. The children were
saved by the shepherd who was commissioned to expose them, at the
request of Numitor, and two other boys were put in their place.
Numitor's grandsons were taken to a friend at Gabii, who caused them to
be educated according to their rank, and to be instructed in Greek
literature. Attempts have actually been made to introduce this stupid
forgery into history, and some portions of it have been adopted in the
narrative of our historians; for example, that the ancient Alban
nobility migrated with the two brothers to Rome; but if this had been
the case there would have been no need of opening an asylum, nor would
it have been necessary to obtain by force the _connubium_ with other
nations.

But of more historical importance is the difference of opinion between
the two brothers respecting the building of the city and its site.
According to the ancient tradition, both were kings and the equal heads
of the colony; Romulus is universally said to have wished to build on
the Palatine, while Remus, according to some, preferred the Aventine;
according to others, the hill Remuria. Plutarch states that the latter
is a hill three miles south of Rome, and cannot have been any other than
the hill nearly opposite St. Paul, which is the more credible, since
this hill, though situated in an otherwise unhealthy district, has an
extremely fine air: a very important point in investigations respecting
the ancient Latin towns, for it may be taken for certain that where the
air is now healthy it was so in those times also, and that where it is
now decidedly unhealthy, it was anciently no better. The legend now goes
on to say that a dispute arose between Romulus and Remus as to which of
them should give the name to the town, and also as to where it was to be
built. A town Remuria therefore undoubtedly existed on that hill, though
subsequently we find the name transferred to the Aventine, as is the
case so frequently. According to the common tradition, the auguries were
to decide between the brothers: Romulus took his stand on the Palatine,
Remus on the Aventine. The latter observed the whole night, but saw
nothing until about sunrise, when he saw six vultures flying from north
to south, and sent word of it to Romulus; but at that very time the
latter, annoyed at not having seen any sign, fraudulently sent a
messenger to say that he had seen twelve vultures, and at the very
moment the messenger arrived there did appear twelve vu