it a Roman colony, and sent
two thousand five hundred Romans thither as colonists on the Ides of
April.

XXIV. After this a pestilence fell upon Rome, which slew men suddenly
without previous sickness, and afflicted the crops and cattle with
barrenness. A shower of blood also fell in the city, so that religious
terror was added to the people's sufferings. As a similar visitation
befell the citizens of Laurentum, it became evident that the wrath of
the gods was visiting these cities because of the unavenged murders of
Tatius and of the ambassadors. The guilty parties were delivered up on
both sides, and duly punished, after which the plague was sensibly
mitigated. Romulus also purified the city with lustrations, which, they
say, are even now practised at the Ferentine gate. But before the plague
ceased, the people of Camerium attacked the Romans, supposing that they
would be unable to defend themselves on account of their misfortune, and
overran their country. Nevertheless, Romulus instantly marched against
them, slew six hundred of them in battle, and took their city. Half the
survivors he transplanted to Rome, and settled twice as many Romans as
the remainder at Camerium, on the Kalends of Sextilis. So many citizens
had he to spare after he had only inhabited Rome for about sixteen
years. Among the other spoils, he carried off a brazen four-horse
chariot from Camerium; this he dedicated in the temple of Vulcan, having
placed in it a figure of himself being crowned by Victory.

XXV. As the city was now so flourishing, the weaker of the neighbouring
states made submission, and were glad to receive assurance that they
would be unharmed; but the more powerful, fearing and envying Romulus,
considered that they ought not to remain quiet, but ought to check the
growth of Rome. First the Etruscans of Veii, a people possessed of wide
lands and a large city, began the war by demanding the surrender to them
of Fidenae, which they claimed as belonging to them. This demand was not
only unjust, but absurd, seeing that they had not assisted the people of
Fidenae when they were fighting and in danger, but permitted them to be
destroyed, and then demanded their houses and lands, when they were in
the possession of others. Receiving a haughty answer from Romulus, they
divided themselves into two bodies, with one of which they attacked
Fidenae, and with the other went to meet Romulus. At Fidenae they
conquered the Romans, and slew two