d at Rome for nearly six hundred years; but
it is said that the first parricide was that of Lucius Hostilius, which
he committed after the war with Hannibal. Enough has now been said upon
these subjects.

[Footnote A: Chthonian gods are the gods of the world below.]

XXIII. In the fifth year of the reign of Tatius, some of his relatives
fell in with ambassadors from Laurentum, on their way to Rome, and
endeavoured to rob them. As the ambassadors would not submit to this,
but defended themselves, they slew them. Romulus at once gave it as his
opinion that the authors of this great and audacious crime ought to be
punished, but Tatius hushed the matter up, and enabled them to escape.
This is said to have been the only occasion upon which they were openly
at variance, for in all other matters they acted with the greatest
possible unanimity. The relatives, however, of the murdered men, as they
were hindered by Tatius from receiving any satisfaction, fell upon him
when he and Romulus were offering sacrifice at Lavinium, and slew him,
but respected Romulus, and praised him as a just man. He brought home
the body of Tatius, and buried it honourably. It lies near what is
called the _Armilustrium_, on Mount Aventine.

But Romulus neglected altogether to exact any satisfaction for the
murder. Some writers say that the city of Lavinium, in its terror,
delivered up the murderers of Tatius, but that Romulus allowed them to
depart, saying that blood had been atoned for by blood. This speech of
his gave rise to some suspicion that he was not displeased at being rid
of his colleague. However, it caused no disturbance in the state, and
did not move the Sabines to revolt, but partly out of regard for
Romulus, and fear of his power, and belief in his divine mission, they
continued to live under his rule with cheerfulness and respect. Many
foreign tribes also respected Romulus, and the more ancient Latin races
sent him ambassadors, and made treaties of friendship and alliance.

He took Fidenae, a city close to Rome, according to some authorities, by
sending his cavalry thither on a sudden, and ordering them to cut the
pivots of the city gates, and then unexpectedly appearing in person.
Others say that the people of Fidenae first invaded the Roman territory,
drove off plunder from it, and insulted the neighbourhood of the city
itself, and that Romulus laid an ambush for them, slew many, and took
their city. He did not destroy it, but made