A quarrel occurring betwixt Numitor's and Amulius's cowherds, the
latter, not enduring the driving away of their cattle by the
others, fell upon them and put them to flight, and rescued the
greatest part of the prey. At which Numitor being highly incensed,
they little regarded it, but collected and took into their company
a number of needy men and runaway slaves,--acts which looked like
the first stages of rebellion. It so happened, that when Romulus
was attending a sacrifice, being fond of sacred rites and
divination, Numitor's herdsmen, meeting with Remus on a journey
with few companions, fell upon him, and, after some fighting, took
him prisoner, carried him before Numitor, and there accused him.
Numitor would not punish him himself, fearing his brother's anger,
but went to Amulius and desired justice, as he was Amulius's
brother and was affronted by Amulius's servants. The men of Alba
likewise resenting the thing, and thinking he had been
dishonorably used, Amulius was induced to deliver Remus up into
Numitor's hands, to use him as he thought fit. He therefore took
and carried him home, and, being struck with admiration of the
youth's person, in stature and strength of body exceeding all men,
and perceiving in his very countenance the courage and force of
his mind, which stood unsubdued and unmoved by his present
circumstances, and hearing further that all the enterprises and
actions of his life were answerable to what he saw of him, but
chiefly, as it seemed, a divine influence aiding and directing the
first steps that were to lead to great results, out of the mere
thought of his mind, and casually, as it were, he put his hand
upon the fact, and, in gentler terms and with a kind aspect, to
inspire him with confidence and hope, asked him who he was, and
whence he was derived. He, taking heart, spoke thus: "I will hide
nothing from you, for you seem to be of a more princely temper