while they were ravaging the country in straggling parties, and in
a trifling engagement convinced them that anger unaccompanied by
strength is fruitless. He routed their army and put it to flight,
followed in pursuit of it when routed, cut down their king in battle
and stripped him of his armour, and, having slain the enemy's leader,
took the city at the first assault. Then, having led back his
victorious army, being a man both distinguished for his achievements,
and one equally skilful at putting them in the most favourable light,
he ascended the Capitol, carrying suspended on a portable frame,
cleverly contrived for that purpose, the spoils of the enemy's
general, whom he had slain: there, having laid them down at the foot
of an oak held sacred by the shepherds, at the same time that he
presented the offering, he marked out the boundaries for a temple of
Jupiter, and bestowed a surname on the god. "Jupiter Feretrius," said
he, "I, King Romulus, victorious over my foes, offer to thee these
royal arms, and dedicate to thee a temple within those quarters, which
I have just now marked out in my mind, to be a resting-place for the
spolia opima, which posterity, following my example, shall bring
hither on slaying the kings or generals of the enemy." This is the
origin of that temple, the first that was ever consecrated at Rome. It
was afterward the will of the gods that neither the utterances of
the founder of the temple, in which he solemnly declared that his
posterity would bring such spoils thither, should be spoken in vain,
and that the honour of the offering should not be rendered common
owing to the number of those who enjoyed it. In the course of so many
years and so many wars the spolia opima were only twice gained: so
rare has been the successful attainment of this honour.[10]

While the Romans were thus engaged in those parts, the army of the
Antemnates made a hostile attack upon the Roman territories, seizing