第 6 节
作者:一米八      更新:2024-05-15 20:30      字数:9322
  our parents and kindred; but do not rob us of our children and
  husbands。 Make us not; we entreat you; twice captives。〃 Hersilia
  having spoken many such words as these; and the others earnestly
  praying; a truce was made; and the chief officers came to a parley;
  the women; in the meantime; brought and presented their husbands and
  children to their fathers and brothers; gave those that wanted meat
  and drink; and carried the wounded home to be cured; and showed also
  how much they governed within doors; and how indulgent their
  husbands were to them; in demeaning themselves towards them with all
  kindness and respect imaginable。 Upon this; conditions were agreed
  upon; that what women pleased might stay where they were; exempt; as
  aforesaid; from all drudgery and labour but spinning; that the
  Romans and Sabines should inhabit the city together; that the city
  should be called Rome from Romulus; but the Romans; Quirites; from the
  country of Tatius; and that they both should govern and command in
  common。 The place of the ratification is still called Comitium; from
  come to meet。
  The city being thus doubled in number; an hundred of the Sabines
  were elected senators; and the legions were increased to six
  thousand foot and six hundred horse; then they divided the people into
  three tribes: the first; from Romulus; named Ramnenses; the second
  from Tatius; Tatienses; the third Luceres; from the lucus; or grove;
  where the Asylum stood; whither many fled for sanctuary; and were
  received into the city。 And that they were just three; the very name
  of tribe and tribune seems to show; each tribe contained ten curiae;
  or brotherhoods; which; some say; took their names from the Sabine
  women; but that seems to be false; because many had their names from
  various places。 Though it is true; they then constituted many things
  in honour to the women; as to give them the way wherever they met
  them; to speak no ill word in their presence; not to appear naked
  before them; or else be liable to prosecution before the judge; of
  homicide; that their children should wear an ornament about their
  necks called the bulla (because it was like a bubble); and the
  proetexta; a gown edged with purple。
  The princes did not immediately join in council together; but at
  first each met with his own hundred; afterwards all assembled
  together。 Tatius dwelt where now the temple of Moneta stands; and
  Romulus; close by the steps; as they call them; of the Fair Shore;
  near the descent from the Mount Palatine to the Circus Maximus。 There;
  they say; grew the holy cornel tree; of which they report; that
  Romulus once; to try his strength; threw a dart from the Aventine
  Mount; the staff of which was made of cornel; which struck so deep
  into the ground; that no one of many that tried could pluck it up; and
  the soil being fertile; gave nourishment to the wood; which sent forth
  branches; and produced a cornel stock of considerable bigness。 This
  did posterity preserve and worship as one of the most sacred things;
  and therefore walled it about; and if to any one it appeared not green
  nor flourishing; but inclining to pine and wither; he immediately made
  outcry to all he met; and they; like people hearing of a house on
  fire; with one accord would cry for water; and run from all parts with
  buckets full to the place。 But when Caius Caesar; they say; was
  repairing the steps about it; some of the labourers digging too close;
  the roots were destroyed; and the tree withered。
  The Sabines adopted the Roman months; of which whatever is
  remarkable is mentioned in the Life of Numa。 Romulus; on the other
  hand; adopted their long shields; and changed his own armour and
  that of all the Romans; who before wore round targets of the Argive
  pattern。 Feasts and sacrifices they partook of in common; not
  abolishing any which either nation observed before; and instituting
  several new ones; of which one was the Matronalia; instituted in
  honour of the women; for their extinction of the war; likewise the
  Carmentalia。 This Carmenta some think a deity presiding over human
  birth; for which reason she is much honoured by mothers。 Others say
  she was the wife of Evander; the Arcadian; being a prophetess; and
  wont to deliver her oracles in verse; and from carmen; a verse; was
  called Carmenta; her proper name being Nicostrata。 Others more
  probably derive Carmenta from carens mente; or insane; in allusion
  to her prophetic frenzies。 Of the feast of Palilia we have spoken
  before。 The Lupercalia; by the time of its celebration; may seem to be
  a feast of purification; for it is solemnised on the dies nefasti;
  or non…court days; of the month February; which name signifies
  purification; and the very day of the feast was anciently called
  Februata; but its name is equivalent to the Greek Lycaea; and it seems
  thus to be of great antiquity; and brought in by the Arcadians who
  came with Evander。 Yet this is but dubious; for it may come as well
  from the wolf that nursed Romulus; and we see the Luperci; the
  priests; begin their course from the place where they say Romulus
  was exposed。 But the ceremonies performed in it render the origin of
  the thing more difficult to be guessed at; for there are goats killed;
  then; two young noblemen's sons being brought; some are to stain their
  foreheads with the bloody knife; others presently to wipe it off
  with wool dipped in milk; then the young boys must laugh after their
  foreheads are wiped; that done; having cut the goats' skins into
  thongs; they run about naked; only with something about their
  middle; lashing all they meet; and the young wives do not avoid
  their strokes; fancying they will help conception and childbirth。
  Another thing peculiar to this feast is for the Luperci to sacrifice a
  dog。 But; as a certain poet who wrote fabulous explanations of Roman
  customs in elegiac verses; says; that Romulus and Remus; after the
  conquest of Amulius; ran joyfully to the place where the wolf gave
  them suck; and that; in imitation of that; this feast was held; and
  two young noblemen ran…
  〃Striking at all; as when from Alba town;
  With sword in hand; the twins came hurrying down;〃
  and that the bloody knife applied to their foreheads was a sign of the
  danger and bloodshed of that day; the cleansing of them in milk; a
  remembrance of their food and nourishment。 Caius Acilius writes; that;
  before the city was built; the cattle of Romulus and Remus one day
  going astray; they; praying to the god Faunus; ran out to seek them
  naked; wishing not to be troubled with sweat; and that this is why the
  Luperci run naked。 If the sacrifice be by way of purification; a dog
  might very well be sacrificed; for the Greeks; in their illustrations;
  carry out young dogs; and frequently use this ceremony of
  periscylacismus; as they call it。 Or if again it is a sacrifice of
  gratitude to the wolf that nourished and preserved Romulus; there is
  good reason in killing a dog; as being an enemy to wolves。 Unless;
  indeed; after all; the creature is punished for hindering the
  Luperci in their running。
  They say; too; Romulus was the first that consecrated holy fire; and
  instituted holy virgins to keep it; called vestals; others ascribe
  it to Numa Pompilius; agreeing; however; that Romulus was otherwise
  eminently religious; and skilled in divination; and for that reason
  carried the lituus; a crooked rod with which soothsayers describe
  the quarters of the heavens; when they sit to observe the flights of
  birds。 This of his; being kept in the Palatium; was lost when the city
  was taken by the Gauls; and afterwards; that barbarous people being
  driven out; was found in the ruins; under a great heap of ashes;
  untouched by the fire; all things about it being consumed and burnt。
  He instituted also certain laws; one of which is somewhat severe;
  which suffers not a wife to leave her husband; but grants a husband
  power to turn off his wife; either upon poisoning her children or
  counterfeiting his keys; or for adultery; but if the husband upon
  any other occasion put her away; he ordered one moiety of his estate
  to be given to the wife; the other to fall to the goddess Ceres; and
  whoever cast off his wife; to make an atonement by sacrifice to the
  gods of the dead。 This; too; is observable as a singular thing in
  Romulus; that he appointed no punishment for real parricide; but
  called all murder so; thinking the one an accursed thing; but the
  other a thing impossible; and; for a long time; his judgment seemed to
  have been right; for in almost six hundred years together; nobody
  committed the like in Rome; and Lucius Hostius; after the wars of
  Hannibal; is recorded to have been the first parricide。 Let this
  much suffice concerning these matters。
  In the fifth year of the reign of Tatius; some of his friends and
  kinsmen; meeting ambassadors coming from Laurentum to Rome;
  attempted on the road to take away their money by force; and; upon
  their resistance; killed them。 So great a villainy having been
  committed Romulus thought the malefactors ought at once to be
  punished; but Tatius shuffled off and deferred the execution of it;
  and this one thing was the beginning of open quarrel betwixt them;
  in all other respects t