he hill were
steep, and between it and the river there was in one part a deep
morass. Romulus thought, on surveying the ground with Remus his
brother, that this was the best spot for building the city. They could
set apart a sufficient space of level ground around the foot of the
hill for the houses--inclosing the whole with a wall--while the top of
the hill itself might be fortified to form the citadel. The wall and
the steep acclivity of the ground would form a protection on three
sides of the inclosure, while the morass alone would be a sufficient
defense on the part toward the river. Then Romulus was specially
desirous to select this spot as the site, as it was here that he and
his brother had been saved from destruction in so wonderful a manner.

[Illustration: SITUATION OF ROME.]

Remus, however, did not concur in these views. A little farther down
the stream there was another elevation called the Aventine Hill, which
seemed to him more suitable for the site of a town. The sides were
less precipitous, and thus were more convenient for building ground.
Then the land in the immediate vicinity was better adapted to the
purposes which they had in view. In a word, the Aventine Hill was, as
Remus thought, for every substantial reason, much the best locality;
and as for the fact of their having been washed ashore at the foot of
the other hill, it was in his opinion an insignificant circumstance,
wholly unworthy of being taken seriously into the account in laying
the foundation of a city.

The positions in which Remus and Romulus stood in respect to each
other, and the feelings which were naturally awakened in their hearts
by the circumstances in which they found themselves placed, were such
as did not tend to allay any rising asperity which accident might
occasion, but rather to irritate and inflame it. In the first place,
they were both ardent, impulsive, and imperious. Each was conscious of
his strength, and eager to exercise it. Each wished to command, and
was wholly unwilling to obey. While they were in adversity, they clung
together for mutual help and protection; but now, when they had come
into the enjoyment of prosperity and power, the bands of affection
which had bound them together were very much weakened, and were
finally sundered. Then there was nothing whatever to mark any
superiority of one over the other. If they had been of different ages,
the younger could have yielded to the elder, in some degree, wi