The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
Children's literature; Mythology, Classical -- Juvenile literature
After this, King Tatius and the Sabines came up against Rome with a great
army. And first of all they gained the citadel by treachery in this
manner. One Tarpeius was governor of the citadel, whose daughter, Tarpeia
by name, going forth from the walls to fetch water for a sacrifice, took
money from the king that she should receive certain of the soldiers
within the citadel; but when they had been so received, the men cast
their shields upon her, slaying her with the weight of them. This they
did either that they might be thought to have taken the place by force,
or that they judged it to be well that no faith should be kept with
traitors. Some also tell this tale, that the Sabines wore great bracelets
of gold on their left arms, and on their left hands fair rings with
precious stones therein, and that when the maiden covenanted with them
that she should have for a reward that which they carried in their left
hands, they cast their shields upon her. And others say that she asked
for their shields, having the purpose to betray them, and for this cause
was slain.
Thus the Sabines had possession of the citadel; and the next day King
Romulus set the battle in array on the plain that lay between the hill of
the Capitol and the hill of the Palatine. And first the Romans were very
eager to recover the citadel, a certain Hostilius being their leader.
But when this man, fighting in the forefront of the battle, was slain,
the Romans turned their backs and fled before the Sabines, even unto the
gate of the Palatine. Then King Romulus (for he himself had been carried
away by the crowd of them that fled) held up his sword and his spear to
the heavens, and cried aloud, “O Jupiter, here in the Palatine didst
thou first, by the tokens which thou sentest me, lay the foundations of
my city. And lo! the Sabines have taken the citadel by wicked craft,
and have crossed the valley, and are come up even hither. But if thou
sufferest them so far, do thou at the least defend this place against
them, and stay this shameful flight of my people. So will I build a
temple for thee in this place, even a temple of Jupiter the Stayer, that
may be a memorial to after generations of how thou didst this day save
this city.” And when he had so spoken, even as though he knew that the
prayer had been heard, he cried, “Ye men of Rome, Jupiter bids you stand
fast in this place and renew the battle.” And when the men of Rome heard
these words, it was as if a voice from heaven had spoken to them, and
they stood fast, and the king himself went forward and stood among the
foremost. Now the leader of the Sabines was one Curtius. This man, as he
drave the Romans before him, cried out to his comrades, “See, we have
conquered these men, false hosts and feeble foes that they are! Surely
now they know that it is one thing to carry off maidens and another to
fight with men.” But whilst he boasted himself thus, King Romulus and
a company of the youth rushed upon him. Now Curtius was fighting on
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