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future events； and particularly a charm for thunder and lightning；
still in use； performed with onions and hair and pilchards。 Some say
they did not tell him the charm； but by their magic brought down
Jupiter out of heaven； and that he then； in an angry manner
answering the inquiries； told Numa； that； if he would charm the
thunder and lightning； he must do it with heads。 〃How；〃 said Numa；
〃with the heads of onions？〃 〃No；〃 replied Jupiter； 〃of men。〃 But Numa；
willing to elude the cruelty of this receipt； turned it another way；
saying； 〃Your meaning is； the hairs of men's heads。〃 〃No；〃 replied
Jupiter； 〃with living〃… 〃pilchards；〃 said Numa； interrupting him。
These answers he had learnt from Egeria。 Jupiter returned again to
heaven； pacified and ileos； or propitious。 The place was； in
remembrance of him； called Ilicium； from this Greek word； and the
spell in this manner effected。
These stories； laughable as they are； show us the feelings which
people then； by force of habit； entertained towards the deity。 And
Numa's own thoughts are said to have been fixed to that degree on
divine objects； that he once； when a message was brought to him that
〃Enemies are approaching；〃 answered with a smile； 〃And I am
sacrificing。〃 It was he； also； that built the temples of Faith and
Terminus； and taught the Romans that the name of Faith was the most
solemn oath that they could swear。 They still use it； and to the god
Terminus； or Boundary； they offer to this day both public and
private sacrifices； upon the borders and stone…marks of their land；
living victims now； though anciently those sacrifices were
solemnized without blood； for Numa reasoned that the god of
boundaries； who watched over peace； and testified to fair dealing；
should have no concern with blood。 It is very clear that it was this
king who first prescribed bounds to the territory of Rome； for Romulus
would but have openly betrayed how much he had encroached on his
neighbours' lands； had he ever set limits to his own； for boundaries
are； indeed； a defence to those who choose to observe them； but are
only a testimony against the dishonesty of those who break through
them。 The truth is； the portion of lands which the Romans possessed at
the beginning was very narrow； until Romulus enlarged them by war； all
those acquisitions Numa now divided amongst the indigent commonalty；
wishing to do away with that extreme want which is a compulsion to
dishonesty； and； by turning the people to husbandry； to bring them； as
well as their lands； into better order。 For there is no employment
that gives so keen and quick a relish for peace as husbandry and a
country life； which leave in men all that kind of courage that makes
them ready to fight in defence of their own； while it destroys the
licence that breaks out into acts of injustice and rapacity。 Numa；
therefore； hoping agriculture would be a sort of charm to captivate
the affections of his people to peace； and viewing it rather as a
means to moral than to economical profit； divided all the lands into
several parcels； to which he gave the name of pagus； or parish； and
over every one of them he ordained chief overseers； and； taking a
delight sometimes to inspect his colonies in person； he formed his
judgment of every man's habits by the results； of which being
witness himself； he preferred those to honours and employments who had
done well； and by rebukes and reproaches incited the indolent and
careless to improvement。 But of all his measures the most commended
was his distribution of the people by their trades into companies or
guilds； for as the city consisted； or rather did not consist of； but
was divided into； two different tribes； the diversity between which
could not be effaced and in the meantime prevented all unity and
caused perpetual tumult and ill…blood； reflecting how hard
substances that do not readily mix when in the lump may； by being
beaten into powder； in that minute form he combined； he resolved to
divide the whole population into a number of small divisions； and thus
hoped； by introducing other distinctions； to obliterate the original
and great distinction； which would be lost among the smaller。 So；
distinguishing the whole people by the several arts and trades； he
formed the companies of musicians； goldsmiths； carpenters； dyers；
shoemakers； skinners； braziers； and potters； and all other
handicraftsmen he composed and reduced into a single company；
appointing every one their proper courts； councils； and religious
observances。 In this manner all factious distinctions began； for the
first time； to pass out of use； no person any longer being either
thought of or spoken of under the notion of a Sabine or a Roman； a
Romulian or a Tatian； and the new division became a source of
general harmony and intermixture。
He is also much to be commended for the repeal； or rather amendment；
of that law which gives power to fathers to sell their children； he
exempted such as were married； conditionally that it had been with the
liking and consent of their parents； for it seemed a hard thing that a
woman who had given herself in marriage to a man whom she judged
free should afterwards find herself living with a slave。
He attempted； also； the formation of a calendar； not with absolute
exactness； yet not without some scientific knowledge。 During the reign
of Romulus； they had let their months run on without any certain or
equal term； some of them contained twenty days； others thirty…five；
others more； they had no sort of knowledge of the inequality in the
motions of the sun and moon； they only kept to the one rule that the
whole course of the year contained three hundred and sixty days。 Numa；
calculating the difference between the lunar and the solar year at
eleven days； for that the moon completed her anniversary course in
three hundred and fifty…four days； and the sun in three hundred and
sixty…five； to remedy this incongruity doubled the eleven days； and
every other year added an intercalary month； to follow February；
consisting of twenty…two days； and called by the Romans the month
Mercedinus。 This amendment； however； itself； in course of time； came
to need other amendments。 He also altered the order of the months； for
March； which was reckoned the first he put into the third place； and
January； which was the eleventh； he made the first； and February；
which was the twelfth and last； the second。 Many will have it； that it
was Numa； also； who added the two months of January and February；
for in the beginning they had had a year of ten months； as there are
barbarians who count only three； the Arcadians； in Greece； had but
four； the Acarnanians； six。 The Egyptian year at first； they say；
was of one month； afterwards； of four； and so； though they live in the
newest of all countries； they have the credit of being a more
ancient nation than any； and reckon； in their genealogies； a
prodigious number of years； counting months； that is； as years。 That
the Romans； at first； comprehended the whole year within ten； and
not twelve months； plainly appears by the name of the last；
December； meaning the tenth month； and that March was the first is
likewise