Romulus and Remus:
King Numitor ejected by his younger brother Amulius. Amulius murdered Numitor's sons and forced Numitor's daughter, Rhea Silvia, to become a vestal virgin.
Mars, the god of war, fell in love with Rhea, so she had twins, Romulus and Remus.
Amulius had Rhea thrown into the river Tiber where she was found by Mars.
| The twins were set on the river in a reed basket. They floated where the basket was caught in the branches of a fig tree. This was where they were found by a she-wolf who tended them (wolves are sacred to Mars) until a shepherd found them. |
The twins decided to found a new city close to where they had been washed ashore. The twins disputed which hill their city should be built on, Romulus wanting the Palatine, Remus disagreeing.
Remus's hill saw six birds, Romulus saw twelve. So it was decided that Romulus’ choice was the right one and the city was built on the Palatine Hill.
Romulus killed his brother, therefore naming the empire Rome, after himself.
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Aeneas:
Aeneas was a hero fighting against the Greeks in the Trojan wars. He was the son of Venus and had a regular mortal father. He landed in Latium through which the river Tiber flows. Aeneas married the daughter of King Latinus, to anger King Turnus who liked her.
Aeneas had a war against Turnus for the girl, and of course Aeneas won as the son of Venus(Goddess of Love, Beauty, Marriage, etc.)
Echo Stories:
Echo had a beautiful voice. She was musical and was good and loving wood nymph. She lived deep in the woods and rejected all men, which made her a favorite of the goddess Diana.
One day, Jupiter ran to the woods, trying to hide from Juno. He was flirting with the nymphs again and Hera was mad, mad, mad. He asked Echo to help him.
When Juno came looking for Jupiter, Echo distracted her by gossiping and chatting. This worked for some time.
Juno found out and punished Echo. All Echo could do was repeat the last few words she heard...
Echo saw a handsome young man--Narcissus. Echo--actually--fell in love.
One day, she spotted Narcissus looking into a stream.
"Come to me," Narcissus said to the water.
"Come to me," Echo echoed.
"Who's there?"
"Who's there," Echo echoed.
"Stop that!" Narcissus snapped.
"Stop that!" Echo echoed.
"Let's meet," Narcissus said kindly.
"Let's meet!" Echo echoed happily. She peeked out and showed herself
"Go away!" Narcissus shouted.
"Go away," Echo echoed sadly.
Narcissus returned to the stream every day... He stared at the lovely young man he saw in the water. He did not know it was only the reflection of himself.
Narcissus ignored her. He kept on admiring his own reflection. He stopped eating. He stopped drinking. He died from starvation, fatigue, and thirst.
The god Pan spotted Echo and fell in love. But Echo ignored him. Pan was EXTREMELY angry that he told his shepherds to go mad and tear Echo to pieces. Pieces of Echo were carried by the wind.
Gaia, who had always like Echo, could not change what Hera and Pan did. But she let Echo keep her beautiful voice...forever echoing the last few words people say...
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