ery beginning of founding this work it is said that
the gods exerted their divinity to presage the future greatness of this
empire; for though the birds declared for the unhallowing of all the
other temples, they did not admit of it with respect to that of
Terminus. This omen and augury were taken to import that Terminus's not
changing his residence, and being the only one of the gods who was not
called out of the places devoted to their worship, presaged the duration
and stability of their empire. This being deemed an omen of the
perpetuity, there followed another portending the greatness of the
empire. It is reported that the head of a man, with the face entire,
appeared to the workmen when digging the foundation of the temple. The
sight of this phenomenon unequivocally presaged that this temple should
be the metropolis of the empire, and the head of the world; and so
declared the soothsayers, both those who were in the city, and those
whom they had sent for from Etruria, to consult on this subject. The
king was encouraged to enlarge the expense; so that the spoils of
Pometia, which had been destined to complete the work, scarcely sufficed
for laying the foundation. On this account I am more inclined to believe
Fabius Pictor, besides his being the more ancient historian, that there
were only forty talents, than Piso, who says that forty thousand pounds
weight of silver were set apart for that purpose; a sum of money neither
to be expected from the spoils of any one city in those times, and one
that would more than suffice for the foundation of any structure, even
though exhibiting the magnificence of modern structures.

56. Tarquin, intent upon finishing this temple, having sent for workmen
from all parts of Etruria, employed on it not only the public money, but
the manual labour of the people; and when this labour, by no means
inconsiderable in itself, was added to their military service, still the
people murmured less at their building the temples of the gods with
their own hands; they were afterwards transferred to other works, which,
whilst less in show, (required) still greater toil: such as the erecting
benches in the circus, and conducting under ground the principal
sewer,[63] the receptacle of all the filth of the city; to which two
works even modern splendour can scarcely produce any thing equal. The
people having been employed in these works, because he both considered
that such a multitude was a burden to th