　was　thought　mean　and　dishonourable　for　the　better　sort　to
take　money　from　their　inferiors。　And　so　much　of　these　matters。
　　In　the　fourth　month；　after　the　city　was　built；　as　Fabius　writes；　the
adventure　of　stealing　the　women　was　attempted　and　some　say　Romulus
himself；　being　naturally　a　martial　man；　and　predisposed　too；　perhaps
by　certain　oracles；　to　believe　the　fates　had　ordained　the　future
growth　and　greatness　of　Rome　should　depend　upon　the　benefit　of　war；
upon　these　accounts　first　offered　violence　to　the　Sabines；　since　he
took　away　only　thirty　virgins；　more　to　give　an　occasion　of　war　than
out　of　any　want　of　women。　But　this　is　not　very　probable；　it　would　seem
rather　that；　observing　his　city　to　be　filled　by　a　confluence　of
foreigners；　a　few　of　whom　had　wives；　and　that　the　multitude　in
general；　consisting　of　a　mixture　of　mean　and　obscure　men；　fell　under
contempt；　and　seemed　to　be　of　no　long　continuance　together；　and　hoping
farther；　after　the　women　were　appeased；　to　make　this　injury　in　some
measure　an　occasion　of　confederacy　and　mutual　commerce　with　the
Sabines；　he　took　in　hand　this　exploit　after　this　manner。　First；　he
gave　it　out　as　if　he　had　found　an　altar　of　a　certain　god　hid　under
ground；　the　god　they　called　Consus；　either　the　god　of　counsel　（for
they　still　call　a　consultation　consilium；　and　their　chief
magistrates　consules；　namely；　counsellors）；　or　else　the　equestrian
Neptune；　for　the　altar　is　kept　covered　in　the　Circus　Maximus　at　all
other　times；　and　only　at　horse…races　is　exposed　to　public　view；　others
merely　say　that　this　god　had　his　altar　hid　under　ground　because
counsel　ought　to　be　secret　and　concealed。　Upon　discovery　of　this
altar；　Romulus；　by　proclamation；　appointed　a　day　for　a　splendid
sacrifice；　and　for　public　games　and　shows；　to　entertain　all　sorts　of
people：　many　flocked　thither；　and　he　himself　sat　in　front；　amidst
his　nobles　clad　in　purple。　Now　the　signal　for　their　falling　on　was
to　be　whenever　he　rose　and　gathered　up　his　robe　and　threw　it　over
his　body；　his　men　stood　all　ready　armed；　with　their　eyes　intent　upon
him；　and　when　the　sign　was　given；　drawing　their　swords　and　falling
on　with　a　great　shout　they　ravished　away　the　daughters　of　the　Sabines；
they　themselves　flying　without　any　let　or　hindrance。　They　say　there
were　but　thirty　taken；　and　from　them　the　Curiae　or　Fraternities　were
named；　but　Valerius　Antias　says　five　hundred　and　twenty…seven；　Juba；
six　hundred　and　eighty…three　virgins：　which　was　indeed　the　greatest
excuse　Romulus　could　allege；　namely；　that　they　had　taken　no　married
woman；　save　one　only；　Hersilia　by　name；　and　her　too　unknowingly；　which
showed　that　they　did　not　commit　this　rape　wantonly；　but　with　a
design　purely　of　forming　alliance　with　their　neighbours　by　the
greatest　and　surest　bonds。　This　Hersilia　some　say　Hostilius　married；　a
most　eminent　man　among　the　Romans；　others；　Romulus　himself；　and　that
she　bore　two　children　to　him；…　a　daughter；　by　reason　of
primogeniture　called　Prima；　and　one　only　son；　whom；　from　the　great
concourse　of　citizens　to　him　at　that　time；　he　called　Aollius；　but
after　ages　Abillius。　But　Zenodotus　the　Troezenian；　in　giving　this
account；　is　contradicted　by　many。
　　Among　those　who　committed　this　rape　upon　the　virgins；　there　were；
they　say；　as　it　so　then　happened；　some　of　the　meaner　sort　of　men；
who　were　carrying　off　a　damsel；　excelling　all　in　beauty　and　comeliness
and　stature；　whom　when　some　of　superior　rank　that　met　them；
attempted　to　take　away；　they　cried　out　they　were　carrying　her　to
Talasius；　a　young　man；　indeed；　but　brave　and　worthy；　hearing　that；
they　commended　and　applauded　them　loudly；　and　also　some；　turning　back；
accompanied　them　with　good…will　and　pleasure；　shouting　out　the　name　of
Talasus。　Hence　the　Romans　to　this　very　time；　at　their　weddings；　sing
Talasius　for　their　nuptial　word；　as　the　Greeks　do　Hymenaeus；　because
they　say　Talasius　was　very　happy　in　his　marriage。　But　Sextius　Sylla
the　Carthaginian；　a　man　wanting　neither　learning　nor　ingenuity；　told
me　Romulus　gave　this　word　as　a　sign　when　to　begin　the　onset；
everybody；　therefore；　who　made　prize　of　a　maiden；　cried　out；　Talasius；
and　for　that　reason　the　custom　continues　so　now　at　marriages。　But　most
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