Chapter 8.—Whether Rome Ought to
Have Been Entrusted to the Trojan Gods.
Where, then, was the wisdom of
entrusting Rome to the Trojan gods, who had demonstrated their
weakness in the loss of Troy? Will some one say that, when
Fimbria stormed Troy, the gods were already resident in Rome?
How, then, did the image of Minerva remain standing? Besides, if
they were at Rome when Fimbria destroyed Troy, perhaps they were at
Troy when Rome itself was taken and set on fire by the Gauls. But
as they are very acute in hearing, and very swift in their
movements, they came quickly at the cackling of the goose to defend
at least the Capitol, though to defend the rest of the city they
were too long in being warned.