Numitor

Silvius received the kingdom from his father, and being struck by lightning, demised it to Aventinus, who, being buried on that hill which is now a part of the city of Rome, gave it his name.

To him succeeded Procas, who had two sons, Numitor and Amulius.

To Numitor, as being the firstborn, he bequeathed the ancient kingdom of the Silvian family.

But force prevailed over both the will of their father and the respect due to priority of birth.

Amulius dethroned his brother, took possession of the kingdom, and adding crime to crime, put to death the male offspring of Numitor, making his daughter Rhea Silvia a vestal under the specious pretense of doing her honor, but in fact to deprive her of all hope of issue, the vestals being obliged to vow perpetual virginity.

But the Fates, I suppose, demanded the founding of this great city, and the first establishment of an empire which is now in power next to the immortal gods.

The vestal being deflowered by force, brought forth twins, and declared that the father of her doubtful offspring was Mars, either because she really thought so, or in hopes of extenuating the guilt of her transgression by imputing it to the act of a deity.

While they were intent on the performance of these sports, the time of their celebration being generally known, the robbers, enraged at the loss of their booty, attacked them by surprise, having placed themselves in ambush.

Men have learned to understand thunder and to protect themselves from its power, and now, since Franklin and Morse have commenced the work of subduing the potent and mysterious agent in which it originates to the human will, the presumption is not very strong against the supposition that the time may come when human science may actually produce it in the sky, as it is now produced, in effect, upon the lecturer's table.

At last, toward the close of the four hundred years during which the dynasty of the Silvia continued to reign over Latium, a certain monarch of the series died, leaving two children, Numitor and Amulius.

Numitor was the eldest son, and as such entitled to succeed his father, but he was of a quiet and somewhat inefficient disposition, while his younger brother was ardent and ambitious, and very likely to aspire to the possession of power.

The father, it seems, anticipated the possibility of dissension between his sons after his death, and in order to do all in his power to guard against it, he endeavored to arrange and settle the succession before he died.

In the course of the negotiations which ensued, Amulius proposed that his father's possessions should be divided into two portions, the kingdom to constitute one, and the wealth and treasures the other, and that Numitor should choose which portion he would have.

This proposal seemed to have the appearance, at least, of reasonableness and impartiality, and it would have been really very reasonable if the right to the inheritance thus disposed of had belonged equally to the younger and to the elder son.

But it did not, and thus the offer of Amulius was, in effect, a proposition to divide with himself that which really belonged wholly to his brother.

Numitor, however, who, it seems, was little disposed to contend for his rights, agreed to this proposal.

As for the babes, they were taken up and reared by Faustulus, a swineherd of Amulius, and no man knew of it.

Or, as some say with a closer approach to probability, Numitor did know of it, and secretly aided the foster-parents in their task.

And it is said that the boys were taken to Gabii to learn letters, and the other branches of knowledge, which are meet for those of noble birth.

Moreover, we are told that they were named, from ruma, the Latin word for teal, Romulus and Romus, or Remus, because they were seen sucking the wild beast.

They also applied themselves to generous occupations and pursuits, not esteeming sloth and idleness generous, but rather bodily exercise, hunting, running, driving off robbers, capturing thieves, and rescuing the oppressed from violence.

For these things, indeed, they were famous far and near.

When a quarrel arose between the herdsmen of Numitor and Amulius, and some of the latter's cattle were driven off, the brothers would not suffer it, but fell upon the robbers, put them to flight, and intercepted most of the booty.

To the displeasure of Numitor they gave little heed, but collected and took into their company many needy men and many slaves, exhibiting thus the beginnings of seditious boldness and temper.

Silvius received the kingdom from his father, and being struck by lightning, demised it to Aventinus, who, being buried on that hill which is now a part of the city of Rome, gave it his name.

To him succeeded Procas, who had two sons, Numitor and Amulius.

To Numitor, as being the firstborn, he bequeathed the ancient kingdom of the Silvian family.

But force prevailed over both the will of their father and the respect due to priority of birth.

Amulius dethroned his brother, took possession of the kingdom, and adding crime to crime, put to death the male offspring of Numitor, making his daughter Rhea Silvia a vestal under the specious pretense of doing her honor, but in fact to deprive her of all hope of issue, the vestals being obliged to vow perpetual virginity.

But the Fates, I suppose, demanded the founding of this great city, and the first establishment of an empire which is now in power next to the immortal gods.

The vestal being deflowered by force, brought forth twins, and declared that the father of her doubtful offspring was Mars, either because she really thought so, or in hopes of extenuating the guilt of her transgression by imputing it to the act of a deity.

While they were intent on the performance of these sports, the time of their celebration being generally known, the robbers, enraged at the loss of their booty, attacked them by surprise, having placed themselves in ambush.

They seldom went far from home, and they fancied that the whole world was seen from the top of their hill.

Now, there was a king of Abalanga, whose name was Numitor.

He was an elderly man, gentle and kind.

He cared little for power.

"'If I were king, things would be different,' he would say.

"'You should all live at your ease and want for nothing.'

At length, one day, when Numitor was at his farm, Amulius proclaimed himself king of Albalanga.

He stationed soldiers at the city gates and declared that every man who did not acknowledge his right to the kingship should be put to death.