following words: "Concerning such things, causes of dispute, and
quarrels, as the pater patratus of the Roman people, the Quirites, has
treated with the pater patratus of the ancient Latins, and with the
ancient Latin people, which things ought to be given up, made good,
discharged, which things they have neither given up, nor made good,
nor discharged, declare," says he to him, whose opinion he asked
first, "what think you?" Then he replies: "I think that they should
be demanded by a war free from guilt and regularly declared; and
accordingly I agree, and vote for it." Then the others were asked
in order, and when the majority of those present expressed the same
opinion, war was agreed upon. It was customary for the fetialis to
carry in his hand a spear pointed with steel, or burned at the end
and dipped in blood, to the confines of the enemy's country, and in
presence of at least three grown-up persons, to say, "Forasmuch as
the states of the ancient Latins, and the ancient Latin people, have
offended against the Roman people of the Quirites, forasmuch as the
Roman people of the Quirites have ordered that there should be war
with the ancient Latins, and the senate of the Roman people, the
Quirites, have given their opinion, agreed, and voted that war should
be waged with the ancient Latins, on this account I and the Roman
people declare and wage war on the states of the ancient Latins, and
on the ancient Latin people." Whenever he said that, he used to hurl
the spear within their confines. After this manner at that time
satisfaction was demanded from the Latins, and war proclaimed: and
posterity has adopted that usage.

Ancus, having intrusted the care of sacred matters to the flamen
and other priests, set out with an army freshly levied, and took
Politorium, a city of the Latins, by storm: and following the example
of former kings, who had increased the Roman power by incorporating