through indolence. He therefore undertook and perfected several public works for the convenience and embellishment of the city'.

7. In his time it was, that the augurs came into a great increase of reputation. He found it his interest to promote the superstition of the people; for this was, in fact, but to increase their obedience. Tan'aquil, his wife, was a great pretender to this art; but Ac'cius Na'vius was the most celebrated adept of the kind ever known in Rome. 8. Upon a certain occasion, Tarquin being resolved to try the augur's skill, asked him, whether what he was then pondering in his mind could be effected. Na'vius having consulted his auguries, boldly affirmed that it might. "Why then," cries the king, with an insulting smile, "I had thought of cutting this whetsone with a razor." "Cut boldly," replied the augur; and the king cut it through accordingly. Thenceforward nothing was undertaken in Rome without consulting the augurs, and obtaining their advice and approbation.

9. Tarquin was not content with a kingdom, without having also the ensigns of royalty. In imitation of the Lydian kings, he assumed a crown of gold, an ivory throne, a sceptre with an eagle on the top, and robes of purple. It was, perhaps, the splendour of these royalties that first

1 Preparations for building the Capitol were made in this reign. The city was likewise fortified with stone walls, and the cloaca, or common sewers, constructed by the munificence of this prince. (See Introd.)

2 Tarquin, finding the number of horse appointed by Romulus too small, so that he was frequently prevented from pursuing a victory when gained, resolved to add some new bodies of knights to those of the first institution; but in this he was opposed by Nævius, who affirmed that the original number had been fixed by auguries. To bring these auguries therefore into contempt, Tar'quin made the experiment related in the text. This event, however, though attested by all the writers of Roman history, bears evident marks of a fabulous origin. Even Cicero, himself an augur, says to his brother Quintus, "Look with contempt, on the razor and flint of the famous Accius; when we reason as philosophers, we must lay no stress on fables." (Cic. 1. i. de Div.)

3 These ensigns of royalty were sent him by the Sabines, as tokens of submission.

raised the envy of the late king's sons, who had now, for above thirty-seven years, quietly submitted to his government. His design also of adopting Servius Tullius, his son-in-law, for his successor, might have contributed to inflame their resentment. 10. Whatever was the cause of their tardy vengeance, they resolved to destroy him; and at last, found means to effect their purpose, by hiring two ruffians, who demanding to speak with the king, pretending that they came for justice, struck him dead in his palace, with the blow of an axe. The lictors, however, who waited upon the person of the king, seized the murderers as they were attempting to escape, and put them to death: but the sons of Ancus, who were the instigators, found safety in flight 1.

11. Thus fell Lu'cius Tarquin'ius, surnamed Pris'cus, to distinguish him from one of his successors of the same name. He was eighty years of age, and had reigned thirty-eight years 2.

Questions for Examination.

1. Who was Lucius Tarquinius Priscus ?

2. What occasioned his removal to Rome, and what circumstances attended it?

3. Was this presage fulfilled, and by what means?

1 They had before attempted to render the king detestable in the eyes of his subjects, by imputing to him the murder of Nævius, who had suddenly disappeared. As this calumny failed of its intended effect, they were pardoned by Tarquin; but this clemency by no means lessened their inveterate hatred, nor rendered them less anxious to effect his destruction.

2 The history of the elder Tarquin presents insuperable difficulties. We are told that his original name was Lu'cumo, but that, as has been mentioned in the Introduction, was the Etrurian designation of a chief magistrate. One circumstance, however, is unquestionable, that with him began the greatness and the splendour of the Roman city. He commenced those vaulted sewers which still attract the admiration of posterity, he erected the first circus for the exhibition of public spectacles, he planned the Capitol, and commenced, if he did not complete, the first city wall. The tradition that he was a Tuscan prince appears to be well founded; but the Corinthian origin of his

4. In what manner did he govern?

5. Was Tarquin a warlike prince ?

6. How did he improve his victories?

7. By what act did he ensure the obedience of his subjects?

8. What contributed to increase the reputation of the augurs?

9. What part of his conduct is supposed to have raised the envy of the late king's sons?

10. What was the consequence of this envy and resentment? 11. What was his age, and how long did he reign?

CHAPTER VII.

FROM THE DEATH OF TARQUINIUS PRISCUS TO THE DEATH OF SERVIUS TULLIUS, THE SIXTH KING OF ROME.-U.c. 176.

Servius, the king, who laid the solid base

On which o'er earth the vast republic spread.-THOMSON.

2. Dissimula'tion, s. the act of putting on a false appearance, in order to conceal one's intention or endea

vour.

3. Sack'ing, part. the taking of a town by storm, and delivering it up to be plundered by the soldiers.

7. Lustrum, s. a space of five years.

10. Sympathetic, a. having mutual sensation.

11. Ille'gal, a. unlawful.

1. THE report of the murder of Tarquin filled all his subjects with complaint and indignation; while the citizens ran from every quarter to the palace, to learn the truth of the account, or to take vengeance on the assassins. 2. In this tumult, Tan'aquil, widow of the late king, considering the danger she must incur, in case the conspirators should succeed to the crown, and desirous of seeing her son-inlaw his successor, with great art dissembled her sorrow, as well as the king's death. She assured the people, from one of the windows of the palace, that he was not killed, but only stunned by the blow; that he would shortly recover; and that in the meantime he had deputed his power to Servius Tullius, his son-in-law. Servius accordingly, as it had been agreed upon between them, issued from the palace, adorned with the ensigns of royalty, and,

preceded by his lictors, went to dispatch some affairs that related to the public safety; still pretending that he took all his instructions from the king. This scene of dissimulation continued for some days, till he had made his party good among the nobles; when, the death of Tarquin being publicly ascertained, Servius came to the crown, solely at the senate's appointment, and without attempting to gain the suffrages of the people 1.

3. Servius was the son of a bondwoman, who had been taken at the sacking of a town' belonging to the Latins, and was born whilst his mother was a slave. While yet an infant in his cradle, a lambent flame 3 is said to have played round his head, which Tan'aquil converted into an omen of future greatness.

4. Upon being acknowledged king, he determined to make a great change in the Roman constitution by admitting the plebeians to a participation in the civil government. The senate was too weak to resist the change when it was proposed, but it submitted with great reluctance. 5. Servius divided all the Romans into classes and centuries, according to their wealth and the amount of taxes paid to the state. The number of centuries in the first class nearly equalled that of all the others; a great advantage to the plebeians, for the lower classes being chiefly clients of the patricians, were always inclined to vote according to the prejudices or interests of their patrons. 6. The classification by centuries was also used for military purposes, the heavy armed infantry being selected from the richer classes; the light troops, whose arms and armour could be obtained at less expense, were levied among the lower centuries.

1 Diony'sius Halicarnas'sus tells us, that he assumed the sovereignty, without waiting for the suffrages, either of the senate or people.

Cornic'ulum. (Dion. Hal.) His father is said to have been one Tul'lius, an officer of royal extraction, who was killed in the defence of his country. The name of his mother was Ocrisia. (Ibid.)

3 A flame of fire gliding about without doing any harm.

7. In order to ascertain the increase or decay of his subjects, and their fortunes, he instituted another regulation, which he called a lustrum. By this, all the citizens were to assemble in the Cam'pus Martius', in complete armour, and in their respective classes, once in five years, and there to give an exact account of their families and fortune.

The ceremonies concluded with a sacrifice called the Su-ove-taurilia, so called because a sow (sus) a sheep (ovis) and a bull (taurus) were sacrificed to the La'res, or tutelary deities of social and domestic life.

8. Having enjoyed a long reign, spent in settling the domestic policy of the state, and also not inattentive to foreign concerns, he conceived reasonable hopes of concluding it with tranquillity and ease". He even had thoughts of laying down his power; and, having formed the kingdom into a republic, to retire into obscurity; but

1 A large plain at Rome, without the walls of the city, where the Roman youth performed their exercises. Cam'pus is the Latin word for field; and this field or plain was called Mar'tius, because it was dedicated to Mars, the god of war.

2 Though no mention is made in the text of his military exploits, he performed some worthy of record. The Etrurians, encouraged by his pacific disposition, revolted; but Ser'vius taking the field, quickly subdued them anew, and divided their lands among the Roman citizens. For this victory he enjoyed the honours of a splendid triumph. Still restless, the Etru'rians revolted a second and a third time, and a second and a third time Ser/vius triumphed on their reduction. (Dion. Hal.)