ame excited for no apparent cause, and, either guided
by Heaven or by chance, rushed towards Rome, their driver with them, for
he finding it impossible to stop them was forced to let them whirl him
along until they reached the Capitol, where they threw him down near
what is called the Ratumenan Gate. The Veientines, struck with fear and
wonder at this event, permitted the workmen to deliver up the
earthenware chariot to the Romans.

XIV. Tarquinius the son of Demaratus, when at war with the Sabines,
vowed that he would build the temple of Jupiter Olympius, but it was
built by Tarquinius Superbus, the son or grandson of him who made the
vow. He had not time to dedicate it, but was dethroned just before its
completion. Now when it was finished and thoroughly decorated, Poplicola
was eager to have the glory of dedicating it. Many of the nobles,
however, grudged him this, and were more incensed at this than at all
the glory which he had won as a general and as a legislator; for _that_,
they said, was his vocation, but _this_ was not. They stirred up
Horatius to oppose him and urged him to claim the right to dedicate the
temple. So when Poplicola was of necessity absent on military service,
the senate decreed that Horatius should dedicate it, and brought him up
into the Capitol to do so, a thing which they never could have done had
Poplicola been present. Some say that the two consuls casts lots, and
that the one, sorely against his will, drew the lot to command the army
in the field, and the other that to dedicate the temple. But we may
conjecture how this was, from the events which took place at the
dedication. On the Ides of September, which corresponds with the full
moon in our month Metageitnion, all the people assembled in the Capitol,
and Horatius, after silence had been enjoined upon all, performed the
ceremony of dedication. When, as is customary, he was about to take hold
of the doors of the temple and say the prayer of dedication, Marcus,
Poplicola's brother, who had long been standing near the doors watching
his opportunity, said to him, "Consul, your son has just died of
sickness in the camp." All who heard this were grieved, but Horatius,
undisturbed, merely said, "Fling his corpse where you please, for I
cannot grieve for him," and completed the dedication service. The story
was false, invented by Marcus to confuse Horatius. His conduct is a
remarkable instance of presence of mind, whether it be that he at once