ROI:1MM, the mythical founder of the city of Rome. His name is only a length. cued form of Romus, and he is therefore to be regarded rather as a symbolical represen tation of tlfe Doman people than as an actual individual, like Aolus, Doris, and Ion, the eponymous ancestors of the tEolians, Dorians. and Ionians. But though the legend of Romulus cannot be accepted as history in its details or its outlines, it is nevertheless interesting to know how, after the lapse of years, when Rome had become a place of importance, its inhabitants tried to conceive a probable origin for it. We will therefore relate the story of Romulus as it is usually given. At Alba Loaga„in Latium, there had ruled for some centuries a line of kings descended from the Troja'n prince. ../Eueas. One of the latest of these, at his death, left the kingdom to his eldest son, Numitor. Anuilias,.a younger brother of Numitor, who was ambitious. deprived the latter of the sovereignty, murdered his only son, and compelled his only daughter, Silvia (generally, but incorrectly, called Rhea Silvia), to become a vestal virgin, thereby hoping to secure immunity for his crime. But Silvia having become the mother of twins by the god Mars, his fears were aroused, and ie resolved to drown all the three. A cradle contain ing the babes was thrown into the Anio, whence it was carried into the Tiber. That stream was then in flood, and had overspread its banks far and wide. The cradle was stranded at the foot of the Palatine, and the infants thus wonderfully saved from death by were no less wonderfully saved from death by hunger. A she-wolf carried them into her den, near at hand, and suckled them, while a woodpecker brought them whatever other food they wanted. This marvelous spectacie was at length beheld by Faustulus, the king's shepherd, who bore the infants home to his wife, Acca Larentia, and had them brought up with his own children. A strife having one day arisen between them and the herdsmen of Numitor, who stalled their cattle on the Aventine, Remus. one of the twins, was taken prisoner, and carried off to Numitor. When the latter looked on the youth, lie could not help thinking of his grandsons; and the story of the miracu Ions preservation of the twins strengthened the suspicions that were beginning to form in his mind. Romulus now made his appearance, accompanied by his foster-fathe•; an ee/earei.:xement took place; Numitor acknowledged the boys as the sons of his daughter Silvia, and they immediately proceeded to avenge the family wrongs, by slaying Amnlius, and placing their grandfather on the throne. avenge continues the legend, Romulus and his brother did not care to remain in Alba Longa; they loved their old abode on the banks of the Tiber, and resolved to build a city there. The Palatine was chosen (by augury) for the site, and Romulus, yoking a bullock and a heifer to a plowshare, marked out the poaueriarn, or boundary, on which he proceeded to build a wall. Remus laughed
at the idea of keeping off enemies by such means, and to show its inefficiency, scornfully leaped over it, whereupon Romulus slew him, but was immediately struck with remorse, and could obtain no rest till he hail appeased the shade of his brother, by instituting the kg/curia, or festival for the souls of the departed. The next thing which Romulus did was to erect a "sanctuary" on the Capitoline for runaway slaves and homicides, and by this means lie soon increased the number of his followers; but as wives were much wanted, Romulus tried to obtain them legally from the neighboring states. His efforts, however, failed: a "runaway slave" not being considered a desirable match for his daughter by a Latin or Sabine paterfamilias, and lie was compelled to have recourse to stratagem. This led to the celebrated Rape of the Saltine Wooten, the incidents of which are too familiar to require narration. The consequence of this wholesale abduction of virgins was a series of wars, in which, however, Romulus was invariably victorious, until Titus Tatius, at the head of a large •army of Sabines, drove him from the open 11Jds, and forced him to take refuge in his city on the Palatine. Romulus had also gar risoned the Capitoliue,'but the treachery of Tarpeia, a daughter of a lieutenant of the fort, placed it in the hands of his adversaries. Next day a battle took place in the valley between the two hills. It was long and fiercely contested. Sabines and Romans fought till they were exhausted, when the Sabine women rushed in between their husbands and fathers, and implored them to be reconciled. This was agreed to, and henceforth they resolved to unite and to form only one people—the followers of Romulus dwelling on the Palatine, those of Titus Tatius on the Capitoline and Quirinal. On time death of Titus Tatius, who was murdered at a festival held at Lavinium, Romulus became sole sovereign, and subsequently—according to a later legend—made successful war against the Etruscan cities of Fidlone and Veil. The political organization of the Roman populn4 ascribed to Romulus is given under ROME. After a reign of 37 years, Romulus miraculously removed from earth. While he was standing near the "Goat's pool," in the Campus Martins, reviewing his militia, the sun was eclipsed, and a dark storm swept over the plain and hills. When it had passed, the people looked round for their king, but he was gone. His father, Mars, hail carried bins up to heaven (like the prophet Elijah) in a chariot of fire Some time after he reappeared in a glorified form to Proeu Ins Julius, announced the future glory of the Roman people, and told him that hence forth he would watch over them as their guardian god, tinder the name of Quirinus. The festival of the Quirinalia (Feb. 17) was instituted in his honor; but the nones of Quintilis (July 7) was the day on which he was believed tolave departed from earth.