to live quiet and well-governed, cultivating the
earth, bringing up their families in peace, and worshipping the gods.
And gay festivals and entertainments, during which the people of the
various states fearlessly mixed with one another, prevailed throughout
Italy, for Numa's knowledge of all that was good and noble was shed
abroad like water from a fountain, and the atmosphere of holy calm by
which he was surrounded spread over all men. The very poets when they
wrote of that peaceful time were unable to find adequate expressions for
it, as one writes--

"Across the shields are cobwebs laid,
Rust eats the lance and keen edged blade;
No more we hear the trumpets bray.
And from our eyes no more is slumber chased away."

No war, revolution, or political disturbance of any kind is recorded
during Numa's reign, neither was there any envy or hatred of him or any
attempt by others to obtain the crown; but either fear of the gods who
visibly protected him, or reverence for his virtues, or the special
grace of Heaven, made men's lives innocent and untainted with evil, and
formed a striking proof of the truth of what Plato said many years
afterwards, that the only escape from misery for men is when by Divine
Providence philosophy is combined with royal power, and used to exalt
virtue over vice. Blessed indeed is the truly wise man, and blessed are
they who hear the words of his mouth. Indeed his people require no
restraints or punishments, but seeing a plain example of virtue in the
life of their chief, they themselves of their own accord reform their
lives, and model them upon that gentle and blessed rule of love and just
dealing one with another which it is the noblest work of politicians to
establish. He is most truly a king who can teach such lessons as these
to his subjects, and Numa beyond all others seems to have clearly
discerned this truth.

XXI. Historians differ in their accounts of his wives and children. Some
say that he married Tatia alone, and was the father of one daughter
only, named Pompilia; but others, besides her, assign to him four sons,
named Pompo, Pinus, Calpus, and Mamercus, from whom descended the four
noble families of the Pomponii, Pinarii, Calphurnii, and Mamerci, which
for this reason took the title of Rex, that is, king. Others again say
that these pedigrees were invented to flatter these families, and state
that the Pompilian family descends not from Tatia, but from Lucretia,