InAsiaalthoughMenam，whichintheirlanguagesignifieththeMotherofRivers，andMekong，whichisnavigableformorethantwothousandmiles，andlikewiseIndusandotherroyalriversbesufficientlyinhabited，yetforallthatOb，whichisthegreatestthereamongstthem（forwhereitfallethintotheScythianOceanitiseightymilesbroad，whichmakessomementhinktheMareCaspiumdisburdenethitselfthatwayintotheOcean），hathnotanyfamouscityinit。
Afterthisanotherquestionalsoriseth，howitcomesifthecommodiousmeansofconductdoatfullaccomplishthegreatnessofacity，how，Isay，itcomestopasswhereupontheshoreofoneselfrivertheconductiseven，easyandalikeandthatcityyetisgreaterthananother？Withoutdoubtitsufficethnotalonethatthetransportationofgoodstoandfrobeeasyandcommodious，buttheremustbeelsebesidesthat，somepeculiarvirtueattractivethatmaydrawmenandalluremenmoretooneplacethantoanother，whereofweshallinthenextbookspeakmoreatlarge。
BookTwoHithertohavewespokenofaptnessofthesite，ofthefruitfulnessofthesoilandofthecommodioustransportationofcommoditiestoandfro，forthehelpandincreaseofourcity。
Letusnowseewhatthosethingsarethatmayallurethepeople（whoareofnatureindifferenttobehereorthere）tothechoiceofoneplacebeforeanothertomaketheirhabitationsin，andwhatcausethcommerceandtraffic。AndletusfirstdeclarethepropermeanstheRomanstook，andthenafterwardthemeansthatgenerallywerecommontothemandothers。
1。ThepropermeansoftheRomansThefirstmeanstheRomansusedwastheopeningofthesanctuaryandgivinglibertyandfreedomtoallthatwouldtocomeuntothem；whichRomulusdidtotheend（hisneighboursatthattimeevilentreatedbytyrants，andthecountryswarmingfullwithdiscontentedpersons）Romemightbythatmeansbethesoonerpeopledthroughthebenefitoftheirsafetytheyweresuretofindthere；neitherwashethereindeceivedawhit，forthitherflockedwiththeirgoodsanumberofpeoplethatwereeitherthrustoutoftheirhabitations，orunsafeandunsureoftheirlivesintheircountries。Butwhentheyfoundafterwardawantofwomennecessaryforpropagation，Romulusproclaimedcertaingreatandsolemnfeastsatwhichhestoleandheldawaybyforcethegreatestpartoftheyoungestwomenthatdidresorttoseethem：sothatitisnomarvelifoutofsofierceandstoutapeoplethererosesofierceandstoutanissue。