nts. To this the blandishments of the husbands were
added, who excused what had been done on the plea of passion and love,
a form of entreaty that works most successfully upon the feelings of
women.[9]

By this time the minds of the maidens were considerably soothed, but
their parents, especially by putting on the garb of mourning, and by
their tears and complaints, stirred up the neighbouring states. Nor
did they confine their feelings of indignation to their own home
only, but they flocked from all quarters to Titus Tatius, king of the
Sabines, and embassies crowded thither, because the name of Tatius
was held in the greatest esteem in those quarters. The Caeninenses,
Crustumini, and Antemnates were the people who were chiefly affected
by the outrage. As Tatius and the Sabines appeared to them to be
acting in too dilatory a manner, these three peoples by mutual
agreement among themselves made preparations for war unaided. However,
not even the Crustumini and Antemnates bestirred themselves with
sufficient activity to satisfy the hot-headedness and anger of the
Caeninenses: accordingly the people of Caenina, unaided, themselves
attacked the Roman territory. But Romulus with his army met them
while they were ravaging the country in straggling parties, and in
a trifling engagement convinced them that anger unaccompanied by
strength is fruitless. He routed their army and put it to flight,
followed in pursuit of it when routed, cut down their king in battle
and stripped him of his armour, and, having slain the enemy's leader,
took the city at the first assault. Then, having led back his
victorious army, being a man both distinguished for his achievements,
and one equally skilful at putting them in the most favourable light,
he ascended the Capitol, carrying suspended on a portable frame,
cleverly contrived for that purpose, the spoils of the enemy's
general, whom he had slain: there, having laid them down at the foot
of an oak held sacred by the shepherds, at the same time that he
presented the offering, he marked out the boundaries for a temple of
Jupiter, and bestowed a surname on the god. "Jupiter Feretrius," said
he, "I, King Romulus, victorious over my foes, offer to thee these
royal arms, and dedicate to thee a temple within those quarters, which
I have just now marked out in my mind, to be a resting-place for the
spolia opima, which posterity, following my example, shall bring
hither on slaying the kings or general