State), he would not
choose any into their place, thinking that the people would lightly
esteem them if there were but a few of them. Nor did he call them
together to ask their counsel, but ruled according to his own pleasure,
making peace and war, and binding treaties or unbinding, with none to
gainsay him.

Nevertheless, for a while he increased greatly in power and glory. He
made alliance with Octavius Mamilius, prince of Tusculum, giving him his
daughter in marriage; nor was there any man greater than Mamilius in
all the cities of the Latins; and Suessa Pometia, that was a city of the
Volsci, he took by force, and finding that the spoil was very rich (for
there were in it forty talents of gold and silver), he built with the
money a temple to Jupiter on the Capitol, very great and splendid, and
worthy not only of his present kingdom but also of that great Empire
that should be thereafter. Also he took the city of Gabii by fraud, as
shall now be told.

The manner of his fraud was this. He made as if he had changed his
purpose about the city, leading away his army from before it, and
busying himself with laying the foundations of the Temple of Jupiter and
other like things. But while he did this, Sextus, that was the youngest
of his three sons, fled to Gabii, as if he were a deserter from the army
of his father, and complained grievously to the men of the city of the
cruelty which the King had used towards him. "Surely now," he said, "my
father has turned away his fury from others upon them that are of his
own household; and that same solitude which he has made in the Senate he
would have also in his own home, being so jealous of his kingdom that he
will not have any near him that shall inherit it. As for myself I barely
escaped with my life from them that would have slain me by his command;
nor do I count myself safe except among such as are enemies to the King.
As for you, think not that he has given up his purpose concerning you.
He only waits an occasion when he may take you unawares." The men of
Gabii, when they heard these words, received the young man kindly and
bade him be of good cheer, for that they would defend him from his
father. They said also that they counted themselves fortunate to
gain such help, knowing him to be brave and skilful in war, and that
doubtless, with his aid, they should soon carry the war from their own
city even to the walls of Rome. After this, when the young man had gone,
not once