his mistress the body of the murdered Servius lying on the ground.
On this occasion a revolting and inhuman crime is said to have been
committed, and the place bears record of it. They call it the Wicked
Street, where Tullia, frantic and urged on by the avenging furies of
her sister and husband, is said to have driven her chariot over her
father's body, and to have carried a portion of the blood of her
murdered father on her blood-stained chariot, herself also defiled
and sprinkled with it, to her own and her husband's household gods,
through whose vengeance results corresponding with the evil beginning
of the reign were soon destined to follow. Servius Tullius reigned
forty-four years in such a manner that it was no easy task even for a
good and moderate successor to compete with him. However, this also
has proved an additional source of renown to him that together with
him perished all just and legitimate reigns. This same authority, so
mild and so moderate, because it was vested in one man, some say that
he nevertheless had intended to resign, had not the wickedness of his
family interfered with him as he was forming plans for the liberation
of his country.

After this period Lucius Tarquinius began to reign, whose acts
procured him the surname of Proud, for he, the son-in-law, refused his
father-in-law burial, alleging that even Romulus was not buried after
death. He put to death the principal senators, whom he suspected
of having favoured the cause of Servius. Then, conscious that the
precedent of obtaining the crown by evil means might be borrowed from
him and employed against himself, he surrounded his person with a
body-guard of armed men, for he had no claim to the kingdom except
force, as being one who reigned without either the order of the people
or the sanction of the senate. To this was added the fact that, as he
reposed no hope in the affection of his citizens, he had to secure his
kingdom by terror; and in order to inspire a greater number with this,
he carried out the investigation of capital cases solely by himself
without assessors, and under that pretext had it in his power to put
to death, banish, or fine, not only those who were suspected or hated,
but those also from whom he could expect to gain nothing else but
plunder. The number of the fathers more particularly being in this
manner diminished, he determined to elect none into the senate in
their place, that the order might become more contempti