Tarquinius autem rex M. Atilium duumvirum, quod librum secreta civilium sacrorum continentem, custodiae suae commissum corruptus Petronio Sabino describendum dedisset, culleo insutum in mare abici iussit, idque supplicii genus multo post parricidis lege irrogatum est, iustissime quidem, quia pari vindicta parentum ac deorum violatio expianda est.
M. Atilius the Duumvir was bribed to give Petronius the Sabine for copying a book containing secrets of civic rituals that had been placed in his custody. King Tarquin ordered him sewn into a sack and cast into the sea, a form of punishment which long afterward was ordained by law for parricides; most justly so, since violation of parents and gods deserved to be expiated by an equal retribution. But in what concerns the safekeeping of religion, M. Atilius Regulus may be thought to take first place.
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book1.json