1.51
With these censures on
the Roman king he left the council. Tarquin took the
matter more seriously than he appeared to do and at
once began to plan Turnus' death, in order that he
might inspire the Latins with the same terror
through which he had crushed the spirits of his
subjects at home. As he had not the power to get him
openly put to death, he compassed his destruction by
bringing a false charge against him. Through the
agency of some of the Aricians who were opposed to
Turnus, he bribed a slave of his to allow a large
quantity of swords to be carried secretly into his
quarters. This plan was executed in one night.
Shortly before daybreak Tarquin summoned the Latin
chiefs into his presence, as though something had
happened to give him great alarm. He told them that
his delay on the previous day had been brought about
by some divine providence, for it had proved the
salvation both of them and himself. He was informed
that Turnus was planning his murder and that of the
leading men in the different cities, in order that
he might hold sole rule over the Latins. He would
have attempted it the previous day in the council;
but the attempt was deferred owing to the absence of
the convener of the council, the chief object of
attack. Hence the abuse levelled against him in his
absence, because his delay had frustrated the hopes
of success. If the reports which reached him were
true, he had no doubt that, on the assembling of the
council at daybreak, Turnus would come armed and
with a strong body of conspirators. It was asserted
that a vast number of swords had been conveyed to
him. Whether this was an idle rumour or not could
very soon be ascertained, he asked them to go with
him to Turnus. The restless, ambitious character of
Turnus, his speech of the previous day, and
Tarquin's delay, which easily accounted for the
postponement of the murder, all lent colour to their
suspicions. They went, inclined to accept Tarquin's
statement, but quite prepared to regard the whole
story as baseless, if the swords were not
discovered. When they arrived, Turnus was roused
from sleep and placed under guard, and the slaves
who from affection to their master were preparing to
defend him were seized. Then, when the concealed
swords were produced from every corner of his
lodgings, the matter appeared only too certain and
Turnus was thrown into chains. Amidst great
excitement a council of the Latins was at once
summoned. The sight of the swords, placed in the
midst, aroused such furious resentment that he was
condemned, without being heard in his defence, to an
unprecedented mode of death. He was thrown into the
fountain of Ferentina and drowned by a hurdle
weighted with stones being placed over him.