very day on which Romulus
founded Rome; that is, the tenth day before the Calends of May. His
naturally good disposition had been so educated by sorrow and
philosophic pursuits, that he rose superior not merely to commonplace
vices, but even to the worship of brute force, so common among
barbarians, and considered true courage to consist in the conquest of
his own passions. Accordingly he banished all luxury and extravagance
from his house, and was known as a trusty friend and counsellor, both by
his countrymen and by strangers. When at leisure, he disregarded sensual
enjoyments and money-getting, but devoted himself to the service of the
gods and to speculations about their nature and power, so that he
obtained great celebrity. Indeed Tatius, when he was acting as
joint-king with Romulus, chose him for the husband of his only daughter
Tatia. But Numa was not elated by his marriage, and did not remove to
the town where his father-in-law was king, but stayed where he was in
Cures, among the Sabines, tending his aged father; while Tatia also
preferred the quiet of a private citizen's life to the pomp which she
might have enjoyed in Rome. She is said to have died in the thirteenth
year after her marriage.

IV. Now Numa was in the habit of leaving the city and passing much of
his time in the country, wandering alone in the sacred groves and
dwelling in desert places. Hence the story first arose that it was not
from any derangement of intellect that he shunned human society, but
because he held converse with higher beings, and had been admitted to
marriage with the gods, and that, by passing his time in converse with
the nymph Egeria, who loved him, he became blessed, and learned heavenly
wisdom. It is evident that this is the same as many ancient myths; such
as that told by the Phrygians about Attis, that of the Bithynians about
Herodotus, that of the Arcadians about Endymion, and many others. Yet it
seems probable that a god, who loves man better than bird or beast,
should take pleasure in conversing with those men who are remarkable for
goodness, and not despise nor disdain to hold communion with the wise
and righteous. But it is hard to believe that a god or deity could feel
the passion of love for a human form; although the Egyptians not
unreasonably say, that a woman may be impregnated by the spirit of a
god, but that a man can have no material union with a god. However it is
very right to believe that a god can feel f