8 A COMBATE BETWENE
cities, being of one affinitie, and neighbours, to vse this force of Armes. But whether this my conie&ure bee righte or wrong, they oughte to confider, whiche firste began the warres. The Albanes haue created me their Captaine of this enterpryfe. I come to geue aduertifement to thee, O Tullus, of this one thing. Which is, that the Thufcans being a great nation, and of power right famous, doth inuirone vs both rounde about, and the nerer they be vnto you, the more knowledge you haue of them. They be mightie vpon lande, and of great power vpon Sea. Call to thy remembraunce and confider, that when thou geueft the figne and watch worde of the battell, our twoo armies mall bee but a ridiculous fpetacle to them. So sone as they doe perceiue vs twoo to bee fpent, and weried with fighting, they will bothe aflayle the vanquished, and him also that doeth ouercome. Where sore if the Goddes do fauour eyther of vs, let vs not fhewe our selues to bee wearie of our libertie and franchife that is certaine, and hazard the dice to incurre perpetuall seruitude and bondage. Thersore let vs deuife some other waye, wherby the one of vs may gouerne the other without effufion of cithers bloud."
This condition nothing difpleafed Tullus, although in courage, and hope of vi&orie, he was more fierce and bolder then the other. And being in confutation about the purpose, fortune miniftred an apt occafion to them both : for in either campes there were thre brethren, of age and valiance femblable. The brethren that were in the Romaine campe were called Horatij, the other Curiatij^ Whereupon a combate was thought meete betwene these fixe persones. After the Romaines had vsed their solempne maners of confecrating the truces, and other rites concerning the fame, either partes repaired to the combate. Both the armies ftode in readines besore their campes, rather voyde of prefent perill then of care: for the state of either of their Empires, confifted in the valiance and fortune of a fewe. Whersore theire mindes were wonderfullye bent and incenfed vpon that vnpleafant fight. The figne of the combat was giuen. The thre yonge men of either fide do ioigne with furious and cruel onfet, reprefenting the courages of two battelles of puiflaunt armies. for the lofle con fifted in neither those three, but the publique gouernement or
THE
