itions of peace to the Romans. Mention was made to no purpose
regarding the restoration of the Tarquinii to the throne, rather because
he had been unable to refuse that to the Tarquinii, than from not
knowing that it would be refused to him by the Romans. The condition of
restoring their territory to the Veientians was obtained by him, and the
necessity of giving hostages in case they wished the garrison to be
withdrawn from the Janiculum was extorted from the Romans. Peace being
concluded on these terms, Porsena drew his troops out of the Janiculum,
and marched out of the Roman territories. The fathers gave Mucius, as a
reward of his valour, lands on the other side of the Tiber, which were
afterwards called the Mucian meadows. By this honour paid to valour the
women were excited to merit public distinctions. As the camp of the
Etrurians had been pitched not far from the banks of the Tiber, a young
lady named Claelia, one of the hostages, deceiving her keepers, swam over
the river, amidst the darts of the enemy, at the head of a troop of
virgins, and brought them all safe to their relations. When the king was
informed of this, at first highly incensed, he sent deputies to Rome to
demand the hostage Claelia; that he did not regard the others; and
afterwards, being changed into admiration of her courage, he said, "that
this action surpassed those of Cocles and Mucius," and declared, "as he
would consider the treaty as broken if the hostage were not delivered
up, so, if given up, he would send her back safe to her friends." Both
sides kept their faith: the Romans restored their pledge of peace
according to treaty; and with the king of Etruria merit found not only
security, but honour; and, after making encomiums on the young lady,
promised to give her, as a present, half of the hostages, and that she
should choose whom she pleased. When they were all brought out, she is
said to have pitched upon the young boys below puberty, which was both
consonant to maiden delicacy, and by consent of the hostages themselves
it was deemed reasonable, that that age which was most exposed to injury
should be freed from the enemy's hand. The peace being re-established,
the Romans marked the uncommon instance of bravery in the woman, by an
uncommon kind of honour, an equestrian statue; (the statue representing)
a lady sitting on horseback was placed at the top of the Via Sacra.

14. Inconsistent with this so peaceful a departure of the Etruria