the Romans in after-times. At least, the only effect the
death of his brother had upon him, so far as we know, was in the remark,
"So let it happen to all who pass over my walls!" Thus were consecrated
in the blood of a brother the walls of that city which in later years
was to be bathed in the blood of the brotherhood of mankind, and from
which was destined to outflow a torrent of desolation over the earth.

_THE SABINE VIRGINS._

A tract of ground surrounded by walls does not make a city. Men are
wanted, and of these the new city of Rome had but few. The band of
shepherds who were sufficient to build a wall, or perhaps only a wooden
palisade, were not enough to inhabit a city and defend it from its foes.
The neighboring people had cities of their own, except bandits and
fugitives, men who had shed blood, exiles driven from their homes by
their enemies, or slaves who had fled from their lords and masters.
These were the only people to be had, and Romulus invited them in by
proclaiming that his city should be an asylum for all who were
oppressed, a place of refuge to which any man might flee and be safe
from his pursuers. He erected a temple to a god named Asylaeus,--from
whom comes the word asylum,--and in this he "received and protected all,
delivering none back, neither the servant to his master, the debtor to
his creditor, nor the murderer into the hands of the magistrate, saying
that it was a privileged place, and they could so maintain it by an
order of the holy oracle, insomuch that the city grew presently very
populous."

It was a quick and easy way of peopling a city. Doubtless the country
held many such fugitives,--men lurking in woods or caves, hiding in
mountain clefts, abiding wherever a place of safety offered,--hundreds
of whom, no doubt, were glad to find a shelter among men and behind
walls of defence. But it was probably a sorry population, made up of the
waifs of mankind, many of whom had been slaves or murderers. There were
certainly no women among this desperate horde, and Romulus appealed in
vain to the neighboring cities to let his people obtain wives from among
their maidens. It was not safe for the citizens of Rome to go abroad to
seek wives for themselves; the surrounding peoples rejected the appeal
of Romulus with scorn and disdain; unless something was done Rome bade
fair to remain a city of bachelors.

In this dilemma Romulus conceived a plan to win wives for his people. He
sent