Ancient Rome: An Introductory History Read Online Free PDF Page B

the king's sons to serve as the butt of their jokes. Brutus brought his own offering to Apollo, a gift resembling the giver: a rod of gold hidden inside a tube of wood.
At Delphi, the oracle of Apollo answered the questions asked by Tarquin's sons, as well as one they asked on their own behalf: who would be the next king of Rome? The oracle responded that the first among them to kiss his mother would have supreme authority in Rome. Tarquin's sons therefore drew lots to decide who would first kiss their mother when they arrived at Rome. As they were leaving the temple, however, Brutus pretended to trip and, while lying on the ground, kissed the Earth, the mother of all living things.
The Rape of Lucretia
Immediately upon returning to Rome, the three young men had to hurry to Ardea, a town to which the Romans had laid siege. Soon the action in the war slowed down, and many officers were allowed to spend their time in leisure.
One night a party was held, and among those attending were Sextus Tarquinius (one of the king's sons) and a man named Collatinus. The topic of the conversation turned to their wives; each man praised his own, and they began to argue over whose wife was the most faithful. Finally, Collatinus proposed that they all return to Rome to see just what their wives were doingthat way they could decide whose wife was the most faithful. All agreed.
To one house after another they went, seeing their wives throwing parties with many guests and sumptuous food. The last wife they visited was Lucretia, the wife of Collatinus. When they

 

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came to Collatinus' house, they found Lucretia spinning wool, by lamplight, with her maidservants at her side. Without a doubt, Lucretia had won the "most faithful wife" contest. She invited the men inside for supper, and in the course of the evening Sextus Tarquinius fell madly in love with her. The men then returned to the war in Ardea.
A few days later, Sextus Tarquinius rode back to Rome (without Collatinus' knowledge) and appeared before Lucretia. She treated him as the honored guest that he was, and gave him the guest chamber to sleep in. During the night, when all was quiet, he stole into Lucretia's room.
"Lucretia," he said, "be quiet! I am Sextus Tarquinius. There is a sword in my hand. If you say anything at all, you will die." He then told her of his love, begging, pleading, and even threatening her, so she would submit to his desire. She refused. Seeing that she would not relent and that her fidelity was greater even than her fear of death, he threatened to kill her and then to cut the throat of a slave and lay his naked body next to hers, so that people would say that Lucretia had been justly killed after being caught in the most disgraceful adultery. Fearing for her good reputation, she submitted to his desires. After using her, he rode away.
Lucretia then wrote to her father and to her husband, urging them to return to Rome immediately, each with a trustworthy friend, for a terrible thing had happened. They came, bringing Publius Valerius and Brutus.
They found Lucretia sitting in her room, very sad. When they entered, she began to cry. Her husband asked, "Is everything all right?" She answered, "No. How can anything be all right for a woman who has lost her honor? Collatinus, another man has been in your bed; otherwise only my body has been violated, for my mind is innocent. My death will be my proof. But give your right hands in an oath that the adulterer will be avenged. Sextus Tarquinius is the one who last night, as an enemy armed for violence, but disguised as a guest, got his pleasure from me, but if you are real men, you will make him pay for that pleasure. You will see to it that he receives what he deserves. I recognize that although I am not guilty of wrongdoing, I am not free from punishment; no woman will ever live unchastely with Lucretia as her guide."

 

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With a knife, which she had hidden under her dress, Lucretia then stabbed herself in