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How Rome Was Founded
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HOW ROME WAS FOUNDED
[7] VERY far back in time, more than twenty-six hundred
years ago, on the banks of a small Italian river, known
as the Tiber, were laid the foundations of a city which
was in time to become the conqueror of the civilized
world. Of the early days of this renowned city of Rome
we know very little. What is called its history is
really only legend,—stories invented by poets, or
ancient facts which became gradually changed into
romances. The Romans believed them, but that is no
reason why we should. They believed many things which
we doubt. And yet these romantic stories are the only
existing foundation-stones of actual Roman history, and
we can do no better than give them for what little
kernel of fact they may contain.
In our tales from Greek history it has been told how
the city of Troy was destroyed, and how Æneas, one of
its warrior chiefs, escaped. After many adventures this
fugitive Trojan prince reached Italy and founded there
a new kingdom. His son Ascanius afterwards built the
city of Alba Longa (the long white city) not far from
the site of the later city of Rome. Three hundred years
passed away, many kings came and went, and then
Numitor, a
descend- [8] ant of Æneas, came to the throne. But Numitor had an
ambitious brother, Amulius, who robbed him of his
crown, and, while letting him live, killed his only son
and shut up his daughter Silvia in the temple of the
goddess Vesta, to guard the ever-burning fire of that
deity.
Here Silvia had twin sons, whose father was said, in
the old superstitious fashion, to be Mars, the God of
War. The usurper, fearing that these sons of Mars might
grow up and deprive him of his throne, ordered that
they and their mother should be flung into the Tiber,
then swollen with recent rains. The mother was drowned,
but destiny, or Mars, preserved the sons. Borne onward
in their basket cradle, they were at length swept
ashore where the river had overflown its banks at the
foot of the afterwards famous Palatine Hill. Here the
cradle was overturned near the roots of a wild
fig-tree, and the infants left at the edge of the
shallow waters.
What follows sounds still more like fable. A she-wolf
that came to the water to drink chanced to see the
helpless children, and carried them to her cave, where
she fed them with her milk. As they grew older a
woodpecker brought them food, flying in and out of the
cave. At length Faustulus, a herdsman of the king,
found these lusty infants in the wolf's den, took them
home, and gave them to his wife Laurentia to bring up
with her own children. He gave them the names of
Romulus and Remus.
Years went by, and the river waifs grew to be strong,
handsome, and brave young men. They became leaders
among the shepherds and herdsmen,
[9] and helped them to fight the wild animals that troubled
their flocks. Their home was on the Palatine Hill, and
the cattle and sheep for which they cared were those of
the wicked king Amulius. Near by was another hill,
called the Aventine, and on this the deposed king
Numitor fed his flocks. In course of time a quarrel
arose between the herdsmen on the two hills, and
Numitor's men, having laid an ambush, took Remus
prisoner and carried him to Alba, where their master
dwelt. This no sooner became known to Romulus than he
gathered the young men of the Palatine Hill, and set
out in all haste to the rescue of his brother.
Meanwhile, Remus had been taken before Numitor, who
gazed on him with surprise. His face and bearing were
rather those of a prince than of a shepherd, and there
was something in his aspect familiar to the old king.
Numitor questioned him closely, and Remus told him the
story of the river, the wolf, and the herdsman. Numitor
listened intently. The story took him back to the day,
many years before, when his daughter Silvia and her
twin sons had been thrown into the swollen stream.
Could the children have escaped? Could this handsome
youth be his grandson? It must be so, for his age and
his story agreed.
But while they talked, Romulus and his followers
reached the city, and, being forbidden entrance, made
an assault on the gates. In the conflict that ensued
Amulius took part and was killed, and thus Numitor and
his daughter were at last revenged. Seeking Remus, the
victorious shepherd prince found him
[10] with Numitor, who now fully recognized in the twin
youths his long-lost grandsons. Romulus, who was now
master of the city, restored his royal grandfather to
the throne.
As for Romulus and Remus, their life as shepherds was
at an end. It was not for youths of royal blood and
warlike aspirations to spend their lives in keeping
sheep. But Numitor had been restored to the throne of
Alba, and they decided to build a city of their own on
those hills where all their lives had been passed and
on which they preferred to dwell. The land belonged to
Numitor, but he willingly granted it to them, and they
led their followers to the spot.
Here a dispute arose between the brothers. The story
goes that Romulus wished to have the city built on the
Palatine Hill, Remus on the Aventine Hill; and that, as
they could not agree, they referred the matter to their
grandfather, who advised them to settle it by
augury,—or by watching and forming conclusions from the
flight of birds. This long continued the favorite Roman
mode of settling difficult questions. It was easier
than the Greek plan of going to Delphi to consult the
oracle.
The two brothers now stationed themselves on the
opposite hills, each with a portion of their followers,
and waited patiently for what the heavens might send.
The day slowly waned, and they waited in vain. Night
came and deepened, and still their vigil lasted. At
length, just as the sun of a new day rose in the east,
Remus saw a flight of vultures, six in all. He exulted
at the sight, for the vulture, as a
[11] bird which was seldom seen and did no harm to cattle or
crops, was looked upon as an excellent augury. Word of
his success was sent to Romulus, but he capped the
story with a better one, saying that twelve vultures
had just passed over his hill.
The dispute was still open. Remus had seen the birds
first; Romulus had seen the most. Which had won? The
question was offered to the decision of their
followers, the majority of whom raised their voices in
favor of Romulus. The Palatine Hill was therefore
chosen as the city's site. This event took place, so
Roman chronology tells us, in the year 753 B.C.
The day fixed for the beginning of the work on the new
city—the 21st of April—was a day of religious ceremony
and festival among the shepherds. On this day they
offered sacrifices of cakes and milk to their god
Pales, asked for blessings on the flocks and herds, and
implored pardon for all offences against the dryads of
the woods, the nymphs of the streams, and other
deities. They purified themselves by flame and their
flocks by smoke, and afterwards indulged in rustic
feasts and games. This day of religious consecration
was deemed by Romulus the fittest one for the important
ceremony of founding his projected city.
Far back in time as it was when this took place, Italy
seems to have already possessed numerous cities, many
of which were to become enemies of Rome in later days.
The most civilized of the Italian peoples were the
Etruscans, a nation dwelling north of the Tiber, and
whose many cities
dis- [12] played a higher degree of civilization than those around them.
From these the Romans in later days borrowed many of
their religious customs, and to them Romulus sent to
learn what were the proper ceremonies to use in
founding a city.
The ceremonies he used were the following. At the
centre of the chosen area he dug a circular pit through
the soil to the hard clay beneath, and cast into this,
with solemn observances, some of the first fruits of
the season. Each of his men also threw in a handful of
earth brought from his native land. Then the pit was
filled up, an altar erected upon it, and a fire kindled
on the altar. In this way was the city consecrated to
the gods.
Then, having harnessed a cow and a bull of snow-white
color to a plough whose share was made of brass,
Romulus ploughed a furrow along the line of the future
walls. He took care that the earth of the furrow should
fall inward towards the city, and also to lift the
plough and carry it over the places where gates were to
be made. As he ploughed he uttered a prayer to Jupiter,
Mars, Vesta, and other deities, invoking their favor,
and praying that the new city should long endure and
become an all-ruling power upon the earth.
The Romans tell us that his prayer was answered by
Jupiter, who sent thunder from one side of the heavens
and lightning from the other. These omens encouraged
the people, who went cheerfully to the work of building
the walls. But the consecration of the city was not yet
completed. Its walls were to be cemented by noble
blood. There is reason to
[13] believe that in those days the line of a city's walls
was held as sacred, and that it was desecration to
enter the enclosure at any place except those left for
the gates. This may be the reason that Romulus gave
orders to a man named Celer, who had charge of the
building of the walls, not to let any one pass over the
furrow made by the plough. However this be, the story
goes that Remus, who was still angry about his
brother's victory, leaped scornfully over the furrow,
exclaiming, "Shall such defences as these keep your
city?"
Celer, who stood by, stirred to sudden fury by this
disdain, raised the spade with which he had been
working, and struck Remus a blow that laid him dead
upon the ground. Then, fearing vengeance for his hasty
act, he rushed away with such speed that his name has
since been a synonyms for quickness. Our word
"celerity" is derived from it. But Romulus seems to
have borne the infliction with much of that spirit of
fortitude which distinguished the Romans in aftertimes.
At least, the only effect the death of his brother had
upon him, so far as we know, was in the remark, "So let
it happen to all who pass over my walls!" Thus were
consecrated in the blood of a brother the walls of that
city which in later years was to be bathed in the blood
of the brotherhood of mankind, and from which was
destined to outflow a torrent of desolation over the
earth.
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