that they
might destroy the city utterly. Great sorrow was there in Alba that day,
men knowing not for fear and grief what they should carry with them or
leave behind. For a while, indeed, they wandered through their houses,
knowing that they should not see them any more. But when the horsemen
shouted to them that they should depart, and the crash of houses which
men were now destroying began to be heard, and the dust rising up from
the outskirts of the city covered all things as with a cloud, then they
snatched up in haste each such things as they could, and so departed the
home in which they had been born and bred. Very lamentable was their cry
as they went, more especially of the women, when they saw armed men
in the temples wherein they had been wont to worship, the very gods
themselves being left, as it seemed, in captivity. And when the people
were now gone forth from their city the Romans left not one stone upon
another of all that was in the city; so that that which had been four
hundred years in building (for so long had Alba endured) perished in
one hour. Nevertheless they harmed not the temples, for so the King had
commanded.

But because Alba was thus brought to destruction, Rome increased
greatly; for the number of the citizens was increased twofold. The
Coelian hill was added to the city, in which hill, that others might the
more readily dwell there, the King himself commanded that they should
build him a palace. Also the chief houses of Alba, as the house of
Julius and of Servilius, were chosen into the Senate; and that there
might be a place of meeting for the Senate being thus multiplied, the
King built a temple and called it Hostilia, after his own name. Also
ten squadrons of horsemen were chosen out of the men of Alba. But after
certain days, when the Romans had now conquered the Sabines, and had
made treaties of peace with the Etrurians, and were in great peace and
prosperity, they and their King, there was brought tidings to Rome that
there had fallen a shower of stones on Mount Alba. Which when men could
scarce believe, they sent messengers to learn if these things were true,
who having come to Alba, found the stones lying on the ground, even as
it had been hail. Also there was heard a voice from the grove that was
on the top of the hill, saying, "Let the men of Alba do worship after
the manner of their fathers;" for they having left their country, had
left also their gods, and did worship after th