Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/524

 516 TIBERIUS GRACCHUS. commanders were guilty of a ridiculous error, when, at the head of their armies, they exhorted the common sol- diers to fight for their sepulchres and altars ; when not any amongst so many Romans is possessed of either altar or monument, neither have they any houses of their own, or hearths of their ancestors to defend. They fought in- deed, and were slain, but it was to maintain the luxury and the wealth of other men. They were styled the masters of the world, but in the mean time had not one foot of ground which they could call their own. An ha- rangue of this nature, spoken to an enthusiastic and sym- pathizing audience, by a person of commanding spirit and genuine feeling, no adversaries at that time were compe- tent to oppose. Forbearing, therefore, all discussion and debate, they addressed themselves to Marcus Octavius, his fellow-tribune, who, being a young man of a steady, orderly character, and an intimate friend of Tiberius, upon this account declined at first the task of opposing him ; but at length, over persuaded with the repeated im- portunities of numerous considerable persons, he was pre- vailed upon to do so, and hindered the passing of the law ; it being the rule that any tribune has a power to hinder an act, and that all the rest can effect nothing, if only one of them dissents. Tiberius, irritated at these proceedings, presently laid aside this milder bill, but at the same time preferred another; which, as it was more grateful to the common people, so it was much more severe against the wrongdoers, commanding them to make an immediate surrender of all lands which, contrary to former laws, had come into their possession. Hence there arose daily contentions between him and Octavius in their orations. However, though they expressed themselves with the utmost heat and determination, they yet were never known to descend. to any personal re- proaches, or in their passion to let slip any indecent expressions, so as to derogate from one another.