d,
and called the goods of Porsina, the expression rather conveying the
idea of a thankworthy gift than an auction of the king's property,
seeing that this never even came into the power of the Roman people.
Porsina, having abandoned the war against the Romans, that his army
might not seem to have been led into those parts to no purpose,
sent his son Arruns with part of his forces to besiege Aricia. The
unexpected occurrence at first terrified the Aricians: afterward aid,
which had been sent for, both from the people of Latium and from
Cumae,[15] inspired such hope that they ventured to try the issue of a
pitched battle. At the beginning of the battle the Etruscans attacked
so furiously that they routed the Aricians at the first onset. But the
Cuman cohorts, employing stratagem against force, moved off a little
to one side, and when the enemy were carried beyond them in loose
array, they wheeled round and attacked them in the rear. By this means
the Etruscans, when on the point of victory, were hemmed in and cut to
pieces. A very small number of them, having lost their general, and
having no nearer refuge, came to Rome without their arms, in the
plight and guise of suppliants. There they were kindly received and
distributed in different lodgings. When their wounds had been attended
to, some with. Affection for their hosts and for the city caused many
others to remain at Rome: a quarter was assigned them to dwell in,
which has ever since been called the Tuscan Street.[16]

Spurius Lucretius and Publius Valerius Publicola were next elected
consuls. In that year ambassadors came from Porsina for the last time,
to discuss the restoration of Tarquin to the throne. And when answer
had been given them, that the senate would send deputies to the king,
the most distinguished of that order were forthwith despatched to
explain that it was not because the answer could not have been given
in a few words--that the royal family would not be received--that
select members of the senate had been deputed to him, rather than an
answer given to his ambassadors at Rome, but in order that all mention
of the matter might be put an end to forever, and that their minds
might not be disturbed amid so many mutual acts of kindness on both
sides, by his asking what was adverse to the liberty of the Roman
people, and by their refusing him (unless they were willing to promote
their own destruction) whom they would willingly refuse nothing. That
the R