against the king himself. Two of the most brutal of the shepherds,
chosen for the deed, each carrying with him the iron tools of
husbandmen to the use of which he had been accustomed, by creating as
great a disturbance as they could in the porch of the palace, under
pretence of a quarrel, attracted the attention of all the king's
attendants to themselves; then, when both appealed to the king, and
their clamour had reached even the interior of the palace, they were
summoned and proceeded before him. At first both shouted aloud, and
vied in clamouring against each other, until, being restrained by
the lictor, and commanded to speak in turns, they at length ceased
railing: as agreed upon, one began to state his case. While the king's
attention, eagerly directed toward the speaker, was diverted from the
second shepherd, the latter, raising up his axe, brought it down upon
the king's head, and, leaving the weapon in the wound, both rushed out
of the palace.

When those around had raised up Tarquin in a dying state, the lictors
seized the shepherds, who were endeavouring to escape. Upon this an
uproar ensued and a concourse of people assembled, wondering what was
the matter. Tanaquil, amid the tumult, ordered the palace to be shut,
and thrust out all spectators: at the same time she carefully prepared
everything necessary for dressing the wound, as if a hope still
remained: at the same time, she provided other means of safety, in
case her hopes should prove false. Having hastily summoned Servius,
after she had shown him her husband almost at his last gasp, holding
his right hand, she entreated him not to suffer the death of his
father-in-law to pass unavenged, nor to allow his mother-in-law to be
an object of scorn to their enemies. "Servius," said she, "if you are
a man, the kingdom belongs to you, not to those, who, by the hands of
others, have perpetrated a most shameful deed. Rouse yourself, and