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

-GACCHUS. GRACCHUS. GRACCHUS. 297
given Caius for having'procured the election of Fan- slew Antyllius on the spot. Accbrding to Plutarch,
nius to the consulship, which he himself had coveted, Antyllius was one of the attendants of the consul
niow offered himself again as a candidate for that Opimius, and while carrying a sacrifice through
office; and it was generally reported that he was the arcade, insolently provoked the anger of the
determined to abolish the laws of C. Gracchus. bystanders by calling out, " Make way for honest
The latter had endeavoured to obtain the tribune- men, you rascals!" But however this may be,
ship for the third time, but in vain, either because Gracchus took no part in the proceedings' on that
he had really lost the popular favour through the morning, and the murder of Antyllius was comintrigues of Drusus, or because his colleagues, whom mitted wholly against his wish. It produced the
he had offended by some arrangements during the greatest alarm and consternation, and Caius was
public games in favour of the people, acted illegally deeply grieved, for he saw at once that it injured
and fraudulently in the,proclamation and return his party, and served to promote the hostile schemes
of the votes. How much Caius had lost confi- of his enemies. He therefore immediately descended
dence in himself as well as in his supporters is to the forum, to'allay the terror and explain the
clear from the following circumstance. By the unfortunate occurrence; but nobody would listen
command of the senate, and in pursuance of the to him, and he was shunned by everybody as if he
above-mentioned edict, the consul Fannius drove had been an accursed man. The assembly broke
out of the city all those who were not Roman up, the people dispersed, and Gracchus and Fulvius
citizens; and Caius, although he had promised Flaccus, lamenting the event, returned home, acthem his assistance, if they would defy the'edict companied each by a number of friends. Opimius,
and remain at Rome, yet allowed persons of his on the other hand, who had now got the opporown acquaintance to be dragged off before his eyes tunity he wanted, triumphed and urged the people
by the lictors of the consul, witliout venturing to to avenge the murder. The next day he convoked
help them. The object of Gracchus undoubtedly the senate, while large crowds of the people were
was to avoid violence and prevent civil bloodshed, assembled in the forum.' He- garrisoned the capitol,
in order that his enemies might not obtain any and with his suite hd himself occupied the temple
just ground for attacking him, which was, in fact, of Castor and Pollux, which commanded the view
the very' thing' they were looking for. -But the of the forum. At his command the body of Antylpeople, who were unable to appreciate such motives, lius was carried across the forum with loud wail-'
looked upon his forbearance as an act of cowardice. ings and lamentations, and was deposited in front
The year of his second tribuneship, B. C. 122, of the senate-house. All this was only a tragic
thus came to its close. After Opimius had entered farce td excite the feelings of the people against
on his consulship, the senate, which had hitherto the murderer and his party. When Opimius
acted rather on:the defensive, and opposed Grac- thought the minds of the people sufficiently excited,
chus with intrigues, contrived to lead Caius into he himself entered the senate, and by a declamatory
wrong steps, that he might thus prepare his own exposition of the.fearful crime that had been' comruin. His enemies began to repeal several of his mitted, he prevailed upon the senate to confer on
enactments. The subject of the colony of Carthage himself unlimited power to act as he thought best
was discussed afresh merely to provoke Gracchus, for the good of the republic, By virtue of'this
who, in'establishing the colony, had disregarded power, Opimius ordered the senate' to meet again
the curse pronounced by P. Scipio upon the site of the next day in arms, and'each equcs' was comCarthage, and had increased the number of colo-. manded to bring with him two armed slaves.
nists to 6000.' This-and various other annoyances, Civil war was thus declared.' These decrees,
which still niore estranged the people. from him, he framed as they were with apparent calmness, for
endured for a time with forbearance and without the purpose of clothing the spirit of party vengeance
making any resistance, probably because he did in the forms of legal proceedings, completely paranot believe that his' legislation could be really lysed the mass of the people. That the equites,
upset. But as the movements of the hostile faction who as an order had been'raised so much by
became more and more threatening, he could no Gracchus, deserted him in the hour of danger, is
longer resist the entreaties of Fulvius Flaccus, and accountable only by the cowardice which is always
once more he resolved to rally his friends around displayed on such occasions by capitalists. On the
him, and take an active part in the public assembly. second day Gracchus had been in the forum, but he
A day was appointed to decide upon the colony of had left the assembly, and "as. he went home he
Carthage, or, according to Plutarch, to abolish the was seen stopping before the statue of his-father;
laws of Caius. A number of country people flocked he did not utter a word, but at last he:sighed
to Rome to support Caius and his friends; and it- deeply, burst into tears, and then returned home.
was said'that they had been sent-by his mother, Cor- A large multitude of people, who seemed to feel the
lelia. Flaccus with his friends occupied the capitol silent reproach of their ingratitude and cowardice,
early in the morning, and was'already haranguing followed him to his house, and kept watch there
the people, when Caius arrived with his followers. all night.
But he was irresolute and desponding, andhad a Fulvius Flaccus, who had been filled with rage
presentiment that blood would be shed. He took and indignation at the decree of the senate and the
no part in the proceedings, and in silence he walked' conduct of Opi.mius,' called on his friends to arm
up and down under an arcade, watching the course themsel-vesq and- with them he spent the'night in
of events. A common man of the name of Antyl- drinking and rioting. On the morning he was
lius there' approached him, touched his shoulder, with difficulty roused from his drunken sleep to
and bade him spare his country. Caius, who was give the necessary orders, and organise his men for
taken by surprise, gazed at the man' as if he had resistance. Amid shouts he and his band seized
suddenly been charged with a crime of which he'on the Aventine, where they took up a strong
could. not. deny his guilt. Some one of Caius's position, in the hope of thu's compelling the senate
friends took this look for a significaint hint, and to yield. Caius refused to arm: he. left his house