#Brutus and collatinus manual#

When all around seemed safe and everybody fast asleep, he went in the frenzy of his passion with a naked sword to the sleeping Lucretia, and placing his left hand on her breast, said, ‘Silence, Lucretia! I am Sextus Tarquinius, and I have a sword in my hand if you utter a word, you shall die.’ He was hospitably received by the household, who suspected nothing, and after supper was conducted to the bedroom set apart for guests. After their youthful frolic they returned for the time to camp.Ī few days afterwards Sextus Tarquinius went, unknown to Collatinus, with one companion to Collatia. Sextus Tarquinius, inflamed by the beauty and exemplary purity of Lucretia, formed the vile project of effecting her dishonour. She welcomed the arrival of her husband and the Tarquins, while her victorious spouse courteously invited the royal princes to remain as his guests. The palm in this competition of wifely virtue was awarded to Lucretia. She was sitting at her wool work in the hall, late at night, with her, maids busy round her. Setting spur to their horses they galloped off to Rome, where they arrived as darkness was beginning to close in Thence they proceeded to Collatia, where they found Lucretia very differently employed from the king’s daughters–in–law, whom they had seen passing their time in feasting and luxury with their acquaintances. ‘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? What we see of the behaviour, of each on the unexpected arrival of her husband, let that be the surest test.’ They were heated with wine, and all shouted: ‘Good! Come on!’ 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.Īs 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. 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.

#Brutus and collatinus manual#

His tyranny had already produced disaffection but what moved their special resentment was the way they had been so long kept by the king at manual and even servile labour.Īn attempt was made to take Ardea by assault when that failed recourse was had to a regular investment to starve the enemy out. This circumstance really originated the war, for the Roman king was anxious to repair his own fortune, which had been exhausted by the magnificent scale of his public works and also to conciliate his subjects by a distribution of the spoils of war. This people who were at that time in possession of Ardea, were, considering the nature of their country and the age in which they lived, exceptionally wealthy.