Numa Pompilius : born in 753, died in 673 BC

Numa Pompilius
Anton Nyström

A Sabine nobleman, who succeeded Romulus as king of the Romans. He was born at Cures, a town of the Sabines, on the 21st of April, in the 753 year before the birth of Jesus Christ.

In his education, Numa appears to have had every advantage that the country in which he was born, and the time in which he lived, could afford; and his naturally virtuous disposition was, afterwards, much improved by his moral and philosophical studies.

He was early taught that wealth and power did not lead to happiness; and, although martial courage was, in his time, the subject of universal admiration, he became convinced that true fortitude consisted in the subjugation of the passions by the exercise of reason. Hence he was induced to banish from his house every thing which bore the characteristic of luxury and splendour. Most of his leisure hours were either occupied in benefiting his fellow-creatures, or consecrated to the honour of the gods.

After he had attained the age of manhood, he resided, as a private nobleman, at his country-seat, near Cures; and, during his residence there, his household exhibited no indications either of false indulgence or of unnecessary expence. His amiable manners, his liberal disposition, and his kindness towards all his inferiors, occasioned him to be so universally beloved, that, whenever any disputes occurred among his neighbours, he was applied to as a mediator, in appeasing their quarrels; and, in him, they invariably found a faithful counsellor and an upright judge.

So great became his reputation, that Tatius, king of the Sabines, was induced to give him his daughter, in marriage. But this dignified alliance did not, in any degree, elevate the desires of Numa, or destroy that contented serenity of mind which he had previously enjoyed. The disposition of his wife, in many respects, was similar to his own. He was disinclined to live in the same state as his father-in-law; and she preferred a life of obscurity and of happiness, with her husband, to all the splendour and all the honours of royalty. She survived her marriage thirteen years; and, after her death, Numa lived in greater seclusion than before. He seldom visited his native city, but passed most of his time in solitary meditation. Sometimes he would wander all night, alone, in the fields, and in the wildest and most solitary groves. Solitude, indeed, afforded to him a perpetual means of happiness; for it was accompanied with a love both of study and of piety.

His favourite retreat was a grove, from a dark cavern in the centre of which flowed a clear and beautiful rivulet. To this grove be frequently repaired; and, as the ancient historians assert, for the purpose of holding intercourse with a goddess, or wood-nymph, whom he called Egeria; and by whose counsels, as they allege, he declared that all the most important actions of his life were conducted.

In explanation of this circumstance, it is requisite to observe that the philosophical and religious doctrines of the ancients were, in many instances, purposely concealed under poetic and allegorical mythologies. To persons skilled in these mythologies, they served to convey some real and valuable instructions; but, by the majority of mankind, they were frequently misapplied; and, although they involved the most extraordinary ineptitudes, they were taken in a literal sense, as historical and authenticated facts. The story of Numa's implies that he was delighted with retired and silent abodes, in which, without interruption, he could exercise himself in study. If the character that has been given of Egeria be correctly examined, it will be found to have had no other than an allegorical existence. Dionysius of Halicarnassus says, that some writers describe her, "not as a nymph, but as one of this Muses." Plutarch says the same; and adds that one of the titles or names of this Muse, was Tacita; and that, by her and by the rest of the Muses, Numa was inspired in all his public conduct. But, besides the apparent meaning of this poetic and philosophical mythology, Plutarch seems to have been of opinion, that something of greater importance was designated. It may, perhaps, have comprehended some distant allusion to that sublime doctrine, which has constituted the chief happiness of the Wisest philosophers of all ages: that the Deity condescends to regard the pious meditations of the humble and the devout. It is the doctrine of Truth itself, that the Almighty will graciously communicate his spirit to those who sincerely ask it; increasing, daily, their real happiness, and inspiring them with the designs of all their future actions. Plutarch states that, the reported intercourse of Numa with this imaginary goddess, led him to a knowledge and a happiness which were more than mortal.

When Numa was in his fortieth year, and still living in retirement, ambassadors from Rome came to him, to entreat that he would accept the throne, which, by the death of Romulus, had become vacant. The Romans had imagined that he would gladly accept the proffered dignity, but they were mistaken. From the foundation of their city, they had invariably been actuated by a warlike and enterprising spirit; whereas, Numa was a lover of retirement and of peace. To the ambassadors he thus replied: "For one who does not want the necessaries of life, and who is contented with his situation, it would be absurd to renounce his accustomed habits. These, if they have no other advantage, are at least certain, and would, on that account alone, be preferable to such as are uncertain. The government that you offer to me, presents not even an uncertainty with regard to danger, if we may judge by the fate of Romulus, who is suspected to have destroyed his colleague, Tatius, and who is supposed to have lost his own life by an act of equal injustice. Yet Romulus is believed, by the Romans, to have been of divine origin. As for me, I am but of mortal race, brought up and educated in the midst of persons well known to you. The qualities also for which I am applauded, are not those that are suited to a Roman chieftain. I delight not in assemblies of men, associated for the purposes of conquest; but in those of men who love to honour the gods, who occupy their time in cultivating the earth, or tending their flocks, and all of whose pleasures are innocent. The Romans may, at this moment, be involved in wars commenced by their late monarch; and to terminate these in a way that would be satisfactory to them, they would need an active and enterprising commander. A person like myself, who has set his heart upon the promotion of religion and of justice, would probably soon become contemptible in a city which appears to have more occasion for a general than for a king."

In a hope of being able to remove his objections, the ambassadors stated that the Romans were now ardently desirous of peace; and that there was no other person than himself, whom all parties could agree to elect as their king. Their arguments, however, were of no avail; and they were obliged to retire, unsuccessful in their application.

After they had departed, the father and the friends of Numa urged him, in the most impressive manner, not to reject this great and valuable gift of Heaven. They stated that if, contented with his present condition, he aspired neither to wealth nor to sovereignty, yet that he ought to consider how much more it might be in his power to benefit mankind in the elevated station to which he was called, than in that which be now held. After much persuasion, they induced him to assent to the wishes of the Roman people, who, not long afterwards, came, in a body, to solicit his acceptance of the government.

We have now to speak of Numa as a monarch. No sooner was be invested with the regal dignity, than he expressed his piety, by publicly offering sacrifice to the gods. He then set out on his journey to Rome; and the senate and the people, unanimous in their admiration of him, met him on the way. The population welcomed him with shouts of joy; and the temples were crowded with persons offering sacrifices of thanksgiving to the gods, for having blessed them with so estimable a ruler. On his arrival at the Roman Forum, the usual ensigns of royalty were presented to him; but he would not accept them until his devotions had been paid to Heaven, and the requisite prayers for the prosperity of his reign had been offered to that Being, from whom all blessings How.

One of the first acts of his government was to discharge a body-guard of three hundred men, whom Romulus had always kept about his person : for the neither chose to distrust those who had placed confidence in him, nor to reign over a people who could distrust him. By his prudent and equitable conduct, he reduced this savage people to a state of civilization, which they had not before attained.

Two objects to which he directed his most anxious attention, were the encouragement of religion, and the maintenance of peace. The religion which he introduced, essentially contributed to the happiness of the city, because it served to establish order and regularity. But it was not from political motives only that Numa was led to encourage a spirit of piety among his subjects. He was influenced by motives infinitely more exalted than these: by the genuine dictates of his heart. He consecrated many places of worship, erected temples and altars, instituted festivals and drew up a code of laws relative to religion. By himself regularly at tending the public worship, he gave to his people an undeviating example of piety. In his laws he directs that none shall presume to appear in the presence of the gods, but with pure hearts and sincere, devotion: that none shall make therea vain and ostentations display of wealth, lest they thereby excite the anger of Heaven: that no one shall represent the Deity in the Form either of a man or a beast; and Plutarch asserts that there was no painted nor graven image in the Roman temples and sanctuaries, during nearly one hundred and seventy years. Numa likewise prohibited all bloody sacrifices, and directed, instead, that loaves and meal should be presented to the gods, with libations of wine and milk. For the purpose of influencing the minds of men to principles of integrity, and giving stability to contracts, be erected an altar, and instituted a yearly festival to what he denominated Bona, Fides, or "Good Faith." Among other religious ofices, he instituted those of the high priests and augurs. Impressed with a notion that the world was under the protection of a Divine Providence, he believed that, at the prayers of the devout and sincere worshipper, the Almighty would condescend to indicate, by certain natural occurrences, such as the particular flight, the chirping and appearance of birds, his approbation or disapprobation of the intentions and proceedings of mankind; and the college of augurs, which Numa founded, was intended to have the superintendance of this part of the religious office. He likewise erected a temple to Vesta, and increased the number of Vestal virgins or priestesses, who had the guardianship of the sacred fire.

Among his institutions for the government of the city, one of the most important was his distribution of the citizens into companies, according to their arts and trades. Previously to this they had been distinguished as two nations, the Sabines and Romans, who were perpetually quarrelling; but, by the new arrangement, the whole population being divided into small bodies, they lost the characteristics by which they had previously been separated, and lived together in tranquillity and happiness.

Numa also corrected the law which empowered fathers to sell their children for slaves; and directed that the boundaries of every man's possessions should be marked by means of stones. These stones he rendered sacred, by consecrating them to Jupiter Terminalis; and the person who demolished, or who wantonly displaced them, was considered guilty of sacrilege, and was liable to suffer death.

He effected a reformation in the calendar, by dividing the year into twelve months, according to the course of the moon; and, because the moon does not complete the number of thirty days in each month, he completed his years, by contriving what is called an intercalary month, which was inserted after that of February, in every other year.

In short, so beneficial were his institutions, and so prudent was his conduct, that during a reign of forty-three years, he preserved the country in peace and tranquillity. By his mildness, his equity, and benevolence, he calmed and softened the temper, not only of his own people, but of the inhabitants of the adjacent states. He, in a considerable degree, succeeded in civilizing that band of robbers which the Romans, till his time, must have been; and in introducing among them a love of tranquillity and order, of moderation and justice. Instead of the madness and misery of war, there now prevailed an ardent love of peace: the pursuits of agriculture had succeeded to those of rapine; and individual happiness and national piety were prevalent throughout the state. Numa was more than eighty years of age when he died; having, says Dionysius of Halicarnassus, experienced, during all this time, neither infirmity nor misfortune, and at length expiring, worn out with age. His body was interred in a stone coffin, on one of the hills of Rome; and several books which he had written, on philosophy and religion were buried, in another coffin, by his side¹.

Authorities : Plutarch, Livy, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus.

1. About five hundred years after his death, the body of Numa was, accidentally, dug up, and with it, his books are said to have been found. They, however, are stated to have been publicly burnt by order of the senate, for having contained many sentiments prejudicial to the religion, as it was at that time established.