CHAP. I. The aetymologie of the mount Aventine.
THe Aventine is of the Romane hils the fourth in order. The compasse and forme whereof, because wee have alreadie described in the first booke, needlesse here it is to repeat. But it remaineth to declare, how it came so called, what temples of the gods, and what other edifices be therein. The Aventine therfore, some think, tooke the name of birds which were wont to flie unto this hill, there to nestle : others, of a* 1.1 king of the Albanes, slaine and buried there. There bee againe who suppose, that the Sabines, who being by the Romans enfranchised citizens, there settled and made abode, gave the name to this hill, of Avantes, a river in their province. Varro affir∣meth that it was so called of a ferriage: For as it hath been said a little before, this mount was divided from the rest, and from the citie by certaine lakes and the Tyber, whereupon, they that would goe to it, used to ferrie over in small punts or whirries. Some guesse, that it came to have that name of resort unto it, for that the Latines used in great frequencie to repaire unto the holie temple of Diana there. Remurius also it was named of Remus who chose a place in the top thereof to sit, for to take the flight of birds for Augurie, and in the end was there enterred: Romulus therfore commaunded that it should not be inhabited, because hee would have had it wholly consecrated to his brother. This hill, Ancus Martius afterward compassed with a wall, and granted leave to as many as would, there to dwel: how∣soever there be some that thinke it stood void untill the time of Claudius the emperour of happie me∣morie, as being an ominous place and unfortunat, by reason of foule birds that haunted it, and there∣fore not to bee received within the walls. But the truth is, when the Romanes grew populous, they joined this mountaine also to the rest of the citie.