proper worship of the gods carefully written on tablets and set out where every one could read them. He paid such atten tion to his religious duties that the neighboring nations thought there was an excellent chance for them to attack the city while the Roman king was saying prayers and offering up sacrifices. They made a mistake, for King Ancus could fight as well as pray. He conquered his enemies and strengthened the fortifications of Rome . Just across the river Tiber was the hill Ja -nic'u -lum , and Ancus did not forget to fortify this , lest some enemy should capture it and so be able to take the town. In order to join this hill to the city, he built a wooden bridge across the Tiber , and at the mouth of the river he founded a colony which he called Os'ti-a, the Latin name for mouths .
King Ancus committed only one act that seemed foolish : when he came to die , he made one Lu'ci-us Tar- quin'i -us Pris'cus guardian of his two sons . This man was rich and ambitious , and he had come to Rome on purpose to win power . When he was on his way to the city for the first time , with his wife Tan'a - quil beside him in the chariot , and had come as far as the hill Janiculum , an eagle suddenly swooped down , caught his hat from his head and wheeled about in the air with it , then dropped down and placed it on his head again . Tanaquil was skilled in reading the flights of birds and other omens , and she cried out with delight , The eagle is the bird of Jupiter , and most surely some lofty station in life is awaiting you . Tarquinius bought a house in Rome and tried by every means in his power to win the favor of the king and the chief men , and he was most successful .
LEGENDS OF THE SEVEN KINGS OF ROME 17
Now when Ancus was dead and the people were about to choose a new ruler , Tarquinius Priscus sent the two sons of Ancus away on a hunting trip , and then he made a speech to the assembly , telling them why they would do well to make him king . He seems to have convinced them , for he was chosen sovereign . No one could say that he did not do well by his kingdom , for he conquered the tribes roundabout , and even the powerful Etruscans acknowledged him as their king, and sent him a crown and sceptre and ivory chair , an embroidered tunic , a purple toga, or robe , and twelve bundles of rods called fasces, in each of which was an axe . This last was to signify that he had power to punish and to put to death . The men who carried the rods and axes were known as lictors , and when the king appeared in public , twelve of them always marched in single file before him .
After the enemies of the Romans had been subdued , Tarquinius set to work to improve the city . In honor of Jupiter , he built a splen did temple which was called the Capitol . The height on which it stood received the name of the Capitoline Hill . He also built directly across the city a famous underground sewer called the Clo-a'ca Max'i-ma , or great sewer , to drain the swamps between the hills , and he marked out the Circus Maximus , or great circus, where games were held .
One night the king and queen were aroused from their sleep to see a wonderful sight . A little boy , the son of one of
their slaves , lay fast asleep , and around his head was blazing a beautiful and harmless flame. Queen Tanaquil forbade the servants to disturb the child , and she said to her husband, Of course that fire is a mark of the favor of the gods , and the boy is surely destined for some noble position . Let us bring him up with the best of care , and if ever we are in the darkness of adversity, he will be a light to us . " From that time Tarquinius treated the boy as his own son , and when he was grown up, he showed himself truly kingly that the king gave him his daughter in marriage. The sons of Ancus seem to have been waiting patiently, ex pecting that the crown would be theirs at the death of Tarquinius ; but when they saw that the king's favor was given to the boy Ser'vi- us Tulli-us , they were angry and indignant , and a little later they hired two bold and daring shepherds to assassinate Tarquinius . Probably the sons of Ancus would have been able to seize the crown if Queen Tanaquil had not been so quick-witted . She opened the win dow and addressed the people . Be of good cheer, she said . The king is only stunned , and I hope you will soon see him again . In the mean time , he wishes you to obey Servius
Tullius in his place . Then to Servius she said , Now is your time . If you are a man , the kingdom is yours , not theirs who have brought about the murder of the king." Servius seated
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