Latīnus

, a son of Faunus by Marica, king of the Aborigines in Italy, who from him were called Latini. He married Amata, by whom he had a son and a daughter. The son died in his infancy, and the daughter, called Lavinia, was secretly promised in marriage by her mother to Turnus king of the Rutuli, one of her most powerful admirers. The gods opposed this union, and the oracles declared that Lavinia must become the wife of a foreign prince. The arrival of Æneas in Italy seemed favourable to this prediction, and Latin us, by offering his daughter to the foreign prince, and making him his friend and ally, seemed to have fulfilled the commands of the oracle. Turnus, however, disapproved of the conduct of Latin us; he claimed Lavinia as his lawful wife, and prepared to support his cause by arms. Æneas took up arms in his own defence, and Latium was the seat of the war. After mutual lo es it was agreed that the quarrel should be decided by the two rivals, and Latin us promised his daughter to the conqueror. Æneas obtained the victory and married Lavinia. Latin us soon after died, and was succeeded by his son-in-law. Virgil , Æneid , bk. 9 , . — Ovid , Metamorphoses , bk. 13 , . ; Fasti , bk. 2 , . — Dionysius of Halicarna us , bk. 1 , ch. 13 .— Livy , bk. 1 , ch. 1 , . — Justin , bk. 43 , ch. 1 .――A son of Sylvius Æneas, surnamed also Sylvius. He was the fifth king of the Latins, and succeeded his father. He was father to Alba his succe or. Dionysius of Halicarna us , bk. 1 , ch. 15 .— Livy , bk. 2 , ch. 3 .――A son of Uly es and Circe also bore this name.