e city they
found that Romulus had taken possession of two hills without the
walls, where he had entrenched himself in great force. These two hills
were named the Esquiline and Quirinal hills. The city itself included
two other hills, namely, the Palatine and the Capitoline. The
Capitoline hill was the one on which the asylum had formerly been
built, and it was now the citadel. The citadel was surrounded on all
parts with ramparts and towers which overlooked and commanded all the
neighboring country. The command of this fortress was given to
Tarpeius, a noble Roman. He had a daughter named Tarpeia, whose name
afterward became greatly celebrated in history, on account of the
part which she took in the events of this siege, as will presently
appear.

At the foot of the Capitoline hill, and on the western side of it,
that is, the side away from the city, there was a spacious plain which
was afterward included within the limits of the city, and used as a
parade-ground, under the name of Campus Martius, which words mean the
"War Field." This field was now, however, an open plain, and the
Sabine army advancing to it, encamped upon it. The Sabine forces were
much more numerous than those of the Romans, but the latter were so
well guarded and protected by their walls and fortifications, that
Titus Tatius saw no feasible way of attacking them with any prospect
of success. At last, one day as some of his officers were walking
around the Capitoline hill, looking at the walls of the citadel,
Tarpeia came to one of the gates, which was in a retired and solitary
position, and entered into a parley with the men. The story of what
followed is variously related by different historians, and it is now
difficult to ascertain the actual truth respecting it. The account
generally received is this:--

[Illustration: PROMISING THE BRACELETS.]

Tarpeia had observed the soldiers from the walls, and her attention
had been attracted by the bracelets and rings which they wore; and she
finally made an agreement with the Sabines that she would open the
postern gate in the night, and let them in, if they would give her
what they wore upon their arms, meaning the ornaments which had
attracted her attention. The Sabines bound themselves to do this and
then went away. Titus Tatius, accordingly, when informed of this
arrangement, detailed a strong detachment of troops, and gave them
orders to repair at night in a very silent and secret manner to the