Ab urbe condita

After executing their father's commission the young men were desirous of ascertaining to which of them the kingdom of Rome would come. A voice came from the lowest depths of the cavern: “Whichever of you, young men, shall be the first to kiss his mother, he shall hold supreme sway in Rome.”

Sextus had remained behind in Rome and to keep him in ignorance of this oracle and so deprive him of any chance of coming to the throne, the two Tarquins insisted upon absolute silence being kept on the subject. They drew lots to decide which of them should be the first to kiss his mother.

On their return to Rome, Brutus, thinking that the oracular utterance had another meaning, pretended to stumble, and as he fell kissed the ground, for the earth is of course the common mother of us all.

Then they returned to Rome, where preparations were being energetically pushed forward for a war with the Rutulians

This[*](The Story of Lucretia.) people who were at that time in possession of Ardea, were, considering the nature of their country and the age in which they lived, exceptionally wealthy. This circumstance really originated the war, for the Roman king was anxious to repair his own fortune, which had been exhausted by the magnificent scale of his public works and also to conciliate his subjects by a distribution of the spoils of war.

His tyranny had already produced disaffection but what moved their special resentment was the way they had been so long kept by the king at manual and even servile labour.

An attempt was made to take Ardea by assault; when that failed recourse was had to a regular investment to starve the enemy out.

When troops are stationary, as is the case in a protracted more than in an active campaign, furloughs are easily granted, more so to the men of rank however, than to the common soldiers.

The royal princes sometimes spent their leisure hours in feasting and entertainments, and at a wine party given by