ful that the people resolved to intrust the
kingly power to two men, who were only to hold office for a year. In
later times they were called _Consuls_, but at their first institution
they were named _Praetors_. They were elected by the Comitia Curiata, and
possessed the same honors as the king had had. The first consuls were L.
Brutus and Tarquinius Collatinus (B.C. 509). But the people so hated the
very name and race of Tarquin, that Collatinus was obliged to resign his
office and retire from Rome. P. Valerius was elected consul in his
place.

Meantime embassadors came to Rome from Tarquin, asking that his private
property should be given up to him. The demand seemed just to the Senate
and the People; but, while the embassadors were making preparation for
carrying away the property, they formed a conspiracy among the young
Roman nobles for the restoration of the royal family. The plot was
discovered by means of a slave, and among the conspirators were found
the two sons of Brutus himself. But the consul would not pardon his
guilty children, and ordered the lictors[11] to put them to death with
the other traitors. The agreement to surrender the property was made
void by this attempt at treason. The royal goods were given up to the
people to plunder.

As the plot had failed, Tarquin now endeavored to recover the throne by
arms. The people of Tarquinii and Veii espoused the cause of their
Etruscan kinsmen, and marched against Rome. The two Consuls advanced to
meet them. When Aruns, the king's son, saw Brutus at the head of the
Roman cavalry, he spurred his horse to the charge. Brutus did not shrink
from the combat; and both fell from their horses mortally wounded by
each other's spears. A desperate battle between the two armies now
followed. Both parties claimed the victory, till a voice was heard in
the dead of night, proclaiming that the Romans had conquered, as the
Etruscans had lost one man more. Alarmed at this, the Etruscans fled;
and Valerius, the surviving Consul, returned to Rome, carrying with him
the dead body of Brutus. The matrons mourned for Brutus a whole year,
because he had revenged the death of Lucretia.

This was the first war for the restoration of Tarquin.

Valerius was now left without a colleague; and as he began to build a
house on the top of the hill Velia, which looked down upon the forum,
the people feared that he was aiming at kingly power. Thereupon Valerius
not only pulled down the house