Note 1225 — Chapter VIII · Rome

Ovid, Fasti, IV. 549 f. Caeculus, the mythical founder of Praeneste, was found as a babe in a hearth, Virg. Aen. VII. 681 (cp. X. 544), and Cato ap. Schol. Veron. ad loc. He was conceived by a spark and manifested by a fire, Serv. ad Aen. VII. 681. Servius Tullius himself offers a still closer analogy. He was the issue of the union between a disguised princess (cp. Livy I. 39) and a burning hearth (according to Frazer, Magic Art, II. 267–8, the normal form of parentage among the early kings of Rome; cp. Plut. Romulus, 2), which made known its passion for her when she was bringing it cakes (πελάνους). Subsequently Servius announced his coming kingship by himself catching fire, Dion. Hal. IV. 2; Pliny, N.H. XXXVI. 70; Plut. Fort. Rom. 10 (Moral. 323); Ovid, Fasti, VI. 627–36. These four references have both birth and burning. For birth see also Arnob. adv. Gent. V. 18 (quoting Flaccus); for burning Florus I. 1. 6; Serv. ad Aen. II. 683; Aur. Vict. de Vir. Ill. 7; Laur. Lyd. de Ostent. 279 (18 B, C); Cic. Divin. I. 53 (121).