XXV. As the city was now so flourishing, the weaker of the neighbouring
states made submission, and were glad to receive assurance that they
would be unharmed; but the more powerful, fearing and envying Romulus,
considered that they ought not to remain quiet, but ought to check the
growth of Rome. First the Etruscans of Veii, a people possessed of wide
lands and a large city, began the war by demanding the surrender to them
of Fidenae, which they claimed as belonging to them. This demand was not
only unjust, but absurd, seeing that they had not assisted the people of
Fidenae when they were fighting and in danger, but permitted them to be
destroyed, and then demanded their houses and lands, when they were in
the possession of others. Receiving a haughty answer from Romulus, they
divided themselves into two bodies, with one of which they attacked
Fidenae, and with the other went to meet Romulus. At Fidenae they
conquered the Romans, and slew two thousand; but they were defeated by
Romulus, with a loss of eight thousand men. A second battle now took
place at Fidenae, in which all agree that Romulus took the most
important part, showing the greatest skill and courage, and a strength
and swiftness more than mortal. But some accounts are altogether
fabulous, such as that fourteen hundred were slain, more than half of
whom Romulus slew with his own hand. The Messenians appear to use
equally inflated language about Aristomenes, when they tell us that he
thrice offered sacrifice for having slain a hundred Lacedaemonians.
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