not dedicate
the temple. Whether he did not believe that it was true, or whether
he possessed such great strength of mind, is neither handed down for
certain, nor is it easy to decide. On receiving the news, holding the
door-post, without turning off his attention in any other way from the
business he was engaged completed the form of prayer, and dedicated
the temple. Such were the transactions at home and abroad during
the first year after the expulsion of the kings. After this Publius
Valerius, for the second time, and Titus Lucretius were elected
consuls.

By this time the Tarquins had fled to Lars Porsina, King of Clusium.
There, mingling advice with entreaties, they now besought him not to
suffer them, who were descended from the Etruscans, and of the same
stock and name, to live in exile and poverty; now advised him also not
to let the rising practice of expelling kings pass unpunished. Liberty
in itself had charms enough; and, unless kings defended their thrones
with as much vigour as the people strove for liberty, the highest was
put on a level with the lowest; there would be nothing exalted in
states, nothing to be distinguished above the rest; that the end of
regal government, the most beautiful institution both among gods and
men, was close at hand. Porsina, thinking it a great honour to the
Tuscans both that there should be a king at Rome, and that one
belonging to the Etruscan nation, marched toward Rome with a hostile
army. Never before on any other occasion did such terror seize the
senate; so powerful was the state of Clusium[9] at that time, and so
great the renown of Porsina. Nor did they dread their enemies only,
but even their own citizens, lest the common people of Rome, smitten
with fear, should, by receiving the Tarquins into the city, accept
peace even at the price of slavery. Many concessions were therefore
granted to the people by the senate during that period by way of
conciliating them. Their attention, in the first place, was directed
to the markets, and persons were sent, some to the country of the
Volscians, others to Cumae, to buy up corn. The privilege of selling
salt also was withdrawn from private individuals because it was sold
at an exorbitant price, while all the expense fell upon the state:[10]
and the people were freed from duties and taxes, inasmuch as the rich,
since they were in a position to bear the burden, should contribute
them; the poor, they said, paid taxes enough if th