shown in danger,
they could not endure to condemn him; but regarding his valour rather
than the goodness of his cause, let him go free. Only, because the deed
had been so manifest, a command was laid upon the father that he should
make a trespass offering for his son at the public charge. Then the
father, having made certain sacrifices of expiation--which are performed
to this day in the house of Horatius--set up a beam across the way and
covered his son's head, and led him beneath it. As for the maiden, they
built her tomb of hewn stone in the place where she was slain.

Now the men of Alba were wroth to think that the fortunes of the whole
people had been thus trusted to the hands of three soldiers; and Mettus,
being of an unstable mind, was led away to evil in his desire to do
them a pleasure. And as before he had sought for peace when others were
desirous of war, so now he desired war when others were minded to be at
peace. But because he knew that the men of Alba were not able of their
own strength to do that which they desired, he stirred up certain others
of the nations round about, that they should make war openly against
Rome. As for himself and his people, he purposed that they should seem
indeed to be friends and allies, but should be ready for treachery when
occasion served. Thereupon the men of Fidenae, being colonists from Rome,
and the men of Veii promised that they would make war, and Mettus on
his part promised that he would come over to them with his army in
the battle. First the men of Fidenae rebelled, and King Tullus marched
against them, bidding Mettus come also with his army, and having crossed
the river Anio, pitched his camp where Anio flows into Tiber. And by
this time the men of Veii also had come up with their army, and these
were on the right wing next to the river, and the men of Fidenae on the
left, next to the mountains. The ordering of King Tullus was that he and
his men should do battle with the men of Veii, and Mettus and the Albans
with the men of Fidenae. Now Mettus, as he was not minded to do right, so
had no courage to do wrong boldly; and because he dared not to go over
to the enemy, led his men away slowly towards the mountains. Being come
thither, he set out his men in battle array, being minded to join them
whom he should perceive to prevail. At first the Romans marvelled that
Mettus and his men should so depart from them; and after a while they
sent a messenger to the King, sa