ng confined to the single pair of
combatants with which it commenced. Others were gradually drawn in,
and the duel became in the end a general battle. AEneas and the Trojans
were victorious, and both Latinus and Turnus were slain. This ended
the war. AEneas married Lavinia, and thenceforth reigned with her over
the kingdom of Latium as its rightful sovereign.

AEneas lived several years after this, and has the credit, in history,
of having managed the affairs of the kingdom in a very wise and
provident manner. He had brought with him from Troy the arts and the
learning of the Greeks, and these he introduced to his people so as
greatly to improve their condition. He introduced, too, many
ceremonies of religious worship, which had prevailed in the countries
from which he had come, or in those which he had visited in his long
voyage. These ceremonies became at last so firmly established among
the religious observances of the inhabitants of Latium, that they
descended from generation to generation, and in subsequent years
exercised great influence, in modeling the religious faith and worship
of the Roman people. They thus continued to be practiced for many
ages, and, through the literature of the Romans, became subsequently
known and celebrated throughout the whole civilized world.

At length, in a war which AEneas was waging with the Rutulians, he was
once, after a battle, reduced to great extremity of danger, and in
order to escape from his pursuers he attempted to swim across a
stream, and was drowned. The name of this stream was Numicius. It
flowed into the sea a little north of Lavinium. It must have been
larger in former times than it is now, for travelers who visit it at
the present day say that it is now only a little rivulet, in which it
would be almost impossible for any one to be drowned.

The Trojan followers of AEneas concealed his body, and spread the story
among the people of Latium that he had been taken up to heaven. The
people accordingly, having before considered their king as the son of
a goddess, now looked upon him as himself divine. They accordingly
erected altars to him in Latium, and thenceforth worshiped him as a
God.

CHAPTER VII.

RHEA SILVIA.

B.C. 800

Rhea Silvia.--The order of vestal virgins.--The ancient
focus.--Arrangement for fire.--Nature of the ceremonies instituted in
honor of Vesta.--Her vestal virgins.--Their duties.--Terrible punishment
for those who violated their vo