and accomplishments--in every thing excelling all their
competitors, and becoming in the end greatly renowned.

Numitor, the father of Rhea Silvia, whom Amulius had dethroned and
banished from Alba, was all this time still living; and he had now at
length become so far reconciled to Amulius as to be allowed to reside
in Alba--though he lived there as a private citizen. He owned, it
seems, some estates near the Tiber, where he had flocks and herds that
were tended by his shepherds and herdsmen. It happened at one time
that some contention arose between the herdsmen of Numitor and those
of Amulius, among whom Romulus and Remus were residing. Now as the
young men had thus far, of course, no idea whatever of their
relationship to Numitor, there was no reason why they should feel any
special interest in his affairs, and they accordingly, as might
naturally have been expected, took part with Amulius in this quarrel,
since Faustulus, and all the shepherds around them were on that side.
The herdsmen of Numitor in the course of the quarrel drove away some
of the cattle which were claimed as belonging to the herdsmen of
Amulius. Romulus and Remus headed a band which they hastily called
together, to pursue the depredators and bring the cattle back. They
succeeded in this expedition, and recaptured the herd. This incensed
the party of Numitor, and they determined on revenge.

They waited some time for a favorable opportunity. At length the time
came for celebrating a certain festival called the Supercalia, which
consisted of very rude games and ceremonies, in which men sacrificed
goats, and then dressed themselves partially in the skins, and ran
about whipping every one whom they met, with thongs made likewise of
the skins of goats, or of rabbits, or other animals remarkable for
their fecundity. The meaning of the ceremonies, so far as such uncouth
and absurd ceremonies could have any meaning, was to honor the God of
fertility and fruitfulness, and to promote the fruitfulness of their
flocks and herds, during the year ensuing at the time that the
celebrations were held.

The retainers and partisans of Numitor determined on availing
themselves of this opportunity to accomplish their object.
Accordingly, they armed themselves, and coming suddenly upon the spot
where the shepherds of Amulius were celebrating the games, they made a
rush for Remus, who was at that time, in accordance with the custom,
running to and fro, half-naked, a