tiberius gracchus-第5章

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which　they　commonly　pretended　against　him。　　In　testimony　of

which；　we　may　adduce　the　cruelty　and　unnatural　insults　which

they　used　to　his　dead　body。　　For　they　would　not　suffer　his

own　brother；　though　he　earnestly　begged　the　favor；　to　bury

him　in　the　night；　but　threw　him；　together　with　the　other

corpses；　into　the　river。　　Neither　did　their　animosity　stop

here；　for　they　banished　some　of　his　friends　without　legal

process；　and　slew　as　many　of　the　others　us　they　could　lay

their　hands　on；　amongst　whom　Diophanes；　the　orator；　was

slain；　and　one　Caius　Villius　cruelly　murdered　by　being　shut

up　in　a　large　tun　with　vipers　and　serpents。　　Blossius　of

Cuma；　indeed；　was　carried　before　the　consuls；　and　examined

touching　what　had　happened；　and　freely　confessed；　that　he

had　done；　without　scruple；　whatever　Tiberius　bade　him。

〃What；〃　replied　Nasica；　〃then　if　Tiberius　had　bidden　you　burn

the　capitol；　would　you　have　burnt　it？〃　　His　first　answer　was；

that　Tiberius　never　would　have　ordered　any　such　thing；　but

being　pressed　with　the　same　question　by　several　others；　he

declared；　〃If　Tiberius　had　commanded　it；　it　would　have　been

right　for　me　to　do　it；　for　he　never　would　have　commanded　it；

if　it　had　not　been　for　the　people's　good。〃　　Blossius　at　this

time　was　pardoned；　and　afterwards　went　away　to　Aristonicus　in

Asia；　and　when　Aristonicus　was　overthrown　and　ruined；　killed

himself。



The　senate；　to　soothe　the　people　after　these　transactions；

did　not　oppose　the　division　of　the　public　lands；　and

permitted　them　to　choose　another　commissioner　in　the　room　of

Tiberius。　　So　they　elected　Publius　Crassus；　who　was

Gracchus's　near　connection；　as　his　daughter　Licinia　was

married　to　Caius　Gracchus；　although　Cornelius　Nepos　says；

that　it　was　not　Crassus's　daughter　whom　Caius　married；　but

Brutus's；　who　triumphed　for　his　victories　over　the

Lusitanians；　but　most　writers　state　it　as　we　have　done。　　The

people；　however；　showed　evident　marks　of　their　anger　at

Tiberius's　death；　and　were　clearly　waiting　only　for　the

opportunity　to　be　revenged；　and　Nasica　was　already　threatened

with　an　impeachment。　　The　senate；　therefore；　fearing　lest

some　mischief　should　befall　him；　sent　him　ambassador　into

Asia；　though　there　was　no　occasion　for　his　going　thither。

For　the　people　did　not　conceal　their　indignation；　even　in　the

open　streets；　but　railed　at　him；　whenever　they　met　him

abroad；　calling　him　a　murderer　and　a　tyrant；　one　who　had

polluted　the　most　holy　and　religious　spot　in　Rome　with　the

blood　of　a　sacred　and　inviolable　magistrate。　　And　so　Nasica

left　Italy；　although　be　was　bound；　being　the　chief　priest；　to

officiate　in　all　principal　sacrifices。　　Thus　wandering

wretchedly　and　ignominiously　from　one　place　to　another；　he

died　in　a　short　time　after；　not　far　from　Pergamus。　　It　is　no

wonder　that　the　people　had　such　an　aversion　to　Nasica；　when

even　Scipio　Africanus；　though　so　much　and　so　deservedly

beloved　by　the　Romans；　was　in　danger　of　quite　losing　the　good

opinion　which　the　people　had　of　him；　only　for　repeating；　when

the　news　of　Tiberius's　death　was　first　brought　to　Numantia；

the　verse　out　of　Homer



Even　so　perish　all　who　do　the　same。



And　afterwards；　being　asked　by　Caius　and　Fulvius；　in　a　great

assembly；　what　he　thought　of　Tiberius's　death；　he　gave　an

answer　adverse　to　Tiberius's　public　actions。　　Upon　which

account；　the　people　thenceforth　used　to　interrupt　him　when　he

spoke；　which；　until　that　time；　they　had　never　done；　and　he；

on　the　other　hand；　was　induced　to　speak　ill　of　the　people。

But　of　this　the　particulars　are　given　in　the　life　of　Scipio。






End