Curiatii was not yet at an end. It was
to be finished in blood and crime. A sister of the Horatii was the
affianced bride of one of the Curiatii, and as she saw her victorious
brother enter the city, bearing on his shoulders the military cloak
which she had wrought for her lover with her own hands, she broke into
wild invectives, tearing her hair, and upbraiding her brother with
bitter words. Roused to fury by this accusation, the victor, in a
paroxysm of rage, struck his sister to the heart with the sword which
had slain her lover, crying out, "So perish the Roman maiden who shall
weep for her country's enemy."

This dreadful deed filled with horror the hearts of all who beheld it.
Men cried that it was a crime against the law and the gods, too great to
be atoned for by the victor's services. He was seized and dragged to the
tribunal of the two judges who dealt with crimes of bloodshed. These
heard the evidence of the crime, and condemned him to death, in despite
of what he had done for Rome.

But the Roman law permitted an appeal from the judges to the people.
This appeal Horatius made, and it was tried before the assembly of
Romans. Here his father spoke in his favor, saying that in his opinion
the maiden deserved her fate. Remembrance of the great service performed
by Horatius was also strong with the people, and the voice of the
assembly freed him from the sentence of death. But blood had been shed,
and blood required atonement, so a sum of money was set aside to pay for
sacrifices to atone for this dreadful deed. Ever afterwards these
sacrifices were performed by members of the Horatian clan.

In a later war the Albans failed to aid the Romans, as they were
required to do by the terms of alliance. As a result the city of Alba
was destroyed, and the Albans forced to come and live in Rome, the
Caelial Hill being given them for a dwelling-place.

_THE DYNASTY OF THE TARQUINS._

The tale we have now to tell forces us to pass rapidly over years of
history. After several kings of Roman and Sabine birth had reigned, a
foreigner, of Greek descent, came to the throne of Rome. This was one
Lucomo, the son of a native of Corinth, who had settled at Tarquinii in
Italy. Growing weary of Tarquinii, Lucomo left that city, with his
family and wealth, and made his way to Rome. As he came near the gates
of the city an eagle swooped down, lifted the cap from his head, and,
bearing it high into the air, descended and pl