1.52
After the Latins had
reassembled in council and had been commended by
Tarquin for having inflicted on Turnus a punishment
befitting his revolutionary and murderous designs,
Tarquin addressed them as follows: It was in his
power to exercise a long-established right, since,
as all the Latins traced their origin to Alba, they
were included in the treaty made by Tullus under
which the whole of the Alban State with its colonies
passed under the suzerainty of Rome. He thought,
however, that it would be more advantageous for all
parties if that treaty were renewed, so that the
Latins could enjoy a share in the prosperity of the
Roman people, instead of always looking out for, or
actually suffering, the demolition of their towns
and the devastation of their fields, as happened in
the reign of Ancus and afterwards whilst his own
father was on the throne. The Latins were persuaded
without much difficulty, although by that treaty
Rome was the predominant State, for they saw that
the heads of the Latin League were giving their
adhesion to the king, and Turnus afforded a present
example of the danger incurred by any one who
opposed the king's wishes. So the treaty was
renewed, and orders were issued for the "juniors"
amongst the Latins to muster under arms, in
accordance with the treaty, on a given day, at the
Grove of Ferentina. In compliance with the order
contingents assembled from all the thirty towns, and
with a view to depriving them of their own general
or a separate command, or distinctive standards, he
formed one Latin and one Roman century into a
maniple, thereby making one unit out of the two,
whilst he doubled the strength of the maniples, and
placed a centurion over each half.