ch. 571.57 [Note] This people who were at that time in possession of
Ardea, were, considering the nature of their country and the age in which they lived,
exceptionally wealthy. This circumstance really originated the war, for the Roman king was
anxious to repair his own fortune, which had been exhausted by the magnificent scale of
his public works and also to conciliate his subjects by a distribution of the spoils of war.
His tyranny had already produced disaffection but what moved their special resentment was
the way they had been so long kept by the king at manual and even servile labour.
An attempt was made to take Ardea by assault; when that failed recourse was had to a
regular investment to starve the enemy out. When troops are stationary, as is the case in a
protracted more than in an active campaign, furloughs are easily granted, more so to the
men of rank however, than to the common soldiers. The royal princes sometimes spent
their leisure hours in feasting and entertainments, and at a wine party given by Sextus
Tarquinius at which Collatinus, the son of Egerius, was present, the conversation
happened to turn upon their wives, and each began to speak of his own in terms of
extraordinarily high praise. As the dispute became warm Collatinus said that there was no
need of words, it could in a few hours be ascertained how far his Lucretia was superior to
all the rest. Why do we not, he exclaimed, if we have any youthful vigour about us
mount our horses and pay your wives a visit and find out their characters on the spot? What
we see of the behaviour, of each on the unexpected arrival of her husband, let that be the
surest test. They were heated with
wine, and all shouted: Good! Come on! Setting spur to their horses they galloped
off to Rome, where they arrived as darkness was beginning to close in; Thence they
proceeded to Collatia, where they found Lucretia very differently employed from the king's
daughters-in-law, whom they had seen passing their time in feasting and luxury with their
acquaintances. She was sitting at her wool work in the hall, late at night, with her, maids
busy round her. The palm in this competition of wifely virtue was awarded to Lucretia. She
welcomed the arrival of her husband and the Tarquins, whilst her victorious spouse
courteously invited the royal princes to remain as his guests. Sextus Tarquin, inflamed by
the beauty and exemplary purity of Lucretia, formed the vile project of effecting her
dishonour. After their youthful frolic they returned for the time to camp.
