Amūlius igitur urbem iam regēbat. Sed Albae Longae puella erat, Rhēa Silvia nōmine, Numitōris fīlia. Hanc puellam timēbat Amūlius, quod iūstī rēgis fīlia erat, et omnēs cīvēs virginem amābant. "Sī huic puellae," inquit, "fīlius erit, omnēs cīvēs nōn mē sed puerum iūstum rēgem putābunt. Nēmō igitur virginem in mātrimōnium dūcet, sed ignem sacrum cum virginibus sacrīs per tōtam vītam cūrābit."
Mārs autem rēgis
verba audīvit et rīsit. "Nōn ita," inquit, "rēx scelerātus fātum
vītābit. Ego Rhēae Silviae marītus erō; mox puellae īnfantēs erunt, fīliī meī;
ubi hī puerī adolēscentēs erunt, tum vērō Amūlius fātum suum sentiet." Nec
falsa deus praedīxit. Mox Rhēa Silvia geminōs, Mārtis fīliōs, in gremiō
tenēbat.
geminī, -ōrum
2/n/pl]: twins
iustus, -a, -um:
just; rightful
praedīcō, -ere
[3]: foretell
rideō, -ere [2]:
laugh
vītō, -āre [1]:
avoid
____________________
Amulius therefore
was now ruling the city. But at Alba Longa there was a girl, Rhea Silvia by
name, the daughter of Numitor. This girl Amulius feared, because she was the
daughter of the rightful king, and all the citizens loved the maiden. "If
this girl has a son," he said, "all the citizens will think not me
but the boy the rightful king. Therefore no one will lead the maiden into
marriage, but throughout her whole life she will look after the sacred fire
with the sacred virgins."
Mars, however,
heard the king's words and laughed. "Not thus," he said, "will
the wicked king escape fate. I shall be the husband of Rhea Silvia; soon the
girl will have infants, my sons; when these boys are grown up, then indeed
Amulius will feel his fate." Nor did the god foretell falsely. Soon Rhea
Silvia was holding twin sons, the sons of Mars, in her lap.