When they saw that, her father and her husband cried aloud; but Brutus drew the knife from the wound, and holding it up, spoke thus:  “By this pure blood I swear before the gods that I will pursue L. Tarquinius the Proud and all his bloody house with fire, sword, or in whatsoever way I may, and that neither they nor any other shall hereafter be king in Rome.”  Then he gave the knife to Collatinus and Lucretius and Valerius, and they all swore likewise, much marvelling to hear such words from L. Junius the Dullard.  And they took up the body of Lucretia, and carried it into the Forum, and called on the men of Collatia to rise against the tyrant.  So they set a guard at the gates of the town, to prevent any news of the matter being carried to King Tarquin:  and they themselves, followed by the youth of Collatia, went to Rome.  Here Brutus, who was chief captain of the knights, called the people together, and he told them what had been done, and called on them by the deed of shame wrought against Lucretius and Collatinus—­by all that they had suffered from the tyrants—­by the abominable murder of good King Servius—­to assist them in taking vengeance on the Tarquins.  So it was hastily agreed to banish Tarquinius and his family.  The youth declared themselves ready to follow Brutus against the king’s army, and the seniors put themselves under the rule of Lucretius, the prefect of the city.  In this tumult, the wicked Tullia fled from her house, pursued by the curses of all men, who prayed that the avengers of her father’s blood might be upon her.

When the king heard what had passed, he set off in all haste for the city.  Brutus also set off for the camp at Ardea; and he turned aside that he might not meet his uncle the king.  So he came to the camp at Ardea, and the king came to Rome.  And all the Romans at Ardea welcomed Brutus, and joined their arms to his, and thrust out all the king’s sons from the camp.  But the people of Rome shut the gates against the king, so that he could not enter.  And King Tarquin, with his sons Titus and Aruns, went into exile and lived at Caere in Etruria.  But Sextus fled to Gabii, where he had before held rule, and the people of Gabii slew him in memory of his former cruelty.

So L. Tarquinius Superbus was expelled from Rome, after he had been king five-and-twenty years.  And in memory of this event was instituted a festival called the “Regifugium” or “Fugalia,” which was celebrated every year on the 24th day of February.

To gratify the plebeians, the patricians consented to restore, in some measure at least, the popular institutions of King Servius; and it was resolved to follow his supposed intention with regard to the supreme government—­that is, to have two magistrates elected every year, who were to have the same power as the king during the time of their rule.  These were in after days known by the name of Consuls; but in ancient times they were called “Praetors” or Judges.  They were elected at the great Assembly