Ab urbe condita

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

Sextus Tarquinius at which Collatinus, the son of Egerius, was present, the conversation happened to turn upon their wives, and each began to speak of his own in terms of extraordinarily high praise.

As the dispute became warm Collatinus said that there was no need of words, it could in a few hours be ascertained how far his Lucretia was superior to all the rest. “Why do we not,” he exclaimed, “if we have any youthful vigour about us mount our horses and pay your wives a visit and find out their characters on the spot?