Tarquinius was permitted to rest overnight before his return journey.
Lucretia, unaware of his motives, met him with politeness and hospitality. A few days later Tarquinius rode back to Collatinus’ house alone. Livy tells us that this was when Tarquinius was seized with a lustful desire for the chaste Lucretia. Tintoretto, Tarquin and Lucretia, 1578-80, via the Art Institute ChicagoĬontent with being proved correct, Collatinus invited the group to stay the night at his house. However, when they arrived at Collatinus’ house, Lucretia was dutifully spinning wool with her slave girls – the embodiment of female virtue. Each man found his wife dining with her friends and thoroughly enjoying herself. So, to test his assertion, the men rode to their homes, unannounced, to see what their wives were doing while their husbands were absent. Collatinus declared that his wife, Lucretia, would surely win. The men began to discuss who had the most virtuous wife. Among them was Sextus Tarquinius, the son of the Etruscan king, Tarquinius Superbus. While camped for battle, a group of young officers dined heavily one night. Lucretia’s story begins with a wine-fuelled dinner party and again our most prominent ancient source is Livy. The Rape of Lucretia Sandro Botticelli, The Story of Lucretia, 1500, via Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumĪs the rape of the Sabine women introduced the beginning of the monarchy in Rome, the rape of Lucretia signalled its end. This sexual desire is pursued regardless of whether it is mutual or consensual. The behaviour of the founding fathers of Rome is presented as an excuse for men to pursue sexual desire. In order to give authority to his advice, he likens this approach to that taken by the early Romans who abducted the Sabines. Ovid suggests that men select their prey from afar and then move in for the kill, like an eagle hunting a dove. Women who attend the games-festivals are apparently open targets. In Book 1, he explains various methods of flirting with women in public places. In his book of love poetry, The Art of Love, he gives advice to young male lovers. The Roman poet Ovid gives us an entirely different angle on the rape of the Sabine women. Pablo Picasso, The Rape of the Sabine Women, 1963, via MFA, Boston Romulus could then proclaim himself the first king of Rome. He states that due to the abduction of the Sabine women, the newly powerful city of Rome continued to flourish. Livy presents this harrowing event, not as a moralising tale about sexual violence, but as a foundation stone of Romulus’ rule. Please check your inbox to activate your subscription Thank you! A begrudging truce followed shortly after. Later, we are told, the Sabine women apparently intervened to prevent bloodshed between their vengeful fathers and the Roman men. He also attempts to soften the episode by adding the detail that the men claimed they had abducted the women as an act of love and passion. Livy notes that the Sabine women were outstandingly beautiful, as if providing a reason for their particular misfortune. As Livy phrases it, they were then ‘carried off’. Once everyone was distracted by the spectacle, the Roman men sprung an attack on the Sabine women. Titurius Sabinus, 89 BC, via The British Museum Roman coin depicting the abduction of the Sabine women, produced by L. He held festival games in honour of Neptune and invited all the surrounding tribes, including the Sabines. Romulus then decided to try another approach. Romulus therefore asked neighbouring tribes if they would send their women to live with Roman men. Rome, at this time, was a settlement almost entirely populated by men.
However, the future of the city depended on the growth of its population. In the early days of Romulus’ reign, military success came quickly to the fledgling city of Rome. Interestingly, Livy presents the rape of the Sabine women as an act of necessity rather than one of violence. The most notable ancient source is Titus Livius, known to us today as Livy. It has, therefore, attracted much attention from ancient and modern historians, poets and artists. The rape of the Sabine women is viewed as an important episode in early Roman history. The Rape of the Sabine Women Nicolas Poussin, The Abduction of the Sabine Women, 1633-1634, via The Met Museum