tiberius gracchus-第4章

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proceed　to　destroy　the　capitol　or　set　fire　to　the　arsenal。

He　who　should　make　these　attempts；　would　be　a　bad　tribune。

He　who　assails　the　power　of　the　people；　is　no　longer　a

tribune　at　all。　　Is　it　not　inconceivable；　that　a　tribune

should　have　power　to　imprison　a　consul；　and　the　people　have

no　authority　to　degrade　him　when　he　uses　that　honor　which　he

received　from　them；　to　their　detriment？　For　the　tribunes；　as

well　as　the　consuls；　hold　office　by　the　people's　votes。　　The

kingly　government；　which　comprehends　all　sorts　of　authority

in　itself　alone；　is　morever　elevated　by　the　greatest　and　most

religious　solemnity　imaginable　into　a　condition　of　sanctity。

But　the　citizens；　notwithstanding　this；　deposed　Tarquin；　when

he　acted　wrongfully；　and　for　the　crime　of　one　single　man；　the

ancient　government　under　which　Rome　was　built；　was　abolished

forever。　　What　is　there　in　all　Rome　so　sacred　and　venerable

as　the　vestal　virgins；　to　whose　care　alone　the　preservation

of　the　eternal　fire　is　committed？　yet　if　one　of　these

transgress；　she　is　buried　alive；　the　sanctity　which　for　the

gods'　sakes　is　allowed　them；　is　forfeited　when　they　offend

against　the　gods。　　So　likewise　a　tribune　retains　not　his

inviolability；　which　for　the　people's　sake　was　accorded　to

him；　when　he　offends　against　the　people；　and　attacks　the

foundations　of　that　authority　from　whence　he　derived　his　own。

We　esteem　him　to　be　legally　chosen　tribune　who　is　elected

only　by　the　majority　of　votes；　and　is　not　therefore　the　same

person　much　more　lawfully　degraded；　when　by　a　general　consent

of　them　all；　they　agree　to　depose　him？　　Nothing　is　so　sacred

as　religious　offerings；　yet　the　people　were　never　prohibited

to　make　use　of　them；　but　suffered　to　remove　and　carry　them

wherever　they　pleased；　so　likewise；　as　it　were　some　sacred

present；　they　have　lawful　power　to　transfer　the　tribuneship

from　one　man's　hands　to　another's。　　Nor　can　that　authority　be

thought　inviolable　and　irremovable　which　many　of　those　who

have　held　it；　have　of　their　own　act　surrendered；　and　desired

to　be　discharged　from。〃



These　were　the　principal　heads　of　Tiberius's　apology。　　But

his　friends；　apprehending　the　dangers　which　seemed　to

threaten　him；　and　the　conspiracy　that　was　gathering　head

against　him；　were　of　opinion；　that　the　safest　way　would　be

for　him　to　petition　that　he　might　be　continued　tribune　for

the　year　ensuing。　　Upon　this　consideration；　he　again

endeavored　to　secure　the　people's　good…will　with　fresh　laws；

making　the　years　of　serving　in　the　war　fewer　than　formerly；

granting　liberty　of　appeal　from　the　judges　to　the　people；　and

joining　to　the　senators；　who　were　judges　at　that　time；　an

equal　number　of　citizens　of　the　horsemen's　degree；

endeavoring　as　much　as　in　him　lay　to　lessen　the　power　of　the

senate；　rather　from　passion　and　partisanship　than　from　any

rational　regard　to　equity　and　the　public　good。　　And　when　it

came　to　the　question；　whether　these　laws　should　be　passed；

and　they　perceived　that　the　opposite　party　were　strongest；

the　people　as　yet　being　not　got　together　in　a　full　body；　they

began　first　of　all　to　gain　time　by　speeches　in　accusation　of

some　of　their　fellow…magistrates；　and　at　length　adjourned　the

assembly　till　the　day　following。



Tiberius　then　went　down　into　the　marketplace　amongst　the

people；　and　made　his　addresses　to　them　humbly　and　with　tears

in　his　eyes；　and　told　them；　he　had　just　reason　to　suspect；

that　his　adversaries　would　attempt　in　the　night　time　to　break

open　his　house；　and　murder　him。　　This　worked　so　strongly　with

the　multitude；　that　several　of　them　pitched　tents　round　about

his　house；　and　kept　guard　all　night　for　the　security　of　his

person。　　By　break　of　day　came　one　of　the　soothsayers；　who

prognosticate　good　or　bad　success　by　the　pecking　of　fowls；

and　threw　them　something　to　eat。　　The　soothsayer　used　his

utmost　endeavors　to　fright　the　fowls　out　of　their　coop；　but

none　of　them　except　one　would　venture　out；　which　fluttered

with　its　left　wing；　and　stretched　out　its　leg；　and　ran　back

again　into　the　coop；　without　eating　anything。　　This　put

Tiberius　in　mind　of　another　ill　omen　which　had　formerly

happened　to　him。　　He　had　a　very　costly　headpiece；　which　he

made　use　of　when　he　engaged　in　any　battle；　and　into　this

piece　of　armor　two　serpents　crawled；　laid　eggs；　and　brought

forth　young　ones。　　The　remembrance　of　which　made　Tiberius

more　concerned　now；　than　otherwise　he　would　have　been。

However；　he　went　towards　the　capitol；　as　soon　as　he

understood　that　the　people　were　assembled　there；　but　before

he　got　out　of　the　house；　he　stumbled　upon　the　threshold　with

such　violence；　that　he　broke　the　nail　of　his　great　toe；

insomuch　that　blood　gushed　out　of　his　shoe。　　He　was　not　gone

very　far　before　he　saw　two　ravens　fighting　on　the　top　of　a

house　which　stood　on　his　left　hand　as　he　passed　along；　and

though　he　was　surrounded　with　a　number　of　people；　a　stone；

struck　from　its　place　by　one　of　the　ravens；　fell　just　at　his

foot。　　This　even　the　boldest　men　about　him　felt　as　a　check。

But　Blossius　of　Cuma；　who　was　present；　told　him；　that　it

would　be　a　shame；　and　an　ignominious　thing；　for　Tiberius；　who

was　the　son　of　Gracchus；　the　grandson　of　Scipio　Africanus；

and　the　protector　of　the　Roman　people；　to　refuse；　for　fear　of

a　silly　bird；　to　answer；　when　his　countrymen　called　to　him；

and　that　his　adversaries　would　represent　it　not　as　a　mere

matter　for　their　ridicule；　but　would　declaim　about　it　to　the

people　as　the　mark　of　a　tyrannical　temper；　which　felt　a　pride

in　taking　liberties　with　the　people。　　At　the　same　time

several　messengers　came　also　from　his　friends；　to　desire　his

presence　at　the　capitol；　saying　that　all　things　went　there

according　to　expectation。　　And　indeed　Tiberius's　first

entrance　there　was　in　every　way　successful；　as　soon　as　ever

he　appeared；　the　people　welcomed　him　with　loud　acclamations；

and　as　he　went　up　to　his　place；　they　repeated　their

expressions　of　joy；　and　gathered　in　a　body　around　him；　so

that　no　one　who　was　not　well　known　to　be　his　friend；　might

approach。　　Mucius　then　began　to　put　the　business　again　to　the

vote；　but　nothing　could　be　performed　in　the　usual　course　and

order；　because　of　the　disturbance　caused　by　those　who　were　on

the　outside　of　the　crowd；　where　there　was　a　struggle　going　on

with　those　of　the　opposite　party；　who　were　pushing　on　and

trying　to　force　their　way　in　and　establish　themselves　among

them。



Whilst　things　were　in　this　confusion；　Flavius　Flaccus；　a

senator；　standing　in　a　place　where　he　could　be　seen；　but　at

such　a　distance　from　Tiberius　that　he　could　not　make　him

hear；　signified　to　him　by　motions　of　his　hand；　that　he　wished

to　impart　something　of　consequence　to　him　in　private。

Tiberius　ordered　the　multitude　to　make　way　for　him；　by　which

means；　though　not　without　some　difficulty；　Flavius　got　to

him；　and　informed　him；　that　the　rich　men；　in　a　sitting　of　the

senate；　seeing　they　could　not　prevail　upon　the　consul　to

espouse　their　quarrel；　had　come　to　a　final　determination

amongst　themselves；　that　he　should　be　assassinated；　and　to

that　purpose　had　a　great　number　of　their　friends　and　servants

ready　armed　to　accomplish　it。　　Tiberius　no　sooner

communicated　this　confederacy　to　those　about　him；　but　they

immediately　tucked　up　their　gowns；　broke　the　halberts　which

the　officers　used　to　keep　the　crowd　off　into　pieces；　and

distributed　them　among　themselves；　resolving　to　resist　the

attack　with　these。　　Those　who　stood　at　a　distance　wondered；

and　asked　what　was　the　occasion；　Tiberius；　knowing　that　they

could　not　hear　him　at　that　distance；　lifted　his　hand　to　his

head；　wishing　to　intimate　the　great　danger　which　he

apprehended　himself　to　be　in。　　His　adversaries；　taking　notice

of　that　action；　ran　off　at　once　to　the　senate　house；　and

declared；　that　Tiberius　desired　the　people　to　bestow　a　crown

upon　him；　as　if　this　were　the　meaning　of　his　touching　his

head。　　This　news　created　general　confusion　in　the　senators；

and　Nasica　at　once　called　upon　the　consul　to　punish　this

tyrant；　and　defend　the　government。　　The　consul　mildly

replied；　that　he　would　not　be　the　first　to　do　any　violence；

and　as　he　would　not　suffer　any　freeman　to　be　put　to　death；

before　sentence　had　lawfully　passed　upon　him；　so　neither

would　he　allow　any　measure　to　be　carried　into　effect；　if　by

persuasion　or　compulsion　on　the　part　of　Tiberius　the　people

had　been　induced　to　pass　any　unlawful　vote。　　But　Nasica；

rising　from　his　seat；　〃Since　the　consul；〃　said　he；　〃regards

not　the　safety　of　the　commonwealth；　let　everyone　who　will

defend　the　laws；　follow　me。〃　　He；　then；　casting　the　skirt　of

his　gown　over　his　head；　hastened　to　the　capitol；　those　who

bore　him　company；　wrapped　their　gowns　also　about　their　arms。

and　forced　their　way　after　him。　　And　as　they　were　persons　of

the　greatest　authority　in　the　city；　the　common　people　did　not

venture　to　obstruct　their　passing；　but　were　rather　so　eager

to　clear　the　way　for　them；　that　they　tumbled　over　one　another

in　haste。　　The　attendants　they　brought　with　them；　had

furnished　themselves　with　clubs　and　staves　from　their　houses；

and　they　themselves　picked　up　the　feet　and　other　fragments　of

stools　and　chairs；　which　were　broken　by　the　hasty　flight　of

the　common　people。　　Thus　armed；　they　made　towards　Tiberius；

knocking　down　those　whom　they　found　in　front　of　him；　and

those　were　soon　wholly　dispersed；　and　many　of　them　slain。

Tiberius　tried　to　save　himself　by　flight。　　As　he　was　running；

he　was　stopped　by　one　who　caught　hold　of　him　by　the　gown；　but

he　threw　it　off；　and　fled　in　his　under…garments　only。　　And

stumbling　over　those　who　before　had　been　knocked　down；　as　he

was　endeavoring　to　get　up　again；　Publius　Satureius；　a

tribune；　one　of　his　colleagues；　was　observed　to　give　him　the

first　fatal　stroke；　by　hitting　him　upon　the　head　with　the

foot　of　a　stool。　　The　second　blow　was　claimed；　as　though　it

had　been　a　deed　to　be　proud　of；　by　Lucius　Rufus。　　And　of　the

rest　there　fell　above　three　hundred；　killed　by　clubs　and

staves　only；　none　by　an　iron　weapon。



This；　we　are　told；　was　the　first　sedition　amongst　the　Romans；

since　the　abrogation　of　kingly　government；　that　ended　in　the

effusion　of　blood。　　All　former　quarrels　which　were　neither

small　nor　about　trivial　matters；　were　always　amicably

composed；　by　mutual　concessions　on　either　side；　the　senate

yielding　for　fear　of　the　commons；　and　the　commons　out　of

respect　to　the　senate。　　And　it　is　probable　indeed　that

Tiberius　himself　might　then　have　been　easily　induced；　by　mere

persuasion；　to　give　way；　and　certainly；　if　attacked　at　all；

must　have　yielded　without　any　recourse　to　violence　and

bloodshed；　as　he　had　not　at　that　time　above　three　thousand

men　to　support　him。　　But　it　is　evident；　that　this　conspiracy

was　fomented　against　him；　more　out　of　the　hatred　and　malice

which　the　rich　men　had　to　his　person；　than　for　the　reasons

which　they　commonly　pretended　against　him。　　In　testim