rtain woman called Amalth{=e}a is said to have come to Tarquin the
proud, wishing to sell nine books of sibylline or prophetic oracles: but
upon Tarquin's refusal to give her the price she asked, she went away
and burnt three of them. Returning soon after, she asked the same price
for the remaining six: whereupon, being ridiculed by the king, she went
and burnt three more; and coming back, still demanded the same price for
those which remained. Tarquin, surprised at this strange conduct of the
woman, consulted the augurs what to do; they, regretting the loss of the
books which had been destroyed, advised the king to give the price
required. The woman therefore, having delivered the books and directed
them to be carefully kept, disappeared, and was never afterwards seen.

These books were supposed to contain the fate of the Roman empire, and
therefore, in public danger or calamity, they were frequently inspected;
they were kept with great care in a chest under ground, in the capitol.

The institution of the vestal virgins is generally attributed to Numa;
their office was to attend upon the rites of Vesta, the chief part of it
being the preservation of the holy fire: they were obliged to keep this
with the greatest care, and if it happened to go out, it was thought
impiety to light it by any common flame, but they made use of the pure
rays of the sun.

The famous palladium brought from Troy by AEneas, was likewise guarded by
them, for Ulysses and Diomedes stole only a counterfeit one, a copy of
the other, which was kept with less care.

The number of the vestals was six, and they were admitted between the
years of six and ten. The chief rules prescribed by their founder, were
to vow the strictest chastity for the space of thirty years;--the first
ten they were only novices, being obliged to learn the ceremonies and
perfect themselves in the duties of their religion; the next ten years
they discharged the duties of priestesses, and spent the remaining ten
in instructing others.

If they broke their vow of virginity, they were buried alive in a place
without the city wall, allotted for that purpose.

This severe condition was recompensed with several privileges and
prerogatives: their persons were sacred: in public they usually appeared
on a magnificent car, drawn by white horses, followed by a numerous
retinue of female slaves, and preceded by lictors; and if they met a
malefactor going to punishment, they had the pow