A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

GRACCHUS. GRACCHUS. 293
whom Scipio Nasica, and other persons of distinc- immediately prepared to repel force by force.
tion, made common cause. Those who were at a greater distance wanted to
The period at which the tribunes for the next know the cause of this sudden commotion, and as
year were to be elected was now drawing near, and Tiberius could not make his voice heard, on account
Tiberius himself, as well as his friends, were fully of the tumultuous noise, he pointed wilth his hand
convinced that after the expiration of his office to his head, to indicate that his life was in danger.
his laws would be abolished, and that his life This act was maliciously interpreted by his enemies
would be in imminent danger as soon as he as a sign by-which he demanded the diadem, and
should be divested of the sacred office of tribune. they hastened to inform the senate of it. The
lie therefore resolved to offer himself as a can- senators pretended to be greatly alarmed, and
didate for the tribuneship of the following year. P. Scipio Nasica called upon the consuls to save
This was indeed an irregularity, for up to that the republic; but the consuls refused to have retime no man had ever been invested with the course to violence. The people, who in the mean
office for two consecutive years; but Tiberius was time had learned that the life of their tribune was
compelled by necessity, and the duty of self- threatened, immediately armed themselves with
defence, to offer, himself as a candidate. It was sticks, the legs of the benches, and any other weaunfortunate for him that the election of the tri- pons they could lay hold of, and drove the aristobunes fell in the month of June, when the coun- crats from the assembly. The confusion became
try-people, on whom he could rely most, were general, and the tribunes took to flight. A report
occupied with the harvest in the fields. The was quickly spread that Tiberius had deposed his
people assembled thus consisted, for the most colleagues, and was going to continue in his office
part, of the city populace, who had little or no without any election.
sympathy with him. His heart was filled with dark This was the moment which the aristocratic
apprehensions and misgivings. He went about, party had been anxiously looking for. Scipio Naleading his little son by the hand, and imploring sica sprang up, and exclaimed, "As the consul
the people not to desert him, and not to expose him betrays the republic, do you who wish to maintain
to the furv of his enemies, against whom he had the constitution follow me." The senators rushed
protected them. The tribes began to vote, and towards the assembly from the temple of Fides,
two had already declared in favour of Tiberius, where they had held their meeting. The people diswhen the aristocrats, who were mingled among the persed in all directions, and all who, did not give
people, exclaimed that the election was illegal, and way to the senators, or ventured to oppose them,
that no man could be elected tribune for two suc- were knocked down with clubs and sticks.'Tibecessive years. The presiding tribune, Rubrius, did rius, in endeavouring to escape, fell over the body
not know what to do; another tribune offered to of a man who was killed, and as he was attempting
take the presidency, but the rest maintained that to rise, he received a blow on'his head, and was
this could be decided only by lot. Amid such dis- killed. He fell at the entrance of the temple of
putes the day passed away, and seeing that his Fides, in front of the statues of the kings. The
enemies were gaining the upper hand, Tiberius honour of being the murderer of Gracchus was disproposed to defer'the election till the next day. puted between P. Satureius, one of-his own colHe now went about with his child, and endeavoured leagues, and L. Rufus. Upwards of 300 persons
to rouse the people's sympathy. They were moved by were killed on that day by sticks and stones, but
his fear and danger; a large crowd gathered around none by the sword. In the night following their
him; they conducted him home, urged him not to bodies were thrown into the Tiber, and the surdespair, and kept watch about his house all night, viving friends of Gracchus had to suffer imprisonto protect him against any unforeseen' attack. ment, exile, and death, at the hands of their infuriCheered by this demonstration of. the people's fa- ated and merciless opponents.
vour, he, in conjunction with' his friends, devised These, and other calamities which afterwards reduring the night a plan on which they were to act, suited from the legislation of Tiberius, though it
if his enemies'should use violence. was by no means their cause, might perhaps have
At daybreak the auspices were consulted, but been avoided by a little more prudence on the part
the signs'were unfavourable, and Tiberius was of Tiberius. We may indeed regret that he did
doubtful as to whether he should go to the assem- not all he might have done, but we cannot- blame
bly or not; but his friend Blossius urged him on him for what he did: his motives were the
not to give up his plans for thihgs'which' perhaps purest, and he suffered the death of a martyr in
were merely accidental. The people were assemr'the noblest cause that a statesman can embracebled in the area of the capitol, and many of them the protection of the poor and oppressed. All the
came down to invite him and conduct him thither. odium that has for many centuries been thrown
When he arrived he was received with loud cheers upon Tiberius and his brother Caius arose partly
and acclamations, and all promised well; but, when from party prejudice, and more especially from a
the voting began, the aristocrats did all they could misunderstanding of the nature of a Roman agrarian
to disturb the proceedings, and the noise and tu- law, which, although it had been pretty clearly
mult became so great that no one could be heard. explained by Sigonius, was yet never generally
At this moment a senator, who was a friend of recognised till the time of Niebuhr. Velleius PaGracchus, made his way through the crowd up to terculus, who is' otherwise biassed against the'him, and informed him that the senators were as- agrarian law of Gracchus, gives a noble testimony
sembled, and that, as they could not prevail upon to his character, in these words, " Vita innocentisthe consuls to carry out their commands, they simus, ingenio florentissimus, proposito sanctissimus,
themselves were resolved to kill Tiberius, and had tantis denique adornatus virtutibus, quantas, per-'for this purpose armed many of their slaves and fecta et natura et industria, mortalis' conditio
partisans. When Tiberius communicated this in-' recipit." (Plut. Vita Tib. Gracchi; Appian,.B. C!.
telligence to those who stood nearest -to him, they i. 9 —17; Liv.'Epit. 58; Vell. Pat; ii. 2, 3;
uv3