L. TARQUINIUS SUPERBES, son of the preceding, having murdered his father-in-law, Servius Tullius, at the instigation of his wife, is represented in the legend as audaciously usurping the vacant throne; but as the whole drift of his legislative policy was to abolish the reforms of Servius, there can be little doubt that the real significance of this part of his career lies in the fact that it indicates a successful reaction, on the side of the patri cians, against the more liberal and progressive policy of the preceding age. That the younger Tarquinius, at least, is a historical character, seems to be pretty generally allowed. The incidents of his career are so numerous and cohereut, and the impress of his name and character is so deeply stamped on the national memory, that he cannot be regarded as a wholly imaginary personage. Analyze the story how we may, there will always remain a residuum of insoluble fact, not essentially at variance with the character of the tragic tradition. As far as we can gather from the ancient annals, the usurpation of Tarquinius was probably achieved by the help of an enterprising section of the nobles, who clung tenaciously to their privileges, and could not endure the constitutional recog nition of the plebs. It does not appear that the whole of the senators connived at or even approved of Tarquinius's procedure. We are expressly told that he drove numbers of those whom he mistrusted into exile; in other words, he persecuted and banished the adherents of the Servian policy of conciliation. Like a Turkish tyrant, he surrounded himself with a body-guard—another indication of the original insecurity of his position, and strengthened himself by foreign alliance, marrying his daughter to Octavius Mamil ius, prince of Tusculum. By means of subtle and unscrupulous intrigues be obtained or consolidated the Roman hegemony in Latium; offered sacrifice in the name of all the Latins at the Alban mount; fused the contingents of the latter with the Roman legion; put to death as traitors such of their chiefs as opposed him (e.g., Turnus Herdonius); and, at the head of the combined forces, penetrated into the Volscian marshes, and, subdued the natives. On his return he completed the building of the capitol, which the elder Tarquinius had begun, and deposited in the vaults the Sibylline books he had curiously acquired.
See SIBYL. He next conquered the town of Gabii (where many of the banished nobles had found shelter), through an elaborate stratagem, in which his son Sextus played the principal part. But his lavish expenditure both in war and peace necessitated the im position of heavy taxes, and murmurs of discontent were heard among the people. The patience both of plebs and patricians was beginning to give way. Coincident with this state of things a fearful omen was beheld: from the altar in the royal palace crept forth a. serpent, and devoured the entrails of the victim. Tarquinius sent two of his sons, Titus and Aruns, to Delphi to consult the oracle. They were accompanied by their cousin, L. Junius Brutus (q.v.), who had long feigned himself a fool in order to save his life, for Tarquinius had killed his father and brother in order to possess himself of their great wealth. On their return they found that the king had opened war upon the Rutuli, and was besieging Ardea, whereupon they joined the Roman camp. Here occurred, between Sextus and Collatinus, the famous dispute about the virtues of their respective wives, which led to the rape of Lucretia. The details of this legend are so familiar that it is unnecessary to recount them. Suffice it to say that it roused such a storm of indignation that the people of Collatia (where the shameful deed was done) rose in arms, and renounced their allegiance to Tarquinius. Brutus carried the news to Rome, and the senate, fired with a righteous anger, deposed the tyrant ; finally, the army before Ardea also revolted. Tarquinius and his sons were obliged to flee, and an aristo cratic republic was constituted at Rome. Three different attempts were made to restore Tarquinius by force: his own Etruscan kinsmen of Tarquinii ; second, by Lars Porsena (q.v.) of Clusium; and third, by his son-in-law, Octavius Mamilius, "prince of the Latian name." all of which, according to the legend, failed; and at length Tarqui nius, utterly baffled and beaten, retired Co Cumm, where he died, a wretched and child less old man, for all his sons had met death before him.