Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/557

 CA1US GRACCHUS. 540 dered by his faithful friends, Poraponius and Licinius ; they took his sword away from him, and were very urgent that he would endeavor to make his escape. It is re- ported, that falling upon his knee and lifting up his hands, he prayed the goddess that the Roman people, as a pun- ishment for their ingratitude and treachery, might always remain in slavery. For as soon as a proclamation was made of a pardon, the greater part openly deserted him. Gains, therefore, endeavored now to make his escape, but was pursued so close by his enemies, as far as the wooden bridge, that from thence he narrowly escaped. There his two trusty friends begged of him to preserve his own person by flight, whilst they in the mean time would keep their post, and maintain the passage ; neither could their enemies, until they were both slain, pass the bridge. Caius had no other companion in his flight but one Philocrates, a servant of his. As he ran along, every- body encouraged him, and wished him success, as stand- ers-by may do to those who are engaged in a race, but nobody either lent him any assistance, or would furnish him with a horse, though he asked for one ; for his ene- mies had gained ground, and got very near him. How- ever, he had still time enough to hide himself in a little grove, consecrated to the Furies. In that place, his ser- vant Philocrates having first slain him, presently after- wards killed himself also, and fell dead upon his master. Though some affirm it for a truth, that they were both taken alive by their enemies, and that Philocrates em- braced his master so close, that they could not wound Caius until his servant was slain. They say that when Caius's head was cut off, and car- ried away by one of his murderers, Septimuleius, Opim- ius's friend, met him, and forced it from him ; because, before the battle began, they had made proclamation, that whoever should bring the head either of Caius or Fnl-