I believe that even then
there were some who silently surmised that the king had been torn in
pieces by the hands of the Fathers; for this rumour also spread, but was
not credited; their admiration of the man and the consternation felt at
the moment, attached importance to the other report. By the contrivance
also of one individual, additional credit is said to have been gained to
the matter. For Proculus Julius, whilst the state was still troubled with
regret for the king, and felt incensed against the senators, a person of
weight, as we are told, in any matter, however important, comes forward to
the assembly. "Romans," he said, "Romulus, the father of this city,
suddenly descending from heaven, appeared to me this day at day-break.
While I stood covered with awe, and filled with a religious dread,
beseeching him to allow me to see him face to face, he said; 'Go tell the
Romans, that the gods do will, that my Rome should become the capital of
the world. Therefore let them cultivate the art of war, and let them know
and hand down to posterity, that no human power shall be able to withstand
the Roman arms.' Having said this, he ascended up to heaven." It is
surprising what credit was given to the man on his making this
announcement, and how much the regret of the common people and army for
the loss of Romulus, was assuaged upon the assurance of his immortality.]

[Footnote 272: Padua.]

[Footnote 273: Commentators seem to have given an erroneous and
unbecoming sense to Cicero's exclamation, when they suppose that the
object understood, as connected with altera, related to himself. Hope is
never applied in this signification, but to a young person, of whom
something good or great is expected; and accordingly, Virgil, who adopted
the expression, has very properly applied it to Ascanius:

Et juxta Ascanius, magmae spes altera
Romae. Aeneid, xii.]

And by his side Ascanius took his place,
The second hope of Rome's immortal race.]

Cicero, at the time when he could have heard a specimen of Virgil's
Eclogues, must have been near his grand climacteric; besides that, his
virtues and talents had long been conspicuous, and were past the state of
hope. It is probable, therefore, that altera referred to some third
person, spoken of immediately before, as one who promised to do honour to
his country. It might refer to Octavius, of whom Cicero at this time,
entertained a high opinion; or it may ha