romulus-第3章

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！


centre；　they　described　the　city　in　a　circle　round　it。　Then　the　founder
fitted　to　a　plough　a　brazen　ploughshare；　and；　yoking　together　a　bull
and　a　cow；　drove　himself　a　deep　line　or　furrow　round　the　bounds；　while
the　business　of　those　that　followed　after　was　to　see　that　whatever
earth　was　thrown　up　should　be　turned　all　inwards　towards　the　city；　and
not　to　let　any　clod　lie　outside。　With　this　line　they　described　the
wall；　and　called　it；　by　a　contraction；　Pomoerium；　that　is；
postmurum；　after　or　beside　the　wall；　and　where　they　designed　to　make　a
gate；　there　they　took　out　the　share；　carried　the　plough　over；　and　left
a　space；　for　which　reason　they　consider　the　whole　wall　as　holy；　except
where　the　gates　are；　for　had　they　adjudged　them　also　sacred；　they
could　not；　without　offence　to　religion；　have　given　free　ingress　and
egress　for　the　necessaries　of　human　life；　some　of　which　are　in
themselves　unclean。
　　As　for　the　day　they　began　to　build　the　city；　it　is　universally
agreed　to　have　been　the　twenty…first　of　April；　and　that　day　the　Romans
annually　keep　holy；　calling　it　their　country's　birthday。　At　first；
they　say；　they　sacrificed　no　living　creature　on　this　day；　thinking
it　fit　to　preserve　the　feast　of　their　country's　birthday　pure　and
without　stain　of　blood。　Yet　before　ever　the　city　was　built；　there
was　a　feast　of　herdsmen　and　shepherds　kept　on　this　day；　which　went
by　the　name　of　Palilia。　The　Roman　and　Greek　months　have　now　little
or　no　agreement；　they　say；　however；　the　day　on　which　Romulus　began
to　build　was　quite　certainly　the　thirtieth　of　the　month；　at　which　time
there　was　an　eclipse　of　the　sun　which　they　conceived　to　be　that　seen
by　Antimachus；　the　Teian　poet；　in　the　third　year　of　the　sixth
Olympiad。　In　the　times　of　Varro　the　philosopher；　a　man　deeply　read
in　Roman　history；　lived　one　Tarrutius；　his　familiar　acquaintance；　a
good　philosopher　and　mathematician；　and　one；　too；　that　out　of
curiosity　had　studied　the　way　of　drawing　schemes　and　tables；　and　was
thought　to　be　a　proficient　in　the　art；　to　him　Varro　propounded　to　cast
Romulus's　nativity；　even　to　the　first　day　and　hour；　making　his
deductions　from　the　several　events　of　the　man's　life　which　he　should
be　informed　of；　exactly　as　in　working　back　a　geometrical　problem；
for　it　belonged；　he　said；　to　the　same　science　both　to　foretell　a　man's
life　by　knowing　the　time　of　his　birth；　and　also　to　find　out　his
birth　by　the　knowledge　of　his　life。　This　task　Tarrutius　undertook；　and
first　looking　into　the　actions　and　casualties　of　the　man；　together
with　the　time　of　his　life　and　manner　of　his　death；　and　then
comparing　all　these　remarks　together；　he　very　confidently　and
positively　pronounced　that　Romulus　was　conceived　in　his　mother's
womb　the　first　year　of　the　second　Olympiad；　the　twenty…third　day　of
the　month　the　Aegyptians　call　Choeac；　and　the　third　hour　after　sunset；
at　which　time　there　was　a　total　eclipse　of　the　sun；　that　he　was　born
the　twenty…first　day　of　the　month　Thoth；　about　sunrising；　and　that　the
first　stone　of　Rome　was　laid　by　him　the　ninth　day　of　the　month
Pharmuthi；　between　the　second　and　third　hour。　For　the　fortunes　of
cities　as　well　as　of　men；　they　think；　have　their　certain　periods　of
time　prefixed；　which　may　be　collected　and　foreknown　from　the
position　of　the　stars　at　their　first　foundation。　But　these　and　the
like　relations　may　perhaps　not　so　much　take　and　delight　the　reader
with　their　novelty　and　curiosity；　as　offend　him　by　their　extravagance。
　　The　city　now　being　built；　Romulus　enlisted　all　that　were　of　age　to
bear　arms　into　military　companies；　each　company　consisting　of　three
thousand　footmen　and　three　hundred　horse。　These　companies　were
called　legions；　because　they　were　the　choicest　and　most　select　of
the　people　for　fighting　men。　The　rest　of　the　multitude　he　called　the
people；　an　hundred　of　the　most　eminent　he　chose　for　counsellors；　these
he　styled　patricians；　and　their　assembly　the　senate；　which　signifies　a
council　of　elders。　The　patricians；　some　say；　were　so　called　because
they　were　the　fathers　of　lawful　children；　others；　because　they　could
give　a　good　account　who　their　own　fathers　were；　which　not　every　one　of
the　rabble　that　poured　into　the　city　at　first　could　do；　others；　from
patronage；　their　word　for　protection　of　inferiors；　the　origin　of　which
they　attribute　to　Patron；　one　of　those　that　came　over　with　Evander；
who　was　a　great　protector　and　defender　of　the　weak　and　needy。　But
perhaps　the　most　probable　judgment　might　be；　that　Romulus；　esteeming
it　the　duty　of　the　chiefest　and　wealthiest　men；　with　a　fatherly　care
and　concern　to　look　after　the　meaner；　and　also　encouraging　the
commonalty　not　to　dread　or　be　aggrieved　at　the　honours　of　their
superiors；　but　to　love　and　respect　them；　and　to　think　and　call　them
their　fathers；　might　from　hence　give　them　the　name　of　patricians。
For　at　this　very　time　all　foreigners　give　senators　the　style　of　lords；
but　the　Romans；　making　use　of　a　more　honourable　and　less　invidious
name；　call　them　Patres　Conscripti；　at　first；　indeed；　simply　Patres；
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