autumn, had scarcely gained sufficient altitude to throw its
beams over the woody crest of the Esquiline into the hollow of the Sacred
Way.

The slant light fell, however, full on the splendid terraces and shrines
of the many-templed Palatine, playing upon their stately porticoes, and
tipping their rich capitals with golden lustre.

And at that early hour, the ancient hill was thronged with busy
multitudes.

The crisis was at hand--the Senate was in solemn session. The knights were
gathered in their force, all armed. The younger members of the patrician
houses were mustered with their clients. The fasces of the lictors
displayed the broad heads of the axes glittering above the rods, which
bound them--the axes, never borne in time of peace, or within the city
walls, save upon strange emergency.

In the old temple of Jupiter Stator, chosen on this occasion for the
strength of its position, standing on the very brink of the steep
declivity of the hill where it overlooked the great Roman forum, that
grand assembly sate in grave deliberation.

The scene was worthy of the actors, as were the actors of the strange
tragedy in process.

It was the cella, or great circular space of the inner temple. The brazen
doors of this huge hall, facing the west, as was usual in all Roman
temples, were thrown open; and without these, on the portico, yet so
placed that they could hear every word that passed within the building,
sat on their benches, five on each side of the door, the ten tribunes(19)
of the people.

Within the great space, surrounded by a double peristyle of tall Tuscan
columns, and roofed by a vast dome, richly carved and gilded, but with a
circular opening at the summit, through which a flood of light streamed
down on the assembled magnates, the Senate was in session.

Immediately facing the doors stood the old Statue of the God, as old, it
was believed by some, as the days of Romulus, with the high altar at its
base, hung round with votive wreaths, and glittering with ornaments of
gold.

Around this altar were grouped the augurs, each clad, as was usual on
occasions of high solemnity, in his _trabea_, or robe of horizontal
stripes, in white and purple; each holding in his hand his _lituus_, a
crooked staff whereby to designate the temples of the heaven, in which to
observe the omens.

On every side of the circumference, except that occupied by the altar and
the idol, were ranged in circular state the benches o