So the two officers, accompanied by their friends, ordered their horses, and rode first of all to Rome.
Here they found the wife of Sextus at a banquet, where she was dancing gaily, the merriest of all the merry throng.
It was late when they reached Collatia, where they found Lucretia, the wife of Collatinus, still busy with her maidens at the spinning-wheel.
The whole company agreed that of the two wives Lucretia deserved the greater praise. Then the frolic being over, the prince and his friends rode back to camp.
CHAPTER XXI
THE DEATH OF LUCRETIA
The idle suggestion that had made Sextus and Collatinus ride from the camp to Rome and Collatia led to terrible disaster.
Sextus, having seen how wise and beautiful Lucretia was, wished to win her from her husband; and one day, leaving the camp, he again rode to Collatia, but this time he rode alone.
Lucretia, believing the prince was her husband’s friend, received him with fitting hospitality when he arrived at her house, hot and tired after his ride. But when she found that he was not a true friend to Collatinus she was no longer kind. Then the prince grew angry, and treated Lucretia so cruelly that she knew she could never again be happy.
The next day she clad herself in black, and sent messengers to her father and her husband, bidding them come to Collatia with all possible speed.