Chapter XIII
Romulus and Remus
Original
Literary translation
§ 13.1
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In the Roman Forum are the ruins of the round temple of Vesta, and not far away is the house of the Vestal Virgins.
§ 13.2
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These maidens were considered the holiest of all Roman women because they tended the sacred fire in the round temple.
§ 13.3
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Aeneas, father of the Romans, had brought this fire most carefully from Troy.
§ 13.4
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The best known of all the Vestal Virgins was Rhea Silvia, the mother of Romulus and Remus.
§ 13.5
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She lived not in Rome but in Alba Longa, for Rome had not yet been built.
§ 13.6
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After Aeneas came to Italy, he lived in these regions for a few years and was finally called to heaven by the immortal gods.
§ 13.7
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Then Ascanius, son of Aeneas, founded Alba Longa, a small town, and ruled there happily for many years.
§ 13.8
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After Ascanius's death, other kings ruled in succession.
§ 13.9
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Of these kings, Numitor governed the city well and kindly and gave its citizens just laws.
§ 13.10
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But Numitor had a brother, a fierce and cruel man named Amulius.
§ 13.11
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He gathered companions and troops and led an army against his brother.
§ 13.12
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The brothers fought long and fiercely, but Numitor's soldiers could not withstand the enemy's attack and sought safety in flight.
§ 13.13
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Thus Numitor was driven from his kingdom by his brother.
§ 13.14
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Amulius was therefore now ruling the city.
§ 13.15
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But in Alba Longa there was a girl named Rhea Silvia, Numitor's daughter.
§ 13.16
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Amulius feared this girl because she was the daughter of the rightful king, and all the citizens loved her.
§ 13.17
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“If this girl has a son,” he said, “all the citizens will consider not me but the boy the rightful king.”
§ 13.18
“ , .”
“Therefore no one will marry the girl; instead she will tend the sacred fire with the holy maidens throughout her life.”
§ 13.19
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But Mars heard the king's words and laughed.
§ 13.20
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“Not in that way,” he said, “will the wicked king escape his fate.”
§ 13.21
“ ; , ; , .”
“I shall be Rhea Silvia's husband; soon the girl will have children, my sons; and when these boys have grown up, Amulius will truly feel his fate.”
§ 13.22
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And the god did not foretell false things.
§ 13.23
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Soon Rhea Silvia held twins, sons of Mars, in her lap.
§ 13.24
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The citizens reported this news to Amulius as he sat in the palace.
§ 13.25
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Then the king was deeply stirred by anger and fear.
§ 13.26
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So he said to his terrified servants: “Take this woman to the banks of the Tiber and throw her into the water; the treacherous woman will pay for her treachery.”
§ 13.27
“ , .”
“Bring the twins too to the riverbank, but I shall not kill the boys myself.”
§ 13.28
“ ; .”
“Leave the boys on the bank; perhaps they will provide food for wolves.”
§ 13.29
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So the servants led Rhea Silvia to the river and threw her into the water.
§ 13.30
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But Father Tiber was moved by pity and love.
§ 13.31
“ ,” , “ ; .”
“This girl shall be my wife,” he said; “she will always live with me, safe and happy, among my waters.”
§ 13.32
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And so Rhea Silvia was not killed but saved.
§ 13.33
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Many years later, whenever the river's waters spread over the fields and flattened the grain and vines, the Romans would say: “Look! Father Tiber is angry even now because we so cruelly expelled Rhea Silvia, the river's wife, from the city.”
§ 13.34
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Meanwhile the twins had been left near the riverbank by the servants.
§ 13.35
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But Mars had not forgotten his sons; he sent a she-wolf to the twins.
§ 13.36
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When the she-wolf saw the boys, she showed herself good and kind: she did not kill them but carried them to a safe place, and then gave milk to the twins just as she did to her own cubs.
§ 13.37
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Later, when the twins were older and no longer needed the wolf's care, they sought shepherds and lived a country life among them for a long time.
§ 13.38
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They were named Romulus and Remus by the shepherds, but knew nothing about their origin.
§ 13.39
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Throughout all these years Mars carefully protected his sons and finally revealed everything to the twins, who were now young men.
§ 13.40
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Then the brothers, angry over the wrongs suffered by their mother and grandfather, said, “Without doubt Amulius will pay the heaviest penalty for these things.”
§ 13.41
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Therefore they rallied the shepherds and all the farmers to arms, and marched with a country army to the city gates.
§ 13.42
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The king too led troops against Romulus and Remus, but his campaign went badly.
§ 13.43
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He was defeated and killed.
§ 13.44
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Then the young men sought out their grandfather and restored him to the throne.
§ 13.45
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The townspeople rejoiced greatly because they once again saw Numitor, the rightful king, in Alba Longa.
§ 13.46
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Later Romulus built himself a city and called it Rome after his own name.
§ 13.47
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The Romans always held the she-wolf in highest honor because she had cared so faithfully for Romulus.
§ 13.48
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They placed a statue of the she-wolf on the Capitoline Hill.
§ 13.49
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This statue stood on the Capitoline for a long time, but was eventually struck down by lightning.
§ 13.50
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Another, however, was later erected on the Capitoline.
§ 13.51
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Perhaps you too will see this statue one day.
§ 13.52
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You will see not only a statue but a living she-wolf, since the Romans, mindful of their city's origins, still keep a living she-wolf on the Capitoline.
§ 13.53
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We have seen the yellow Tiber, with waves driven violently back from the Etruscan shore, sweep along to overthrow the king's monuments and Vesta's temples, while he boasts himself the avenger of Ili(a), who laments too much.