on the throne whomsoever else he might have selected as his son-in-law.  For these reasons the plot was laid against the king himself.  Two of the most brutal of the shepherds, chosen for the deed, each carrying with him the iron tools of husbandmen to the use of which he had been accustomed, by creating as great a disturbance as they could in the porch of the palace, under pretence of a quarrel, attracted the attention of all the king’s attendants to themselves; then, when both appealed to the king, and their clamour had reached even the interior of the palace, they were summoned and proceeded before him.  At first both shouted aloud, and vied in clamouring against each other, until, being restrained by the lictor, and commanded to speak in turns, they at length ceased railing:  as agreed upon, one began to state his case.  While the king’s attention, eagerly directed toward the speaker, was diverted from the second shepherd, the latter, raising up his axe, brought it down upon the king’s head, and, leaving the weapon in the wound, both rushed out of the palace.

When those around had raised up Tarquin in a dying state, the lictors seized the shepherds, who were endeavouring to escape.  Upon this an uproar ensued and a concourse of people assembled, wondering what was the matter.  Tanaquil, amid the tumult, ordered the palace to be shut, and thrust out all spectators:  at the same time she carefully prepared everything necessary for dressing the wound, as if a hope still remained:  at the same time, she provided other means of safety, in case her hopes should prove false.  Having hastily summoned Servius, after she had shown him her husband almost at his last gasp, holding his right hand, she entreated him not to suffer the death of his father-in-law to pass unavenged, nor to allow his mother-in-law to be an object of scorn to their enemies.  “Servius,” said she, “if you are a man, the kingdom belongs to you, not to those, who, by the hands of others, have perpetrated a most shameful deed.  Rouse yourself, and follow the guidance of the gods, who portended that this head of yours would be illustrious by formerly shedding a divine blaze around it.  Now let that celestial flame arouse you.  Now awake in earnest.  We, too, though foreigners, have reigned.  Consider who you are, not whence you are sprung.  If your own plans are rendered useless by reason of the suddenness of this event, then follow mine.”  When the uproar and violence of the multitude could scarcely be endured, Tanaquil addressed the populace from the upper part of the palace [37] through the windows facing the New Street (for the royal residence was near the Temple of Jupiter Stator).  She bade them be of good courage; that the king was merely stunned by the suddenness of the blow; that the weapon had not sunk deep into his body; that he had already come to his senses again; that the blood had been wiped off and the wound examined; that all the symptoms were favourable; that she was confident they would