ght, the soldiers on both sides looking
on. Romulus made a vow that if he should overcome and kill his enemy he
would himself carry his spoils to the temple of Jupiter and offer them
to him. He overcame his adversary, and slew him, routed his army and
captured his city. He did not harm the inhabitants, except that he
ordered them to demolish their houses and follow him to Rome, to become
citizens on equal terms with the rest. This is the policy by which Rome
grew so great, namely that of absorbing conquered nations into herself
on terms of equality.

Romulus, in order to make the fulfilment of his vow as pleasing to
Jupiter, and as fine a spectacle for the citizens as he could, cut down
a tall oak-tree at his camp, and fashioned it into a trophy,[A] upon
which he hung or fastened all the arms of Acron, each in its proper
place. Then he girded on his own clothes, placed a crown of laurel upon
his long hair, and, placing the trophy upright on his right shoulder,
marched along in his armour, singing a paean of victory, with all the
army following him. At Rome the citizens received him with admiration
and delight; and this procession was the origin of all the subsequent
triumphs and the model which they imitated. The trophy itself was called
an offering to Jupiter Feretrius; for the Romans call to strike,
_ferire_, and Romulus prayed that he might strike down his enemy. The
spoils were called _spolia opima_, according to Varro, because _opim_
means excellence. A more plausible interpretation would be from the
deed itself, for work is called in Latin _opus_. This dedication of
_spolia opima_ is reserved as a privilege for a general who has slain
the opposing general with his own hand. It has only been enjoyed by
three Roman generals, first by Romulus, who slew Acron, king of the
Ceninetes, second by Cornelius Cossus, who slew the Tyrrhenian
Tolumnius, and, above all, by Claudius Marcellus, who killed Britomart,
the king of the Gauls. Now Cossus and Marcellus drove into the city in
chariots and four, carrying the trophies in their own hands; but
Dionysius is in error when he says that Romulus used a chariot and four,
for the historians tell us that Tarquinius, the son of Demaratus, was
the first of the kings who introduced this pomp into his triumphs.
Others say that Poplicola was the first to triumph in a chariot.
However, the statues of Romulus bearing the trophy, which are to be seen
in Rome, are all on foot.

[Footnote