the descent from the Palatine hill into the great Circus. Here they say
the sacred cornel-tree grew, the legend being that Romulus, to try his
strength, threw a spear, with cornel-wood shaft, from Mount Aventine,
and when the spear-head sunk into the ground, though many tried, no one
was able to pull it out. The soil, which was fertile, suited the wood,
and it budded, and became the stem of a good-sized cornel-tree. After
the death of Romulus this was preserved and reverenced as one of the
holiest objects in the city. A wall was built round it, and whenever any
one thought that it looked inclined to droop and wither he at once
raised a shout to tell the bystanders, and they, just as if they were
assisting to put out a fire, called for water, and came from all
quarters carrying pots of water to the place. It is said that when Gaius
Caesar repaired the steps, and the workmen were digging near it, they
unintentionally damaged the roots, and the tree died.

XXI. The Sabines adopted the Roman system of months, and all that is
remarkable about them will be found in the 'Life of Numa.' But Romulus
adopted the large oblong Sabine shield, and gave up the round Argolic
shields which he and the Romans had formerly carried. The two nations
shared each other's festivals, not abolishing any which either had been
wont to celebrate, but introducing several new ones, among which are the
Matronalia, instituted in honour of the women at the end of the war, and
that of the Carmentalia. It is thought by some that Carmenta is the
ruling destiny which presides over a man's birth, wherefore she is
worshipped by mothers. Others say that she was the wife of Evander the
Arcadian, a prophetess who used to chant oracles in verse, and hence
surnamed Carmenta (for the Romans call verses _carmina_); whereas it is
generally admitted that her right name was Nicostrate. Some explain the
name of Carmenta more plausibly as meaning that during her prophetic
frenzy she was bereft of intellect; for the Romans call to lack,