For this reason, at the present day,
whenever there is a sale of any public property, especially that which
is taken in war, proclamation is always made, "Porsena's goods for
sale," so that the Romans have never forgotten the kindness which they
received from him. A brazen statue of him used to stand near the senate
house, of plain and oldfashioned workmanship.
XX. After this the Sabines invaded the country. Marcus Valerius,
Poplicola's brother, and Posthumius Tubertus were then consuls, and
Marcus, acting by the advice of Poplicola, who was present, won two
great battles, in the second of which he slew thirteen thousand of the
enemy without the Romans losing a man. He was rewarded for this, in
addition to his triumph, by having a house built for him upon the
Palatine Hill at the public expense. And whereas all other street doors
open inwards, the doors of that house were made to open outwards, as a
perpetual memorial of the honour paid him by the people, who thus made
way for him. It is said that all the doors in Greece used once to open
this way, arguing from the comedies, in which those who are coming out
of a house always knock at the door, to warn those who are passing or
standing near not to be struck by the leaves of the door, as they open.
XXI. Next year Poplicola was consul for the fourth time. There was an
expectation of a war against the Latins and Sabines combined.
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