68 ROMULUS.

and slew him ; but escorted Romulus home, iommending and extolling him for a just prince. Romulus took the body of Tatius, and buried it very splendidly in the Aven- tine Mount, near the place called Armilustrium, but altogether neglected revenging his murder. Some au- thors write, the city of Laurentum, fearing the conse- quence, delivered up the murderers of Tatius; but Ro- mulus dismissed them, saying, one murder was requited with another. This gave occasion of talk and jealousy, as if he were well pleased at the removal of his copartner in the government. Nothing of these things, however, raised any sort of feud or disturbance among the Sabines ; but some out of love to him, others out of fear of his power, some again reverencing him as a god, they all continued living peacefully in admiration and awe of him ; many foreign nations, too, showed respect to Romulus ; the Ancient Latins sent, and entered into league and con- federacy with him. Fidenaj he took, a neighboring city to Rome, by a party of horse, as some say, whom he sent before with commands to cut down the hinges of the gates, himself afterwards unexpectedly coming up. Oth- ers say, they having first made the invasion, plundering and ravaging the country and suburbs, Romidus lay in ambush for them, and, having killed many of their men, took the city ; but, nevertheless, did not raze or demolish it, but made it a Roman colony, and sent thither, on the Ides of April, two thousand five hundred inhabitants. Soon after a plague broke out, causing sudden death without any previous sickness ; it infected also the corn with unfruitfulness, and cattle with barrenness; there rained blood, too, in the city ; so that, to their actual suf- ferings, fear of the wrath of the gods was added. But when the same mischiefs fell upon Laurentum, then every- body judged it was divine vengeance that fell upon both

cities, for the neglect of executing justice upon the mur-