silvija -

When the hour for the games had come, and their eyes and minds were alike riveted on the spectacle
before them, the preconcerted signal was given and the Roman youth dashed in all directions to carry
off the maidens who were present. The larger part were carried off indiscriminately, but some particularly
beautiful girls who had been marked out for the leading patricians were carried to their houses by
plebeians told off for the task. One, conspicuous amongst them all for grace and beauty, is reported to
have been carried off by a group led by a certain Talassius, and to the many inquiries as to whom she
was intended for, the invariable answer was given, `For Talassius.' Hence the use of this word in the
marriage rites.1 Alarm and consternation broke up the games, and the parents of the maidens fled,
distracted with grief, uttering bitter reproaches on the violators of the laws of hospitality and appealing to
the god to whose solemn games they had come, only to be the victims of impious perfidy.
The abducted maidens were quite as despondent and indignant. Romulus, however, went round in
person, and pointed out to them that it was all owing to the pride of their parents in denying right of
intermarriage to their neighbors. They would live in honorable wedlock, and share all their property and
civil rights, and--dearest of all to human nature-would be the mothers of freemen. He begged them to
lay aside their feelings of resentment and give their affections to those whom fortune had made masters
of their persons. An injury had often led to reconciliation and love; they would find their husbands all the
more affectionate because each would do his utmost, so far as in him lay to make up for the loss of
parents and country. These arguments were reinforced by the endearments of their husbands who
excused their conduct by pleading the irresistible force of their passion--a plea effective beyond all
others in appealing to a woman's nature.