Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/331

 CHAP, in FIRST REVOLUTION. 325 suited perhaps, perhaps giving their advice, conlribnt- ing towards the single vote Avhich the gens cast, but with no power to give an oi)inion contrary t^ that of the pater. This assembly of the curies was, then, nothing but the patrician city united in presence of the kings. By this we see that Rome Avas in the same state as the other cities. The kiug was in the presence of an aristocratic body very strongly organized, and Avhich derived its power from religion. The same conflicts which we have seen in Greece, therefore, took place in Rome. The history of the seven kings is the history of this long quarrel. The first wished to increase his power and free himself from the authority of the sen- ate. He sought the favor of the inferior classes, but the Fathers were hostile to him ; and he perished, as- sassinated in an assembly of the senate. The aristocracy immediately dream of abolishing royalty, and the Fathers fill by turns the place of the king. The lower classes are agitated, it is true ; they do not wish to be governed by the chiefs of the geiites, and demand the restoration of royalty.' But the patri- cians satisfy themselves by deciding that henceforth it shall be elective, and they fix the forms of election with marvellous skill. The senate must choose the candi- date ; the patrician assembly of the curies must con- firm this choice; and, finally, the patrician augurs must declare whether this newly-elected king is pleasing to Nunia was elected according to these rules. He was very religious — rather a priest than a warrior, a very scrupulous observer of all the rites of worship, and • Livy, I. Cicero, De Repub., II.
 * .he gods.