TARQUINII, tar-quid-i-i, a city of Etruria. TARQUIN1US, tar-quid-i-us. I. PRISCUS, L., Oris'-cus, the elder Tarquin, the fifth king of Rome, was son of a Corinthian, Demar5tus, who settled at Tarquinii, in Etruria. Tarquin married Tankuil, an Etruscan woman, and he removed to Rome, an eagle swooping down upon him, lifting his cap, and again replacing it, as he entered the city, from which Tanaquil augured his becoming king. He rose to power, and was nominated by the king, Ancus Mar thus, guardian to his two sons ; but the people assigned the crown to Tarquin, 616 B.C. He tried to incorporate the Plebs, but was pre vented : however, he added too to the Senate, among whom were many wealthy plebeians. He obtained several successes over the Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans, and improved the city by sewers and aqueducts. He was assassinated by the two sons of Ancus March's, 578; but Tanaquil secured the throne for Servius Tullius (q.v.). a. L. Stisuusus,sie-per'-bus(the Proud), grandson of (r), by Tullia, younger daughter of Servius Tullius, whom he murdered ; he then ascended the throne without the consti tutional election by the POOOlus, 534 B.C. His continued disregard of the Senate and Comitia made him very unpopular, and to divert the popular feeling he undertook wars against the neighbouring cities. When he was encamped before Arda., a discussion arose among the young nobles as to the domestic virtues of their wives, when each praised his own wife ; and it was agreed to go to see what their wives respectively were occupied in. Lucretia, the
wife of Collatinus, was found spinning among her female servants ; her beauty attracted the lust of Sextus Tarquin, cousin of Collatinus, who again revisited her house at midnight, and compelled her, by threats of death, to yield to his passion. Lucretia afterwards sent fur her husband, and, having related the violence to him and his friends, stabbed herself. Brutus (q. v.), who had till then feigned madness, seized the reeking blade, and swore on it ven geance against the Tarquins. Collatinus's party proceeded to Rome, and the city rose in insurrection. The king hastened back to Rome, but was refused admission, 510, and retired among the Etruscans, who, under Por senna, and again with the Latins (defeated at Lake Regillus), tried to restore hint. He died 496, and with him the Roman monarchy ended. For his famous purchase of the Sibyl line books, see SinvildE. 3. sex' If-us, the eldest son of (a), errtered Gabii when iris father was besieging it, mutilated, and pre tending he had fled from his tyranny. He was received by the inhabitants, and intrusted with the command. His messenger to his father for advice was replied to only by the king cut ting off the heads of the tallest poppies before the messenger. Tarquin acted on the hint, and procured the death of the chief citizens, and then betrayed the city to his father.