the wickedness which his brother had wrought against him, and how his
grandsons had been born and bred and made known to him, and then, in
order, how the tyrant had been slain, himself having counselled the
deed. When he had so spoken the young men came with their company into
the midst of the assembly, and saluted him as King; to which then the
whole multitude agreeing with one consent, Numitor was established upon
the throne.
After this Romulus and his brother conceived this purpose, that, leaving
their grandfather to be king at Alba, they should build for themselves a
new city in the place where, having been at the first left to die, they
had been brought up by Faustulus the shepherd. And to this purpose
many agreed both of the men of Alba and of the Latins, and also of the
shepherds that had followed them from the first, holding it for
certain all of them that Alba and Lavinium would be of small account in
comparison of this new city which they should build together. But while
the brothers were busy with these things, there sprang up afresh the
same evil thing which had before wrought such trouble in their house,
even the lust of power. For though the beginnings of the strife between
them were peaceful, yet did it end in great wickedness. The matter fell
out in this wise. Seeing that the brothers were twins, and that neither
could claim to have the preference to the other in respect of his age,
it was agreed between them that the gods that were the guardians of that
country should make known by means of augury which of the two they chose
to give his name to the new city. Then Romulus stood on the Palatine
hill, and when there had been marked out for him a certain region of
the sky, watched therein for a sign; and Remus watched in like manner,
standing on the Aventine. And to Remus first came a sign, six vultures;
but so soon as the sign had been proclaimed there came another to
Romulus, even twelve vultures. Then they that favoured Remus clamoured
that the gods had chosen him for King, because he had first seen
the birds; and they that favoured Romulus answered that he was to be
preferred because he had seen more in number. This dispute waxed so hot
that they fell to fighting; and in the fight it chanced that Remus was
slain. But some say that when Romulus had marked out the borders of the
town which he would build, and had caused them to build a wall round it,
Remus leapt over the wall, scorning it because it was mean and low; and
that Romulus slew him, crying out, "Thus shall every man perish that
shall dare to leap over my walls." Only others will have it that though
he perished for this cause Romulus slew him not, but a certain Celer.
This much is certain, that Romulus gained the whole kingdom for himself
and called the city after his own name. And now, having first done
sacrifice to the gods, he called a general assembly of the people, that
he might give them laws, knowing that without laws no city can endure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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