its neighbours dare to take up arms against
it. A peace had been concluded between the two nations on these terms,
that the river Albula, now called Tiber, should be the common boundary
between the Etrurians and Latins. After him Sylvius, the son of
Ascanius, born by some accident in a wood, ascends the throne. He was
the father of AEneas Sylvius, who afterwards begot Latinus Sylvius. By
him several colonies, called the ancient Latins, were transplanted. From
this time, all the princes, who reigned at Alba, had the surname of
Sylvius. From Latinus sprung Alba; from Alba, Atys; from Atys, Capys;
from Capys, Capetus; from Capetus, Tiberinus, who, being drowned in
crossing the river Albula, gave it a name famous with posterity. Then
Agrippa, the son of Tiberinus; after Agrippa, Romulus Silvius ascends
the throne, in succession to his father. The latter, having been killed
by a thunderbolt, left the kingdom to Aventinus, who being buried on
that hill, which is now part of the city of Rome, gave his name to it.
After him reigns Proca; he begets Numitor and Amulius. To Numitor, his
eldest son, he bequeaths the ancient kingdom of the Sylvian family. But
force prevailed more than the father's will or the respect due to
seniority: for Amulius, having expelled his brother, seizes the kingdom;
he adds crime to crime, murders his brother's male issue; and under
pretence of doing his brother's daughter, Rhea Sylvia, honour, having
made her a vestal virgin, by obliging her to perpetual virginity he
deprives her of all hopes of issue.

4. But, in my opinion, the origin of so great a city, and the
establishment of an empire next in power to that of the gods, was due to
the Fates. The vestal Rhea, being deflowered by force, when she had
brought forth twins, declares Mars to be the father of her illegitimate
offspring, either because she believed it to be so, or because a god was
a more creditable author of her offence. But neither gods nor men
protect her or her children from the king's cruelty: the priestess is
bound and thrown into prison; the children he commands to be thrown into
the current of the river. By some interposition of providence,[9] the
Tiber having overflowed its banks in stagnant pools, did not admit of
any access to the regular bed of the river; and the bearers supposed
that the infants could be drowned in water however still; thus, as if
they had effectually executed the king's orders, they expose the boys in
the nea