The Horatii And Curiatii
Romulus was succeeded by a king named Numa Pompilius, of Sabine origin,
who so loved peace that during his reign Rome had no wars and no
enemies, so that the doors of the Temple of Janus were never once opened
while he was on the throne. He built a temple to Faith, that men might
learn to avoid falsehood and to act honestly. He taught the people to
sacrifice nothing but the fruits of the earth, cakes of flour, and
roas
peaceful and prosperous throughout his long reign, and grew rapidly in
wealth and population. He died at length when eighty years of age, and
was succeeded by Tullus Hostilius, a king of Roman birth.
The new king loved war as much as the gentle Numa had loved peace. Under
his rule the gates of the Temple of Janus were soon thrown open again,
long to remain so. His first war was with the city of Alba Longa, the
foster-parent of Rome. Some border troubles brought on hostilities, war
broke out, and an Alban army marched until within fifteen miles of Rome.
And here took place a celebrated incident. The two armies were drawn out
on the field, and were about to plunge into the dreadful work of
battle, when the Alban king, to whom the war seemed a foolish and
useless one, stood out between the two armies and spoke in the hearing
of both.
He reminded them that the Romans and Albans were of the same origin, and
that they were surrounded by nations who would like to see both of them
weakened. He proposed, therefore, that the dispute between them should
be decided not by battle, but by a duel between a few soldiers, and that
the side which won should rule the other. This proposal seemed to Tullus
a sensible one, and he accepted it, offering as the combatants on his
side three brothers known as the Horatii.
The Alban army had also three brave brothers, of about the same age as
the Roman champions, known as the Curiatii, and these were chosen to
uphold the honor and dominion of Alba against Rome. So, with the two
armies as spectators, and a broad space between for the deadly duel, the
six champions, fully armed, faced each other in the field.
The onset was fierce, and set every heart in the two armies throbbing in
hope or dread. But after a short time a shout of triumph went up from
the Alban host. Two of the Horatii lay stretched in death on the field.
The Curiatii were all wounded, but they were now three to one, so the
remaining Horatius turned and fled, though he was still unhurt. Dismay
fell on the Romans as they saw their single champion in full flight,
pursued by his opponents. The glad shouts of the Albans redoubled.
Suddenly a change came. The fugitive, whose flight had been a feint, to
separate his foes, now turned and saw that the wounded men were lagging
in pursuit and were widely separated. Running quickly back, he met the
nearest, and killed him with a blow. The other two were met and slain in
succession before they could aid each other. Then, holding up his bloody
sword in triumph, the victor invited the plaudits of his friends, while
shedding dismay on Alban hearts.
The Romans, now lords of the Albans, returned to Rome in triumph, their
advent to the city being marked by the first of those pompous
processions which in after-years became known as Roman Triumphs, and
were celebrated with the utmost splendor and costliness of display.
But the affair of the Horatii and Curiatii was not yet at an end. It was
to be finished in blood and crime. A sister of the Horatii was the
affianced bride of one of the Curiatii, and as she saw her victorious
brother enter the city, bearing on his shoulders the military cloak
which she had wrought for her lover with her own hands, she broke into
wild invectives, tearing her hair, and upbraiding her brother with
bitter words. Roused to fury by this accusation, the victor, in a
paroxysm of rage, struck his sister to the heart with the sword which
had slain her lover, crying out, "So perish the Roman maiden who shall
weep for her country's enemy."
This dreadful deed filled with horror the hearts of all who beheld it.
Men cried that it was a crime against the law and the gods, too great to
be atoned for by the victor's services. He was seized and dragged to the
tribunal of the two judges who dealt with crimes of bloodshed. These
heard the evidence of the crime, and condemned him to death, in despite
of what he had done for Rome.
But the Roman law permitted an appeal from the judges to the people.
This appeal Horatius made, and it was tried before the assembly of
Romans. Here his father spoke in his favor, saying that in his opinion
the maiden deserved her fate. Remembrance of the great service performed
by Horatius was also strong with the people, and the voice of the
assembly freed him from the sentence of death. But blood had been shed,
and blood required atonement, so a sum of money was set aside to pay for
sacrifices to atone for this dreadful deed. Ever afterwards these
sacrifices were performed by members of the Horatian clan.
In a later war the Albans failed to aid the Romans, as they were
required to do by the terms of alliance. As a result the city of Alba
was destroyed, and the Albans forced to come and live in Rome, the
Caelial Hill being given them for a dwelling-place.
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