I placed the quotes below in order as they appear in their books. Each quote has two translations. It was the reading of the third quote, that the People or Commoners (as opposed to the senators or Fathers and the military) felt a "dread as it were of orphanage," like they were "bereft of a father," at the disappearance of Romulus, that I remembered having read the first quote, when Romulus acted to fill the city he had built with people. Apparently (if I am reading this correctly), it was a common strategy at the time to achieve the initial population of a new city by "[sharking] up a lot of homeless and destitute people" from neighboring cities via a two-prong strategy: 1) to preach a doctrine of people being "born of earth," and 2) open the city "as a sanctuary," "as an asylum for fugitives."
(NOTE: The two translations I've found for the word describing Rome's upper class and "senators" and "Fathers." Senators in this case ought be confused with be members of an actual Senate, because the famed Roman Senate did not yet exist at this time. Therefore, to prevent confusion, I will use the translated "Fathers" to label the Roman upper class for this part of the story.
In my opinion, the two translations for the lower class, "People" and "commoners," do not lend themselves so much to confusion as "senators" and "Fathers." So, merely for consistency, I will refer use the label "Commoners" to describe the lower class.)
(NOTE: The two translations I've found for the word describing Rome's upper class and "senators" and "Fathers." Senators in this case ought be confused with be members of an actual Senate, because the famed Roman Senate did not yet exist at this time. Therefore, to prevent confusion, I will use the translated "Fathers" to label the Roman upper class for this part of the story.
In my opinion, the two translations for the lower class, "People" and "commoners," do not lend themselves so much to confusion as "senators" and "Fathers." So, merely for consistency, I will refer use the label "Commoners" to describe the lower class.)
Although possibly apocryphal rather than historial, I had not appreciated the seriousness with which the Commoners took that doctrine of "'born of earth' to be [the founder's] progeny" until I read the third quote. I have been thinking often about the notion of a paternal (or more broadly 'parental') government.
But then I thought about the second quote, how Livy points out that it was the Commoners that loved Romulus more than the Fathers. (The love of the soldiery did not strike me at this time.) That distinction caught my attention, because the Commoners and the Fathers both emerged from that same initial throng of "homeless and destitute people" mentioned in the first quote. And how did that distinction emerge? Romulus picked 100 people from among that newly populated Rome to be these Fathers. How did Romulus decide who to pick? The translation differs on the one criteria which Livy mentions: In one translation, he sought for those who "were in a position [whatever that means] to be made 'Fathers', as they were called, or Heads of Clans." In the other translation (which I find the more interesting), he sought for those who "could name their fathers." And why did Romulus decide on 100? Livy offers two theories: 1) Romulus thought that 100 senators to be sufficient to "[direct] that strength" which Rome had gained after being sufficiently peopled -- How he came to the conclusion, Livy does not specify. Or, 2) (which I also find the more interesting) Romulus could not find more than only 100 men who could name their fathers.
After the explanation of their origin in the social structure of Rome, Livy provides no further description of the Fathers (or the Commoners, for that matter) until the disappearance of Romulus the King, when it is explained that Romulus was loved more by the Commoners than by the Fathers, that is, by the group whose originals could not name their fathers than by the group whose originals could name their fathers.
This is particularly interesting to me for two reasons:
1) Romulus's reign was over 40 years, which is a long time. And...
2) during that time, Rome had incorporated several cities in the region (some by conquest, some by their surrender, one by treaty), subsequently integrated multiple peoples into the Roman city, and, as a result, made several adjustments to the social structure of Rome; but none apparently to the institution that was the Fathers.
Let me explain: After Romulus's initial immigration policy (described above), he realized that while he had the numbers to solidify Rome's power in the region, there were not enough women to ensure her perpetuity. Invitations were sent to the surrounding cities -- Cænina, Crustuminum, Antemæ, Latium -- to intermarry with Rome. They were refused. So Romulus organized a grand festival to Neptune and invited the same neighboring cities to attend, which they did. At Romulus' signal, the Roman men kidnapped the daughters of the visiting families and married them (an event nicknamed The Abduction of the Sabine Women). This started a series of small wars for Rome with those neighboring cities, all of which Rome won, and resulted in the conquering of Cænina, Crustuminum, and Antemæ. (More detail provided in my post "The Pleading of Women").
The final war was with Latium, a much more powerful city than the rest, under the command of Titus Tatius, king of the Sabines, the most respected (perhap most powerful?) king in the area at that time. During the battle, the kidnapped and now married Sabine daughters intervened in the battle (an event nicknamed the Intervention of the Sabine Women), pleading with their husbands on the one side and their fathers on the other to stop fighting, and unite now that they were all family by marriage. The two kings worked out a treaty where Latium and Rome would combine under Roman sovereignty, with Romulus and Titus Tatius became co-monarchs, "[holding] the regal power not only in common, but in concord also." Many more moved to Rome.
Here the text is a little unclear regarding the subsequent social adjustments following the Rome-Latium union. I will do my best to understand.
The Roman population is written to have doubled with the union of Rome and Latium. Romulus organized the people (I presume everyone including the original Romans, the Sabines, Cæninenses, Crustumini, and Antemnates) into 30 curiæ, a division whose definition and social significance are unclear to me at this time. All I can say for the moment is this: The word "citizenship" does not expressly appear in Livy's record of Romulus, but Romulus organized the Commoners and the Fathers after the initial immigration, and I presume that his organizing of the people at this time further supports the idea of his granting citizenship to these people.
All this I describe as evidence that, even though 30 curiae were added to the city's social structure, I do not read of any adjustments made to the institution of the Fathers through all this, at least none noted by the historian.
This is interesting to me because when we talk about the response of the Commoners and that of the Fathers to the disappearance of Romulus, we seem to be talking about those original Fathers (maybe in combination with their sons, the Patricians), members of that original first wave of new Romans who could name their fathers, back from Romulus's original proclamation, before the Abduction.
Without a doubt, the Fathers were a type of elite among the those first Roman people, at least in the opinion of Romulus. And it is interesting to me that Romulus would see a knowledge of one's fathers, albeit as rudimentary as that mentioned in the text as simply knowing their names (and maybe where they were born?), was the exclusive criteria that what comes down to us from Livy.
It is also interesting to be me that the group whose originals could not name their fathers was the group that had grown to love Romulus the king such that their grieving at his passing was with a "dread as it were of orphanage," like they were "bereft of a father," a seeming fulfillment of Romulus's original promise that his new subjects would be like his 'progeny,' the 'born of earth.' In contrast, the group whose originals could name their fathers did not form such an attachment to Romulus the king.
QUOTES:
1)
This is particularly interesting to me for two reasons:
1) Romulus's reign was over 40 years, which is a long time. And...
2) during that time, Rome had incorporated several cities in the region (some by conquest, some by their surrender, one by treaty), subsequently integrated multiple peoples into the Roman city, and, as a result, made several adjustments to the social structure of Rome; but none apparently to the institution that was the Fathers.
Let me explain: After Romulus's initial immigration policy (described above), he realized that while he had the numbers to solidify Rome's power in the region, there were not enough women to ensure her perpetuity. Invitations were sent to the surrounding cities -- Cænina, Crustuminum, Antemæ, Latium -- to intermarry with Rome. They were refused. So Romulus organized a grand festival to Neptune and invited the same neighboring cities to attend, which they did. At Romulus' signal, the Roman men kidnapped the daughters of the visiting families and married them (an event nicknamed The Abduction of the Sabine Women). This started a series of small wars for Rome with those neighboring cities, all of which Rome won, and resulted in the conquering of Cænina, Crustuminum, and Antemæ. (More detail provided in my post "The Pleading of Women").
The final war was with Latium, a much more powerful city than the rest, under the command of Titus Tatius, king of the Sabines, the most respected (perhap most powerful?) king in the area at that time. During the battle, the kidnapped and now married Sabine daughters intervened in the battle (an event nicknamed the Intervention of the Sabine Women), pleading with their husbands on the one side and their fathers on the other to stop fighting, and unite now that they were all family by marriage. The two kings worked out a treaty where Latium and Rome would combine under Roman sovereignty, with Romulus and Titus Tatius became co-monarchs, "[holding] the regal power not only in common, but in concord also." Many more moved to Rome.
Here the text is a little unclear regarding the subsequent social adjustments following the Rome-Latium union. I will do my best to understand.
The Roman population is written to have doubled with the union of Rome and Latium. Romulus organized the people (I presume everyone including the original Romans, the Sabines, Cæninenses, Crustumini, and Antemnates) into 30 curiæ, a division whose definition and social significance are unclear to me at this time. All I can say for the moment is this: The word "citizenship" does not expressly appear in Livy's record of Romulus, but Romulus organized the Commoners and the Fathers after the initial immigration, and I presume that his organizing of the people at this time further supports the idea of his granting citizenship to these people.
All this I describe as evidence that, even though 30 curiae were added to the city's social structure, I do not read of any adjustments made to the institution of the Fathers through all this, at least none noted by the historian.
This is interesting to me because when we talk about the response of the Commoners and that of the Fathers to the disappearance of Romulus, we seem to be talking about those original Fathers (maybe in combination with their sons, the Patricians), members of that original first wave of new Romans who could name their fathers, back from Romulus's original proclamation, before the Abduction.
Without a doubt, the Fathers were a type of elite among the those first Roman people, at least in the opinion of Romulus. And it is interesting to me that Romulus would see a knowledge of one's fathers, albeit as rudimentary as that mentioned in the text as simply knowing their names (and maybe where they were born?), was the exclusive criteria that what comes down to us from Livy.
It is also interesting to be me that the group whose originals could not name their fathers was the group that had grown to love Romulus the king such that their grieving at his passing was with a "dread as it were of orphanage," like they were "bereft of a father," a seeming fulfillment of Romulus's original promise that his new subjects would be like his 'progeny,' the 'born of earth.' In contrast, the group whose originals could name their fathers did not form such an attachment to Romulus the king.
QUOTES:
1)
"Meanwhile the city increased by their taking in various lots of ground for buildings, whilst they built rather with a view to future numbers, than for the population which they then had. Then, lest the size of the city might be of no avail, in order to augment the population, according to the ancient policy of the founders of cities, who, after drawing together to them an obscure and mean multitude, used to feign that their offspring sprung out of the earth, he opened as a sanctuary, a place which is now enclosed as you go down "to the two groves." Hither fled from the neighbouring states, without distinction whether freemen or slaves, crowds of all sorts, desirous of change: and this was the first accession of strength to their rising greatness. When he was now not dissatisfied with his strength, he next sets about forming some means of directing that strength. He creates one hundred senators, either because that number was sufficient, or because there were only one hundred who could name their fathers. They certainly were called Fathers, through respect, and their descendants, Patricians.
And now the Roman state was become so powerful, that it was a match for any of the neighbouring nations in war, but, from the paucity of women, its greatness could only last for one age of man; for they had no hope of issue at home, nor had they any intermarriages with their neighbours."
And now the Roman state was become so powerful, that it was a match for any of the neighbouring nations in war, but, from the paucity of women, its greatness could only last for one age of man; for they had no hope of issue at home, nor had they any intermarriages with their neighbours."
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by D. Spillan, A.M.A.D., Book 1, Section 8-9 (italics added)
OR
"Meanwhile, Rome was growing. More and more ground was coming within the circuit of its walls. Indeed, the rapid expansion of the enclosed area was out of proportion to the actual population, and evidently indicated an eye to the future. In antiquity the founder of a new settlement, in order to increase its population, would as a matter of course shark up a lot of homeless and destitute folk and pretend that they were 'born of earth' to be his progeny; Romulus now followed a similar course: to help fill his big new town, he threw open, in the ground -- now enclosed -- between the two copses as you go up the Capitoline hill, a place of asylum for fugitives. Hither fled for refuge all the rag-tag-and-bobtail from the neighboring peoples: some free, some slaves, and all of them wanting nothing but a fresh start. That mob was the first real addition to the City's strength, the first step to her future greatness.
Having now adequate numbers, Romulus proceeded to temper strength with policy and turned his attention to social organization. He created a hundred senators -- fixing that number either because it was enough for his purpose, or because there were no more than a hundred who were in a position to be made 'Fathers', as they were called, or Heads of Clans. The title of 'fathers' (patres) undoubtedly was derived from their rank, and their descendants were called 'patricians.'
Rome was now strong enough to challenge any of her neighbours; but, great though she was, her greatness seemed likely to last only for a single generation. There were not enough women, and that, added to the fact that there was no intermarriage with neighboring communities, ruled out any hope of maintaining the level of population."
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by D. Spillan, A.M.A.D., Book 1, Section 8-9 (italics added)
2) "[...] These are the principal transactions which occurred during the reign of Romulus, in peace and war, none of which seem inconsistent with the belief of his divine original, or of the deification attributed to him after death, neither his spirit in recovering his grandfather's kingdom, nor his project of building a city, nor that of strengthening it by the arts of war and peace. For by the strength attained from that outset under him, it became so powerful, that for forty years after it enjoyed a profound peace. He was, however, dearer to the people than to the fathers; but above all others he was most beloved by the soldiers. [...]"
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by D. Spillan, A.M.A.D., Book 1, Section 15 (italics added)
OR
"Such is the story of Rome's military and political achievements during the reign of Romulus. All of them chime well with the belief in his divine birth and the divinity ascribed to him after his death. One need but recall the vigour he displayed recovering his ancestral throne; his wisdom in founding Rome and bringing her to strength by the arts of both war and peace. It was him and no one that she owed the power which enabled her to enjoy untroubled tranquility for the next forty years.
Great though Romulus was, he was better loved by the commons than by the senate, and best of all by the army. [...]"
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt, Book 1, Section 15 (italics added)
3)2) "[...] These are the principal transactions which occurred during the reign of Romulus, in peace and war, none of which seem inconsistent with the belief of his divine original, or of the deification attributed to him after death, neither his spirit in recovering his grandfather's kingdom, nor his project of building a city, nor that of strengthening it by the arts of war and peace. For by the strength attained from that outset under him, it became so powerful, that for forty years after it enjoyed a profound peace. He was, however, dearer to the people than to the fathers; but above all others he was most beloved by the soldiers. [...]"
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by D. Spillan, A.M.A.D., Book 1, Section 15 (italics added)
OR
"Such is the story of Rome's military and political achievements during the reign of Romulus. All of them chime well with the belief in his divine birth and the divinity ascribed to him after his death. One need but recall the vigour he displayed recovering his ancestral throne; his wisdom in founding Rome and bringing her to strength by the arts of both war and peace. It was him and no one that she owed the power which enabled her to enjoy untroubled tranquility for the next forty years.
Great though Romulus was, he was better loved by the commons than by the senate, and best of all by the army. [...]"
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt, Book 1, Section 15 (italics added)
"Such, then, were the deeds of Romulus, and they will never grow old. One day while we was reviewing his troops on the Camps Martius near the marsh of Capra, a storm burst, wth violent thunder. A cloud enveloped him, so thick that it hid him from the eyes of everyone present; and from that moment he was never seen again upon the earth.
The troops, who had been alarmed by the sudden storm, soon recovered when it passed over and the sun came out again. Then they saw that the throne was empty, and, ready though they were to believe the senators, who had been standing at the king's side and now declared that he had been carried up on high by a whirlwind, they nonetheless felt like children bereft of a father and for a long time stood in sorrowful silence. Then a few voices began to proclaim Romulus's divinity; the cry was taken up, and at last every man present hailed him as a god and son of a god, and prayed to him to be for ever gracious and to protect his children. [...] At all events the story got about [, ...] given further credit by the timely action of a certain Julius Proculus, a man, we are told, honoured for his wise counsel on weighty matters. The loss of he king had left the people in an uneasy mood and suspicious of the senators, and Proculus, aware of the prevalent temper, conceived the shrewd idea of addressing the Assembly. 'Romulus,' he declared, 'the father of our City, descended from Heaven at dawn this morning and appeared to me. In awe and reverence I stood before him, praying for permission to look upon his face without sin. "Go," he said, "and tell the Romans that by heaven's will my Rome shall be capital of the world. Let them learn to be soldiers. Let them know, and teach their children, that no power on earth can stand against Roman arms." Having spoken these words, he was taken up into the sky.'
Proculus's story had a most remarkable effect; the army and commons, cruelly distressed at the loss of their king, were much comforted once they were assured of his immortality."
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt, Book 1, Section 16 (italics added)
OR
The troops, who had been alarmed by the sudden storm, soon recovered when it passed over and the sun came out again. Then they saw that the throne was empty, and, ready though they were to believe the senators, who had been standing at the king's side and now declared that he had been carried up on high by a whirlwind, they nonetheless felt like children bereft of a father and for a long time stood in sorrowful silence. Then a few voices began to proclaim Romulus's divinity; the cry was taken up, and at last every man present hailed him as a god and son of a god, and prayed to him to be for ever gracious and to protect his children. [...] At all events the story got about [, ...] given further credit by the timely action of a certain Julius Proculus, a man, we are told, honoured for his wise counsel on weighty matters. The loss of he king had left the people in an uneasy mood and suspicious of the senators, and Proculus, aware of the prevalent temper, conceived the shrewd idea of addressing the Assembly. 'Romulus,' he declared, 'the father of our City, descended from Heaven at dawn this morning and appeared to me. In awe and reverence I stood before him, praying for permission to look upon his face without sin. "Go," he said, "and tell the Romans that by heaven's will my Rome shall be capital of the world. Let them learn to be soldiers. Let them know, and teach their children, that no power on earth can stand against Roman arms." Having spoken these words, he was taken up into the sky.'
Proculus's story had a most remarkable effect; the army and commons, cruelly distressed at the loss of their king, were much comforted once they were assured of his immortality."
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt, Book 1, Section 16 (italics added)
OR
"After performing these immortal achievements, while he was holding an assembly of the people for reviewing his army, in the plain near the lake of Capra, on a sudden a storm having arisen, with great thunder and lightning, enveloped the king in so dense a mist, that it took all sight of him from the assembly. Nor was Romulus after this
seen on earth. The consternation being at length over, and fine clear weather succeeding so turbulent a day, when the Roman youth saw the royal seat empty, though they readily believed the fathers who had stood nearest him, that he was carried aloft by the storm, yet, struck with the dread as it were of orphanage, they preserved a sorrowful silence for a considerable time. Then, a commencement having been made by a few, the whole multitude salute Romulus a god, son of a god, the king and parent of the Roman city; they implore his favour with prayers, that he would be pleased always propitiously to preserve his own offspring. [...] By the contrivance also of one individual, additional credit is said to have been gained to the matter. For Proculus Julius, whilst the state was still troubled with regret for the king, and felt incensed against the senators, a person of weight, as we are told, in any matter however important, comes forward to the assembly, "Romans," he says, "Romulus, the father of this city, suddenly descending from heaven, appeared to me this day at day-break. While I stood covered with awe, and filled with a religious dread, beseeching him to allow me to see him face to face, he said, Go tell the Romans, that the gods so will, that my Rome should become the capitol of the world. Therefore let them cultivate the art of war, and let them know and hand down to posterity, that no human power shall be able to withstand the Roman arms. Having said this, he ascended up to heaven." It is surprising what credit was given to the man on his making this announcement, and how much the regret of the common people and army, for the loss of Romulus, was assuaged upon the assurance of his immortality."
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by D. Spillan, A.M.A.D., Book 1, Section 16 (italics added)
seen on earth. The consternation being at length over, and fine clear weather succeeding so turbulent a day, when the Roman youth saw the royal seat empty, though they readily believed the fathers who had stood nearest him, that he was carried aloft by the storm, yet, struck with the dread as it were of orphanage, they preserved a sorrowful silence for a considerable time. Then, a commencement having been made by a few, the whole multitude salute Romulus a god, son of a god, the king and parent of the Roman city; they implore his favour with prayers, that he would be pleased always propitiously to preserve his own offspring. [...] By the contrivance also of one individual, additional credit is said to have been gained to the matter. For Proculus Julius, whilst the state was still troubled with regret for the king, and felt incensed against the senators, a person of weight, as we are told, in any matter however important, comes forward to the assembly, "Romans," he says, "Romulus, the father of this city, suddenly descending from heaven, appeared to me this day at day-break. While I stood covered with awe, and filled with a religious dread, beseeching him to allow me to see him face to face, he said, Go tell the Romans, that the gods so will, that my Rome should become the capitol of the world. Therefore let them cultivate the art of war, and let them know and hand down to posterity, that no human power shall be able to withstand the Roman arms. Having said this, he ascended up to heaven." It is surprising what credit was given to the man on his making this announcement, and how much the regret of the common people and army, for the loss of Romulus, was assuaged upon the assurance of his immortality."
History of Rome, Titus Livius (Livy), Translated by D. Spillan, A.M.A.D., Book 1, Section 16 (italics added)
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