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into the senate； and after the death of Numa； standing in
competition with Tullus Hostilius for the kingdom； and being
disappointed of the election； in discontent killed himself； his son
Marcius； however； who had married Pompilia； continuing at Rome； was
the father of Ancus Marcius； who succeeded Tullus Hostilius in the
kingdom； and was but five years of age when Numa died。
Numa lived something above eighty years； and then； as Piso writes；
was not taken out of the world by a sudden or acute disease； but
died of old age and by a gradual and gentle decline。 At his funeral
all the glories of his life were consummated； when all the
neighbouring states in alliance and amity with Rome met to honour
and grace the rites of his interment with garlands and public
presents； the senators carried the bier on which his corpse was
laid； and the priests followed and accompanied the solemn
procession； while a general crowd； in which women and children took
part； followed with such cries and weeping as if they had bewailed the
death and loss of some most dear relation taken away in the flower
of age； and not an old and worn…out king。 It is said that his body； by
his particular command； was not burnt； but that they made； in
conformity with his order； two stone coffins； and buried both under
the hill Janiculum； in one of which his body was laid； and the other
his sacred books； which； as the Greek legislators their tables； he had
written out for himself； but had so long inculcated the contents of
them； whilst he lived； into the minds and hearts of the priests；
that their understandings became fully possessed with the whole spirit
and purpose of them； and he therefore bade that they should be
buried with his body； as though such holy precepts could not without
irreverence he left to circulate in mere lifeless writings。 For this
very reason； they say； the Pythagoreans bade that their precepts
should not be committed to paper； but rather preserved in the living
memories of those who were worthy to receive them； and when some of
their out…of…the…way and abstruse geometrical processes had been
divulged to an unworthy person； they said the gods threatened to
punish this wickedness and profanity by a signal and wide…spreading
calamity。 With these several instances concurring to show a similarity
in the lives of Numa and Pythagoras； we may easily pardon those who
seek to establish the fact of a real acquaintance between them。
Valerius Antias writes that the books which were buried in the
aforesaid chest or coffin of stone were twelve volumes of holy writ
and twelve others of Greek philosophy； and that about four hundred
years afterwards； when P。 Cornelius and M。 Baebius were consuls； in
a time of heavy rains； a violent torrent washed away the earth； and
dislodged the chests of stone； and； their covers falling off； one of
them was found wholly empty； without the least relic of any human
body； in the other were the books before mentioned； which the
praetor Petilius having read and perused； made oath in the senate；
that； in his opinion； it was not fit for their contents to be made
public to the people； whereupon the volumes were all carried to the
Comitium； and there burnt。
It is the fortune of all good men that their virtue rises in glory
after their deaths； and that the envy which evil men conceive
against them never outlives them long； some have the happiness even to
see it die before them； but in Numa's case； also； the fortunes of
the succeeding kings served as foils to set off the brightness of
his reputation。 For after him there were five kings； the last of
whom ended his old age in banishment； being deposed from his crown； of
the other four； three were assassinated and murdered by treason； the
other； who was Tullus Hostilius； that immediately succeeded Numa；
derided his virtues； and especially his devotion to religious worship；
as a cowardly and mean…spirited occupation； and diverted the minds
of the people to war； but was checked in these youthful insolences；
and was himself driven by an acute and tormenting disease into
superstitions wholly different from Numa's piety； and left others also
to participate in these terrors when he died by the stroke of a
thunderbolt。
THE END