Livy - The Sabine Women (Ab Urbe Condita, Book 1, Chaps. 9 & 13) lyrics

Rome was now strong enough to hold her own in war with any of the neighboring states; but owing to the lack of women, a single generation was likely to be the end of her greatness, since she had neither prospect of posterity at home nor the right of intermarriage with her neighbours. So, on the advice of the senate, Romulus sent envoys round among all the neighbouring nations to solicit for the new people an alliance and the privilege of intermarrying. Cities, they argued, as well as all other things, rise up from the lowliest beginnings. As time goes on, those which are worthy and have the favour of Heaven achieve great power and fame. They said they were well a**ured that Rome's origin had been blessed with the favour of Heaven, and they had worth; so their neighbours should not be reluctant to mingle their stock and their blood with the Romans, who were men as truly as they were. Nowhere did the emba**y receive a friendly hearing. In fact men spurned, at the same time that they feared, both for themselves and their descendants, that great power which was then growing up in their midst; and the envoys were frequently asked, as they were rejected, if they would open a sanctuary for women as well as for men, for that was the only way they would get suitable wives. This was a bitter insult to the young Romans, and the matter seemed certain to end in violence. Expressly to set a fitting time and place for this, Romulus concealed his resentment and prepared for ceremonial games in honour of the equestrian Neptune, which he called Consualia. He then told the Romans to announce the spectacle to the surrounding peoples, and his subjects prepared to celebrate it with all the resources within their knowledge and power, in order that games would be talked about and eagerly expected. Many people —for they were also eager to see the new city —gathered for the festival, especially those who lived nearest, the inhabitants of Caenina, Crustumium, and Antemnae. The Sabines, too, came with all their people, including their children and wives. They were hospitably entertained in every house, and when they had looked at the site of the City, its walls, and its numerous buildings, they marvelled that Rome had so rapidly grown great. When the time came for the show, and people's thoughts and eyes were busy with it, the pre-planned attack began. At a given signal the young Romans ran this way and that, to seize and carry off the maidens. In most cases these women were taken by whatever men crossed their path. Some, of exceptional beauty, had been marked out for the chief senators, and were carried off to their houses by plebeians to whom that job had been a**igned. . . . The games broke up in a panic, and the parents of the maidens fled sorrowing. They charged the Romans with the crime of violating hospitality, and called on the gods to whose ceremonial games they had come, deceived in violation of religion and honour. The stolen maidens were no more hopeful about their situation, nor less indignant. But Romulus himself went amongst them and explained that the pride of their parents had caused this deed, when they had refused their neighbours the right to intermarry; nevertheless the daughters should be wedded and become co-partners in all the possessions of the Romans, in their citizenship and, dearest privilege of all to the human race, in their children. [He told them to] moderate their anger, and give their hearts to those to whom fortune had given their bodies. A sense of injury would often changed to affection, and they would appreciate their husbands because every man would earnestly try not only to be a good husband, but also to console his wife for the home and parents she had lost. His arguments were supported by the wooing of the men, who claimed that they acted out of pa**ion and love, the most moving of all pleas to a woman's heart…. [The Sabine fathers declared war on Rome and attacked the city, but the war dragged on for several years. Finally, the two sides, Romans and Sabines, lined up to fight the final battle.] Then the Sabine women, whose abductions had caused the war, with loosened hair and torn garments, their woman's timidity lost because they were so upset, dared to go out among the flying weapons, and rushing in from the side, to part the hostile armies and take away their anger. [They] begged their fathers on one side, their husbands on the other, that fathers-in-law and sons-in-law should not stain themselves with impious bloodshed, or pollute with parricide the women's children, grandsons to one party and sons to the other. “If you regret,” they continued, “the relationship that unites you, if you regret the marriage-tie, turn your anger against us; we are the cause of war, the cause of wounds, and even d**h to both our husbands and our parents. It will be better for us to perish than to live, lacking either of you, as widows or as orphans.” It was a touching plea, not only to the rank and file, but to their leaders as well. A stillness fell on them, and a sudden hush. Then the leaders came forward to make a truce, and not only did they agree on peace, but they made one people out of the two.