ch. 451.45 [Note] After the State was augmented by the expansion of the
City and all domestic arrangements adapted to the requirements of both peace and war,
Servius endeavoured to extend his dominion by state-craft, instead of aggrandising it by
arms, and at the same time made an addition to the adornment of the City. The temple of the
Ephesian Diana was famous at that time, and it was reported to have been built by the
cooperation of the states of Asia. Servius had been careful to form ties of hospitality and
friendship with the chiefs of the Latin nation, and he used to speak in the highest praise of
that cooperation and the common recognition of the same deity. By constantly dwelling on
this theme he at length induced the Latin tribes to join with the people of Rome in building a
temple to Diana in Rome. Their doing so was an admission of the predominance of Rome;
a question which had so often been disputed by arms. Though the Latins, after their many
unfortunate experiences in war, had as a nation laid aside all thoughts of success, there was
amongst the Sabines one man who believed that an opportunity presented itself of
recovering the supremacy through his own individual cunning.
The story runs that a man of substance belonging to that nation had a heifer of
marvellous size and beauty. The marvel was attested in after ages by the horns which were
fastened up in the vestibule of the temple of Diana. The creature was looked upon as-what
it really was-a prodigy, and the soothsayers predicted that, whoever sacrificed it to Diana,
the state of which he was a citizen should be the seat of empire. This prophecy had reached
the ears of the official in charge of the temple of Diana. When the first day on which the
sacrifice
could properly be offered arrived the Sabine drove the heifer to Rome, took it to the
temple and placed it front of the altar. The official in charge was a Roman, and, struck
by the size of the victim which was well known by report he recalled the prophecy and
addressing the Sabine said, Why, pray, are you, stranger, preparing to offer a polluted
sacrifice to Diana? Go and bathe yourself first in running water. The Tiber is flowing down
there at the bottom of the valley. Filled with misgivings, and anxious for everything to be
done properly that the prediction might be fulfilled, the stranger promptly went down to the
Tiber. Meanwhile the Roman sacrificed the heifer to Diana. This was a cause of intense
gratification to the king and to his people.
