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MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER The flowers of history, especially such as relate to the affairs of Britain. Vol. I. B.C. 4004 to A.D. 1066.

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MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER
The flowers of history, especially such as relate to the affairs of Britain. Vol. I. B.C. 4004 to A.D. 1066.
page 65



56 MATTHEW Ο* WïeTMTJrSTJB. B.C. 672« added two months, January and February, to the year ; as there had been only ten months in the system established among the Romans by Romulus. He also built the Capitol from its foundations, being especially devoted to religion and sacred things, and he taught his people the observances of sacrifices and ceremonies, and the whole worship of the gods. He instituted the pontiffs, the augurs, and the other ranks of the priesthood, and some other secret pledgee of the em* pire ; and the worship of Janus with two faces. He was the first who delivered the sacred flame of Vesta to the virgins to be taken care of by them, in order that a flame kindled from the stars of heaven might watch for ever over his image, as a guardian of the empire. For he was so much led away by vanity, that he made many laws at the dictation of the devil, which afterwards he perceived would be very injurious if they ever came to the knowledge of men : but as he was afraid to burn them, he buried them under ground secretly, near his own tomb, where he thought that no one would come. But in process of time, a certain countryman found these books, while ploughing in that place. He brought them to the Praetor, and the Praetor laid them before the Senate. But the Senate, when it saw them, was filled with detestation, and shuddered, and committing them to the flames burnt them, lest the curiosity of any one should reveal such guilt and such diabolical wickedness to the knowledge of man. Numa died of disease in the forty-first year of his reign. In the reign of Numa, Glaucus invented the way to solder iron together. Also in his time, the prophets Isaiah and Hosea flourished. The successor of Numa was Tullus HostUius, who established all the details of military discipline and of the art of war, and he was the first of the Roman kings who wore the purple, and used the fasces. In his time Manasseh was king of Judah. Tullus also enlarged the city by the addition of Mount Csslius. When he had reigned thirty-two years, he was struck by lightning and burnt in his palace. About this time the city of Byzantium, which was afterwards called Constantinople, was founded. After him Aucus Martius, the grandson of Numa Pom1 Meaning the Ancilia.


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