Horatius consecrated the newly built
Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the
Capitoline Hill during his first consulship in 509 BC. Livy,
Dio Cassius, and
Plutarch say that the honour fell to Horatius by lot, rather than to Valerius, while
Dionysius of Halicarnassus says Valerius was on campaign at the time. Dionysius and Tacitus also clearly place the consecration of the temple in the second consulship of Horatius, in 507 BC, not in his first consulship as Livy writes. According to Livy, Valerius' friends were angered that the honour did not fall to Valerius. As Horatius was offering the prayer to the gods for the consecration of the temple, Valerius' friends announced that Horatius' son had died and, since his son remained unburied, Horatius was not fit to complete the ceremony. Horatius nevertheless ordered the body buried, and completed the ceremony. ==Cognomen==