St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of Romulus his murther of his brother, which the gods neuer reuenged. CHAP. 6.

NOw I will say more: If those Deities tooke such grieuous and heinous displeasure at the enormities of men, that for Paris his misdemeanour they

would needes vtterly subuert the citty of Troy by fire and sword: much more then ought the murder of Romulus his brother to incense their furies against the Romaines, then the rape of Menelaus his wife against the Troians: Parricide (a) in the first originall of a Citty, is far more odious then adultery in the wealth and height of it. Nor is it at all pertinent vnto our purpose (b) whether this murder were commanded or committed by Romulus, which many impudently deny, ma∣ny doe doubt, and many do dissemble. Wee will not intangle our selues in the Laborinth of History, vpon so laborious a quest: Once, sure it is, Romulus his bro∣ther was murdered: and that neither by open enemies, nor by strangers. If Ro∣mulus either willed it, or wrought it, so it is: Romulus was rather the cheefe of Rome then Paris of Troy. VVhy should the one then set all his goddes against his countrey for but rauishing another mans wife, and the other obtaine the protec∣tion of (c) the same goddes for murdering of his owne brother? If Romulus bee cleare of this imputation, then is the whole citty guilty of the same crime how∣soeuer, in giuing so totall an assent vnto such a supposition: and in steed of kil∣ling a brother, hath done worse in killing a father. For both the bretheren were fathers and founders to it alike, though villany bard the one from dominion. There is small reason to be showne (in mine opinion) why the Troians deserued so ill, that their gods should leaue them to destruction, and the Romaines so well, that they would stay with them to their augmentation; vnlesse it bee this, that be∣ing so ouerthrowne and ruined in one place, they were glad to flie away to prac∣tise their illusions in another; nay they were cunninger then so; they both stayed still at Troy to deceiue (after their old custome) such as afterwards were to inhabit there; and likewise departed vnto Rome that hauing a greater scope to vse their im∣postures there they might haue more glorious honours assigned them to feede their vaine-glorious desires.

L. VIVES.

PArricide (a) in] Parricide is not onely the murther of the parent, but of any other equall: * 1.1 some say 'Parricidium, quasi patratio caedis, committing of slaughter. It is an old law of Num|'s: He that willingly doth to death a free-man shall be counted a Parricide (b) Whether this mur∣ther] * 1.2 There be that affirme, that Remus being in contention for the Kingdome, when both the factions had saluted the leaders with the name of King, was slaine in the by•…•…kerng between them: but whether by Romulus or some other, none can certainely affirme. Others and more in number, saie that he was slaine by Fabius, Tribune of the light horsemen of Romulus, because he leaped in scorne ouer the newly founded walles of Rome; and that Fabius did this by Romu∣lus his charge: Which fact Cicero tearmes wicked and inhumaine. For thus in his fourth booke of Offices he discourseth of it. But in that King that built the citty it was not so. The glosse of commodity dazeled his spirits: and since it seemed fitter for his profit to rule without a partner then with one, he murdered his owne brother. Here did he leape ouer piety, nay and humanity also: to reach the end hee aimed at, profit: though his pretence and coullour, about the wall, was neither pro∣bale, nor sufficient wherfore be it spoken with reuerence to Quirinus or to Romulus Romulus in this did well. (c) The same godds] Which were first brought to Aeneas to I auiniun, & from thence to Alba by Ascanius, and from Alba the Romaines had them by Romulus, with the Assent of Num•…•…tor: and so lastly were by Tullus transported all vnto Rome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Parricide.
• * 1.2

  Numa's. •…•…aw Remus his death.