thout
wounding his pride. If one had been more prominent than the other in
effecting the revolution by which Amulius was dethroned, or if there
had been a native difference of temperament or character to mark a
distinction, or if either had been designated by Numitor, or selected
by popular choice, for the command,--all might have been well. But
there seemed in fact to be between them no grounds of distinction
whatever. They were twins, so that neither could claim any advantage
of birthright. They were equal in size, strength, activity, and
courage. They had been equally bold and efficient in effecting the
revolution; and now they seemed equally powerful in respect to the
influence which they wielded over the minds of their followers. We
have been so long accustomed to consider Romulus the more
distinguished personage, through the associations connected with his
name, that have arisen from his subsequent career, that it is
difficult for us to place him and his brother on that footing of
perfect equality which they occupied in the estimation of all who knew
them in this part of their history. This equality had caused no
difference between them thus far, but now, since the advent of power
and prosperity prevented their continuing longer on a level, there
necessarily came up for decision the terrible question,--terrible when
two such spirits as theirs have it to decide,--which was to yield the
palm.

The brothers, therefore, having each expressed his preference in
respect to the best place for the city, were equally unwilling to
recede from the ground which they had taken. Remus thought that there
was no reason why he should yield to Romulus, and Romulus was equally
unwilling to give way to Remus. Neither could yield, in fact, without
in some sense admitting the superiority of the other. The respective
partisans of the two leaders began to take sides, and the dissension
threatened to become a serious quarrel. Finally, being not yet quite
ready for an open rupture, they concluded to refer the question to
Numitor, and to abide by his decision. They expected that he would
come and view the ground, and so decide where it was best that the
city should be built, and thus terminate the controversy.

But Numitor was too sagacious to hazard the responsibility of deciding
between two such equally matched and powerful opponents. He endeavored
to soothe and quiet the excited feelings of his grandsons, and finally
recommended to the