stratagem, and carried off to Numitor. His age and noble bearing made
Numitor think of his grandsons; and his suspicions were confirmed by the
tale of the marvelous nurture of the twin brothers. Soon afterward
Romulus hastened with his foster-father to Numitor; suspicion was
changed into certainty, and the old man recognized them as his
grandsons. They now resolved to avenge the wrongs which their family had
suffered. With the help of their faithful comrades they slew Amulius,
and placed Numitor on the throne.

Romulus and Remus loved their old abode, and therefore left Alba to
found a city on the banks of the Tiber. But a dispute arose between the
brothers where the city should be built, and after whose name it should
be called. Romulus wished to build it on the Palatine, Remus on the
Aventine. It was agreed that the question should be decided by the gods;
and each took his station on the top of his chosen hill, awaiting the
pleasure of the gods by some striking sign. The night passed away, and
as the day was dawning Remus saw six vultures; but at sunrise, when
these tidings were brought to Romulus, twelve vultures flew by him. Each
claimed the augury in his own favor; but the shepherds decided for
Romulus, and Remus was therefore obliged to yield.

1. REIGN OF ROMULUS, B.C. 753-716.--Romulus now proceeded to mark out
the boundaries of his city. He yoked a bullock and a heifer to a plow,
and drew a deep furrow round the Palatine. This formed the sacred limits
of the city, and was called the _Pomoerium_. To the original city on
the Palatine was given the name of _Roma Quadrata_, or Square Rome, to
distinguish it from the one which subsequently extended over the seven
hills.

Rome is said to have been founded on the 21st of April, 753 years before
the Christian era.

On the line of the Pomoerium Romulus began to raise a wall. One day
Remus leapt over it in scorn; whereupon Romulus slew him, exclaiming,
"So die whosoever hereafter shall leap over my walls." Romulus now found
his people too few in numbers. Accordingly, lie set apart on the
Capitoline Hill an asylum, or a sanctuary, in which homicides and
runaway slaves might take refuge. The city thus became filled with men,
but they wanted women, and the inhabitants of the neighboring cities
refused to give their daughters to such an outcast race. Romulus
accordingly resolved to obtain by force what he could not obtain by
treaty. He proclaimed that games were to be ce