horse taking fright at the din of his pursuers, threw himself into a
lake; and this circumstance drew the attention of the Sabines at the
risk of so important a person. He, however, his own party beckoning and
calling to him, acquires new courage from the affection of his many
friends, and makes his escape. The Romans and Sabines renew the battle
in the valley between the hills; but Roman prowess had the advantage.
13. At this juncture the Sabine women, from the outrage on whom the war
originated, with hair dishevelled and garments rent, the timidity of
their sex being overcome by such dreadful scenes, had the courage to
throw themselves amid the flying weapons, and making a rush across, to
part the incensed armies, and assuage their fury; imploring their
fathers on the one side, their husbands on the other, "that as
fathers-in-law and sons-in-law they would not contaminate each other
with impious blood, nor stain their offspring with parricide, the one
[19]their grandchildren, the other their children. If you are
dissatisfied with the affinity between you, if with our marriages, turn
your resentment against us; we are the cause of war, we of wounds and of
bloodshed to our husbands and parents. It were better that we perish
than live widowed or fatherless without one or other of you." The
circumstance affects both the multitude and the leaders. Silence and a
sudden suspension ensue. Upon this the leaders come forward in order to
concert a treaty, and they not only conclude a peace, but form one state
out of two. They associate the regal power, and transfer the entire
sovereignty to Rome. The city being thus doubled, that some compliment
might be paid to the Sabines, they were called Quirites, from Cures. As
a memorial of this battle, they called the place where the horse, after
getting out of the deep marsh, first set Curtius in shallow water, the
Curtian Lake. This happy peace following suddenly a war so distressing,
rendered the Sabine women still dearer to their husbands and parents,
and above all to Romulus himself. Accordingly, when he divided the
people into thirty curiæ, he called the curiæ by their names. Since,
without doubt, the number of the Sabine women was considerably greater
than this, it is not recorded whether those who were to give their names
to the curiæ were selected on account of their age, or their own or
their husbands' rank, or by lot. At the same time three centuries of
knights were enrolled, called Ramnenses, from Romulus; Tatienses, from
Titus Tatius. The reason of the name and origin of the Luceres is
uncertain.
[Footnote 19: _Nepotum et liberûm progeniem_ = Nepotes et
liberos,--??e? ??a??? = ?? ??a???.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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