senate, which signifies a council of elders.

In the fourth month after the city was built, as Fabius writes,
the adventure of stealing the women was attempted. It would seem
that, observing his city to be filled by a confluence of
foreigners, few of whom had wives, and that the multitude in
general, consisting of a mixture of mean and obscure men, fell
under contempt, and seemed to be of no long continuance together,
and hoping farther, after the women were appeased, to make this
injury in some measure an occasion of confederacy and mutual
commerce with the Sabines, Romulus took in his hand this exploit
after this manner. First, he gave it out that he had found an
altar of a certain god hid under ground, perhaps the equestrian
Neptune, for the altar is kept covered in the Circus Maximus at
all other times, and only at horse-races is exposed to public
view. Upon discovery of this altar, Romulus, by proclamation,
appointed a day for a splendid sacrifice, and for public games and
shows, to entertain all sorts of people; many flocked thither, and
he himself sat in front, amidst his nobles, clad in purple. Now
the signal for their falling on was to be whenever he rose and
gathered up his robe and threw it over his body; his men stood all
ready armed, with their eyes intent upon him, and when the sign
was given, drawing their swords and falling on with a great shout,
they stole away the daughters of the Sabines, the men themselves
flying without any let or hindrance. Some say there were but
thirty taken, and from Curiae or Fraternities were named; but
Valerius Antias says five hundred and twenty seven, Juba, six
hundred and eighty-three.

It continues a custom at this very day for the bride not of