Ab urbe condita

Titus Livius (Livy)

Livy. History of Rome, Volumes 1-2. Roberts, Canon, Rev, translator. London, New York: J. M. Dent and Sons; E. P. Dutton and Co., 1912.

He was the first to stir up war with the Volscians-a war which was to last for more than two hundred years after his time —and took from them the city of Pomptine Suessa.

The booty was sold and he realised out of the proceeds forty talents of silver. He then sketched out the design of a temple to Jupiter, which in its extent should be worthy of the king of gods and men, worthy of the Roman empire, worthy of the majesty of the City itself.

He set apart the above-mentioned sum for its construction. The[*](Conquest of Gabii.) next war occupied him longer than he expected. Failing to capture the neighbouring city of Gabii by assault and finding it useless to attempt an investment after being defeated under its walls, he employed methods against it which were anything but Roman, namely, fraud and deceit.