Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 2.djvu/307

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