From: "James Wynn" 
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 08:43:52 -0600

Andrew elaborates on his theory identifying Lucius Tarquitius as our boy,
Latro.

Crush falls in line:
The reference at issue is Livy 3:27
"The next morning Cincinnatus arose and went into the Forum before daybreak,
where he named Lucius Tarquitius as master of the horse. This man was a
patrician by birth, although he had been  forced by poverty to serve in the
infantry, and was considered the finest soldier in Rome. Accompanied by
Tarquitius, the dictator went into the assembly of the people, where he
[declared a suspension on all public and private business and drafted all
men into military service].

I can't find a weakness in this theory. Wolfe has sure ready Livy.

IF our Latro *were* a relative of the Lucius TarquiNius (note the slight
name difference) that "ruled for twenty-five years" [534-510 B.C] until the
founding of the Republic as Livy says at the end of Book 1, then it answers
the question as to why Latro was not home fighting for Rome during its
knock-down-drag-out war with its neighbors. It could even explain why a
hundred Latin soldiers were with him -- the Tarquinians' closest supporters
would probably have been exiled as well. It explains why Latro grew up so
close to the Greek colonies rather than Keeping To His Own in Latium.

Surely since Latro WRITES, he is not of mere common birth.

One website names this fellow Lucius Tarquinius Flaccus, but even if there
is such a name for him in literature, there is no reason to believe Wolfe
was aware of it.

-- Crush


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