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Marcus Curtius is a mythological young Roman who offerer himself to the gods of Hades. He is the legendary namesake of the Lacus Curtius in the Roman Forum, the site of his supposed sacrifice.
Legendary biography
After an earthquake in 362 BC, a huge deep pit suddenly opened in the Roman Forum, which the Romans attempted to fill in vain. Despairing, they consulted an oracle who responded that the gods demanded the most precious possession of the country. The Romans doubted the warning, and struggled to think of what that was.
However, a young soldier named Marcus Curtius castigated them and responded that arms and the courage of Romans were the nation's most precious possessions. Astride his horse, fully and meticulously armed and decorated, Marcus rode and leapt into the chasm. Immediately, the deep pit closed over him, saving Rome.
The Lacus Curtius in the Forum was supposedly built on the site of the pit, and receives its name from him.