SIGNUM coniugīque suāsit ut[3] eum haud secus ac suōs līberōs[4]
ēducāret.[3] Is postquam adolēvit, et fortitūdine et cōnsiliō
īnsīgnis fuit. In proeliō quōdam,[5] in quō rēx Tarquinius
adversus Sabīnōs cōnflīxit, mīlitibus[6] sēgnius
[10] dīmicantibus, raptum[7] sīgnum in hostem mīsit. Cūius[8]
recipiendī grātiā Rōmānī tam ācriter pūgnāvērunt, ut et
sīgnum et victōriam referrent. Quārē ā Tarquiniō gener
adsūmptus est; et cum Tarquinius occīsus esset, Tanaquil,
Tarquiniī uxor, mortem ēius cēlāvit, populumque
[15] ex superiōre[9] parte aedium adlocūta[10] ait rēgem grave
quidem, sed nōn lētāle vulnus accēpisse, eumque petere, ut
interim dum convalēsceret,[11] Serviō Tulliō[12] dictō audientēs essent.
Sīc[13] Servius Tullius rēgnāre coepit, sed rēctē imperium administrāvit.
Sabīnōs subēgit[14]; montēs trēs, Quirīnālem, Vīminālem, Ēsquilīnum
[20] urbī adiūnxit; fossās[15] circā mūrum dūxit. Īdem cēnsum[16]
ōrdināvit, et populum in classēs[17] et centuriās[18] distribuit.
Servius Tullius aliquod urbī decus addere volēbat. Iam[1] tum
inclitum erat Diānae Ephesiae fānum.[2] Id commūniter[3] ā cīvitātibus
DIANA OF EPHESUS Asiae factum fāma ferēbat. Itaque Latīnōrum
[25] populīs suāsit ut et[4] ipsī fānum Diānae
cum[5] populō Rōmānō Rōmae in Aventīnō monte
aedificārent. Quō[6] factō, bōs mīrae māgnitūdinis[7]
cuīdam Latīnō nāta[8] dīcitur, et respōnsum somniō
datum[8] eum populum summam imperiī habitūrum,[8]
[30] cūius cīvis bovem illam Diānae immolāsset.[9]
Latīnus[10] bovem ad fānum Diānae ēgit et causam
sacerdōtī Rōmānō exposuit. Ille callidus[11] dīxit
prius eum vīvō flūmine manūs abluere dēbēre.
Latīnus dum ad Tiberim[12] dēscendit, sacerdōs bovem immolāvit.
[35] Ita imperium cīvibus sibique glōriam adquīsīvit.
Servius Tullius fīliam alteram ferōcem, mītem alteram habēns,[13]
cum Tarquiniī fīliōs parī esse animō[14] vidēret, ferōcem[15] mītī,
mītem ferōcī in mātrimōnium dedit, nē duo violenta ingenia
mātrimōniō iungerentur. Sed mītēs seu forte seu fraude periērunt;
[40] ferōcēs mōrum similitūdō coniūnxit. Statim Tarquinius
SACRIFICE ā Tulliā[1] incitātus advocātō[2] senātū rēgnum
paternum repetere coepit. Quā[3] rē
audītā Servius dum ad Cūriam contendit,
iussū Tarquiniī per gradūs[4] dēiectus et
[45] domum refugiēns interfectus est. Tullia
carpentō vecta in Forum properāvit et
cōniugem ē Cūriā ēvocātum prīma rēgem
salūtāvit; cūius iussū cum ē turbā ac
tumultū dēcessisset[5] domumque redīret,
[50] vīsō patris corpore, cunctantem et frēna mūliōnem inhibentem
super ipsum[6] corpus carpentum agere iussit, unde[7] vīcus ille
Scelerātus dictus est. Servius Tullius rēgnāvit annōs quattuor et
quadrāgintā.
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[19.13] Livy relates that at the capture of the Latin town Corniculum, Servius’ father was killed and his mother taken prisoner. Out of respect to her high rank, Tanaquil set her free and welcomed her to the palace. There Servius was born, and he was brought up in Tarquin’s household.
[19.14] ferunt . . . accidisse: in English, the verb corresponding to ferunt would be parenthetical, thus: ‘a prodigy, they say, happened.’