demanded by a war free from guilt and regularly declared; and
accordingly I agree, and vote for it." Then the others were asked
in order, and when the majority of those present expressed the same
opinion, war was agreed upon. It was customary for the fetialis to
carry in his hand a spear pointed with steel, or burned at the end
and dipped in blood, to the confines of the enemy's country, and in
presence of at least three grown-up persons, to say, "Forasmuch as
the states of the ancient Latins, and the ancient Latin people, have
offended against the Roman people of the Quirites, forasmuch as the
Roman people of the Quirites have ordered that there should be war
with the ancient Latins, and the senate of the Roman people, the
Quirites, have given their opinion, agreed, and voted that war should
be waged with the ancient Latins, on this account I and the Roman
people declare and wage war on the states of the ancient Latins, and
on the ancient Latin people." Whenever he said that, he used to hurl
the spear within their confines. After this manner at that time
satisfaction was demanded from the Latins, and war proclaimed: and
posterity has adopted that usage.

Ancus, having intrusted the care of sacred matters to the flamen
and other priests, set out with an army freshly levied, and took
Politorium, a city of the Latins, by storm: and following the example
of former kings, who had increased the Roman power by incorporating
enemies into the state, transplanted all the people to Rome. And since
the Sabines had occupied the Capitol and citadel, and the Albans the
Coelian Mount on both sides of the Palatium, the dwelling-place of
the old Romans, the Aventine was assigned to the new people; not long
after, on the capture of Tellenae and Ficana, new citizens were added
to the same quarter. After this Politorium, which the ancient Latins
had taken possession of when vacated, was taken a second time by force
of arms. This was the cause of the Romans demolishing that city that
it might never after serve as a place of refuge for the enemy. At
last, the war with the Latins being entirely concentrated at Medullia,
the contest was carried on there for some time with changing success,
according as the fortune of war varied: for the town was both well
protected by fortified works, and strengthened by a powerful garrison,
and the Latins, having pitched their camp in the open, had several
times come to a close engagement with the Romans. At