When, as is customary, he was about to take hold
of the doors of the temple and say the prayer of dedication, Marcus,
Poplicola's brother, who had long been standing near the doors watching
his opportunity, said to him, "Consul, your son has just died of
sickness in the camp." All who heard this were grieved, but Horatius,
undisturbed, merely said, "Fling his corpse where you please, for I
cannot grieve for him," and completed the dedication service. The story
was false, invented by Marcus to confuse Horatius. His conduct is a
remarkable instance of presence of mind, whether it be that he at once
saw through the trick, or believed the story and was not disturbed by
it.
XV. The same fortune seems to have attended the second temple also. The
first, as we have related, was built by Tarquin, and dedicated by
Horatius. This was destroyed by fire in the civil wars. The second was
built by Sulla, but the name of Catulus appears as its dedicator, for
Sulla died before it was completed. This again was burned during the
civil tumults in the time of Vitellius, and Vespasian built a third,
which had nearly the same fortune as the others, except that he saw it
completed, and did not see it shortly afterwards destroyed, being thus
more fortunate than Tarquin in seeing the completion, and than Sulla in
seeing the dedication of his work. When Vespasian died the Capitol was
burned. The fourth and present temple was built and dedicated by
Domitian.
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