hery and animosity even among the members of his own family. Very
opportunely for maintaining the tranquillity of the present state, a war
was commenced with the Veientes (for the truce had now expired[54]) and
with the other Etrurians. In that war, both the valour and good fortune
of Tullius were conspicuous, and he returned to Rome, after routing a
great army of the enemy, now unquestionably king, whether he tried the
dispositions of the fathers or the people. He then sets about a work of
peace of the utmost importance; that, as Numa had been the author of
religious institutions, so posterity might celebrate Servius as the
founder of all distinction among the members of the state, and of those
orders by which a limitation is established between the degrees of rank
and fortune. For he instituted the census, a most salutary measure for
an empire destined to become so great, according to which the services
of war and peace were to be performed, not by every person,
(indiscriminately,) as formerly, but in proportion to the amount of
property. Then he formed, according to the census, the classes and
centuries, and the arrangement as it now exists, eminently suited either
to peace or war.

[Footnote 53: By _public_--_private_. The "public" were the steps taken
by Servius to establish his political ascendency, whilst the "private"
refer to those intended to strengthen his family connexions.]

[Footnote 54: _The truce had now expired._ If the truce concluded with
them by Romulus be here meant, it was long since expired, since about
140 years had now elapsed. It is probable, however, that it was renewed
in the reign of Tullius.]

43. Of those who had an estate of a hundred thousand asses or more, he
made eighty centuries, forty of seniors and forty of juniors. All these
were called the first class, the seniors were to be in readiness to
guard the city, the juniors to carry on war abroad. The arms enjoined
them were a helmet, a round shield, greaves, and a coat of mail, all of
brass; these were for the defence of their body; their weapons of
offence were a spear and a sword. To this class were added two centuries
of mechanics, who were to serve without arms; the duty imposed upon them
was to carry the military engines. The second class comprehended all
whose estate was from seventy-five to a hundred thousand asses, and of
these, seniors and juniors, twenty centuries were enrolled. The arms
enjoined them were a buckler instead