bat.--Result of the combat.--Marriage
of AEneas.--AEneas drowned in the Numicius.

Latium was the name given to an ancient province of Italy, lying south
of the Tiber. At the time of AEneas's arrival upon the coast it was an
independent kingdom. The name of the king who reigned over it at this
period was Latinus.

The country on the banks of the Tiber, where the city of Rome
afterward arose, was then a wild but picturesque rural region,
consisting of hills and valleys, occupied by shepherds and husbandmen,
but with nothing upon it whatever, to mark it as the site of a city.
The people that dwelt in Latium were shepherds and herdsmen, though
there was a considerable band of warriors under the command of the
king. The inhabitants of the country were of Greek origin, and they
had brought with them from Greece, when they colonized the country,
such rude arts as were then known. They had the use of Cadmus's
letters, for writing, so far as writing was employed at all in those
early days. They were skillful in making such weapons of war, and such
simple instruments of music, as were known at the time, and they could
erect buildings, of wood, or of stone, and thus constructed such
dwellings as they needed, in their towns, and walls and citadels for
defence.

AEneas brought his fleet into the mouth of the Tiber, and anchored it
there. He himself, and all his followers were thoroughly weary of
their wanderings, and hoped that they were now about to land where
they should find a permanent abode. The number of ships and men that
had formed the expedition at the commencement of the voyage, was very
large; but it had been considerably diminished by the various
misfortunes and accidents incident to such an enterprise, and the
remnant that was left longed ardently for rest. Some of the ships took
fire, and were burned at their moorings in the Tiber, immediately
after the arrival of the expedition. It was said that they were set on
fire by the wives and mothers belonging to the expedition,--who
wished, by destroying the ships, to render it impossible for the fleet
to go to sea again.

However this may be, AEneas was very strongly disposed to make the
beautiful region which he now saw before him, his final home. The
country, in every aspect of it, was alluring in the highest degree.
Level plains, varied here and there by gentle elevations, extended
around him, all adorned with groves and flowers, and exhibiting a
luxuriance in th