Ennius afterwards invokes a great number of the Gods, and then proceeds to the history of the Alban kings. The dream of the Vestal Virgin Ilia, which announced her pregnancy by Mars, and the foundation of Rome, is related in verses of considerable beauty and smoothness, by Ilia to her sister Eurydice.— “Talia commemorat lacrumans, exterrita somno; ‘Euridica prognata, pater quam noster amavit, Vivens vita meum corpus nunc deserit omne. Nam me visus homo polcer per amœna salicta Et ripas raptare, locosque novos: ita sola Post illa, germana soror, errare videbar; Tardaque vestigare, et quærere, neque posse Corde capessere: semita nulla pedem stabilibat. Exin compellare pater me voce videtur Heis verbis—O gnata, tibi sunt antegerendæ Ærumnæ; post ex fluvio fortuna resistet. Hæc pater ecfatus, germana, repente recessit; Nec sese dedit in conspectum corde cupitus: Quamquam multa manus ad cœli cærula Templa Tendebam lacrumans, et blanda voce vocabam. Vix ægro tum corde meo me somnus reliquit(187).’” In these lines there is considerable elegance and pathos; and the contest which immediately succeeds between Romulus and Remus for the sovereignty of Rome, is as remarkable for dignity and animation: “Curanteis magnâ cum curâ, concupienteis Regnei, dant operam simul auspicio, augurioque: Hinc Remus auspicio se devovet, atque secundam Solus avem servat: at Romolus polcer in alto Quærit Aventino, servans genus altivolantum. Omnis cura vireis, uter esset Endoperator. Exspectant, veluti consol, quom mittere signum Volt, omneis avidei spectant ad carceris oras, Qua mox emittat picteis ex faucibus currus. Sic exspectabat populus, atque ore timebat Rebus, utrei magnei victoria sit data regnei. Interea Sol albus recessit in infera noctis: Exin Candida se radiis dedit icta foras lux: Et simol ex alto longe polcerrima præpes Læva volavit avis: simol aureus exoritur sol. Cedunt ter quatuor de cælo corpora sancta Avium, præpetibus sese, polcreisque loceis dant. Conspicit inde sibei data Romolus esse priora, Auspicio regni stabilita scamna, solumque(188).” The reigns of the kings, and the contests of the republic with the neighbouring states previous to the Punic war, occupy the metrical annals to the end of the sixth book(189), which concludes with the following noble answer of Pyrrhus to the Roman ambassadors, who came to ransom the prisoners taken from them by that prince in battle:— “Nec mî aurum posco, nec mî pretium dederitis; Nec cauponantes bellum, sed belligerantes; Ferro, non auro, vitam cernamus utrique, Vosne velit, an me regnare Hera; quidve ferat sors Virtute experiamur; et hoc simol accipe dictum: Quorum virtutei belli fortuna pepercit, Horumdem me libertatei parcere certum est: Dono ducite, doque volentibus cum magneis Dîs(190).”