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proceed　upon；　but　merely　turning　the　very　mischiefs　that　unavoidably
ensued　from　their　former　contests　into　a　pretext　against　the
patricians。　The　greatest　part　of　their　arable　land　had　been　left
unsown　and　without　tillage；　and　the　time　of　war　allowing　them　no　means
or　leisure　to　import　provision　from　other　countries；　there　was　an
extreme　scarcity。　The　movers　of　the　people　then　observing　that　there
was　no　corn　to　be　bought；　and　that　if　there　had　been　they　had　no　money
to　buy　it；　began　to　calumniate　the　wealthy　with　false　stories　and
whisper　it　about；　as　if　they；　out　of　their　malice；　had　purposely
contrived　the　famine。　Meanwhile；　there　came　an　embassy　from　the
Velitrani；　proposing　to　deliver　up　their　city　to　the　Romans；　and
desiring　they　would　send　some　new　inhabitants　to　people　it；　as　a
late　pestilential　disease　had　swept　away　so　many　of　the　natives；
that　there　was　hardly　a　tenth　part　remaining　of　their　whole　community。
This　necessity　of　the　Velitrani　was　considered　by　all　more　prudent
people　as　most　opportune　in　the　present　state　of　affairs；　since　the
dearth　made　it　needful　to　ease　the　city　of　its　superfluous　members；
and　they　were　in　hope　also；　at　the　same　time；　to　dissipate　the
gathering　sedition　by　ridding　themselves　of　the　more　violent　and
heated　partisans；　and　discharging；　so　to　say；　the　elements　of
disease　and　disorder　in　the　state。　The　consuls；　therefore；　singled　out
such　citizens　to　supply　the　desolation　at　Velitrae；　and　gave　notice　to
others；　that　they　should　be　ready　to　march　against　the　Volscians；　with
the　politic　design　of　preventing　intestine　broils　by　employment
abroad；　and　in　the　hope　that　when　rich　as　well　as　poor；　plebeians
and　patricians；　should　be　mingled　again　in　the　same　army　and　the
same　camp；　and　engage　in　one　common　service　for　the　public；　it　would
mutually　dispose　them　to　reconciliation　and　friendship。
　　But　Sicinnius　and　Brutus；　the　popular　orators；　interposed；　crying
out　that　the　consuls　disguised　the　most　cruel　and　barbarous　action
in　the　world　under　that　mild　and　plausible　name　of　a　colony；　and
were　simply　precipitating　so　many　poor　citizens　into　a　mere　pit　of
destruction；　bidding　them　settle　down　in　a　country　where　the　air　was
charged　with　disease；　and　the　ground　covered　with　dead　bodies；　and
expose　themselves　to　the　evil　influence　of　a　strange　and　angered
deity。　And　then；　as　if　it　would　not　satisfy　their　hatred　to　destroy
some　by　hunger；　and　offer　others　to　the　mercy　of　a　plague；　they　must
proceed　to　involve　them　also　in　a　needless　war　of　their　own　making；
that　no　calamity　might　be　wanting　to　complete　the　punishment　of　the
citizens　for　refusing　to　submit　to　that　of　slavery　to　the　rich。
　　By　such　addresses；　the　people　were　so　possessed；　that　none　of　them
would　appear　upon　the　consular　summons　to　be　enlisted　for　the　war；　and
they　showed　entire　aversion　to　the　proposal　for　a　new　plantation；　so
that　the　senate　was　at　a　loss　what　to　say　or　do。　But　Marcius；　who
began　now　to　bear　himself　higher　and　to　feel　confidence　in　his　past
actions；　conscious；　too；　of　the　admiration　of　the　best　and　greatest
men　of　Rome；　openly　took　the　lead　in　opposing　the　favourers　of　the
people。　The　colony　was　despatched　to　Velitrae；　those　that　were
chosen　by　lot　being　compelled　to　depart　upon　high　penalties；　and
when　they　obstinately　persisted　in　refusing　to　enrol　themselves　for
the　Volscian　service；　he　mustered　up　his　own　clients；　and　as　many
others　as　could　be　wrought　upon　by　persuasion；　and　with　these　made
inroad　into　the　territories　of　the　Antiates；　where；　finding　a
considerable　quantity　of　corn；　and　collecting　much　booty；　both　of
cattle　and　prisoners；　he　reserved　nothing　for　himself　in　private；
but　returned　safe　to　Rome；　while　those　that　ventured　out　with　him　were
seen　laden　with　pillage；　and　driving　their　prey　before　them。　This
sight　filled　those　that　had　stayed　at　home　with　regret　for　their
perverseness；　with　envy　at　their　fortunate　fellow…citizens；　and　with
feelings　of　dislike　to　Marcius；　and　hostility　to　his　growing
reputation　and　power；　which　might　probably　be　used　against　the　popular
interest。
　　Not　long　after　he　stood　for　the　consulship：　when；　however；　the
people　began　to　relent　and　incline　to　favour　him；　being　sensible
what　a　shame　it　would　be　to　repulse　and　affront　a　man　of　his　birth　and
merit；　after　he　had　done　them　so　many　signal　services。　It　was　usual
for　those　who　stood　for　offices　among　them　to　solicit　and　address
themselves　personally　to　the　citizens；　presenting　themselves　in　the
forum　with　the　toga　on　alone；　and　no　tunic　under　it；　either　to　promote
their　supplications　by　the　humility　of　their　dress；　or　that　such　as
had　received　wounds　might　more　readily　display　those　marks　of　their
fortitude。　Certainly；　it　was　not　out　of　suspicion　of　bribery　and
corruption　that　they　required　all　such　petitioners　for　their　favour　to
appear　ungirt　and　open；　without　any　close　garment；　as　it　was　much
later；　and　many　ages　after　this；　that　buying　and　selling　crept　in　at
their　elections；　and　money　became　an　ingredient　in　the　public
suffrages；　proceeding　thence　to　attempt　their　tribunals；　and　even
attack　their　camps；　till；　by　hiring　the　valiant；　and　enslaving　iron　to
silver；　it　grew　master　of　the　state；　and　turned　their　commonwealth
into　a　monarchy。　For　it　was　well　and　truly　said　that　the　first
destroyer　of　the　liberties　of　a　people　is　he　who　first　gave　them
bounties　and　largesses。　At　Rome　the　mischief　seems　to　have　stolen
secretly　in；　and　by　little　and　little；　not　being　at　once　discerned　and
taken　notice　of。　It　is　not　certainly　known　who　the　man　was　that　did
there　first　either　bribe　the　citizens；　or　corrupt　the　courts；　whereas；
in　Athens；　Anytus；　the　son　of　Anthemion；　is　said　to　have　been　the
first　that　gave　money　to　the　judges；　when　on　his　trial；　toward　the
latter　end　of　the　Peloponnesian　war；　for　letting　the　fort　of　Pylos
fall　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　in　a　period　while　the　pure　and
golden　race　of　men　were　still　in　possession　of　the　Roman　forum。
　　Marcius；　therefore；　as　the　fashion　of　candidates　was；　showing　the
scars　and　gashes　that　were　still　visible　on　his　body；　from　the　many
conflicts　in　which　he　had　signalized　himself　during　a　service　of
seventeen　years　together；　they　were；　so　to　say；　put　out　of　countenance
at　this　display　of　merit；　and　told　one　another　that　they　ought　in
common　modesty　to　create　him　consul。　But　when　the　day　of　election
was　now　come；　and　Marcius　appeared　in　the　forum；　with　a　pompous
train　of　senators　attending　him；　and　the　patricians　all　manifested
greater　concern；　and　seemed　to　be　exerting　greater　efforts；　than
they　had　ever　done　before　on　the　like　occasion；　the　commons　then
fell　off　again　from　the　kindness　they　had　conceived　for　him；　and　in
the　place　of　their　late　benevolence；　began　to　feel　something　of
indignation　and　envy；　passions　assisted　by　the　fear　they
entertained；　that　if　a　man　of　such　aristocratic　temper　and　so
influential　among　the　patricians　should　be　invested　with　the　power
which　that　office　would　give　him；　he　might　employ　it　to　deprive　the
people　of　all　that　liberty　which　was　yet　left　them。　In　conclusion；
they　rejected　Marcius。　Two　other　names　were　announced；　to　the　great
mortification　of　the　senators；　who　felt　as　if　the　indignity
reflected　rather　upon　themselves　than　on　Marcius。　He；　for　his　part；
could　not　bear　the　affront　with　any　patience。　He　had　always　indulged
his　temper；　and　had　regarded　the　proud　and　contentious　element　of
human　nature　as　a　sort　of　nobleness　and　magnanimity；　reason　and
discipline　had　not　imbued　him　with　that　solidity　and　equanimity
which　enters　so　largely　into　the　virtues　of　the　statesman。　He　had
never　learned　how　essential　it　is　for　any　one　who　undertakes　public
business；　and　desires　to　deal　with　mankind；　to　avoid　above　all
things　that　self…will；　which；　as　Plato　says；　belongs　to　the　family
of　solitude；　and　to　pursue；　above　all　things；　that　capacity　so
generally　ridiculed；　of　submission　to　ill…treatment。　Marcius；
straightforward　and　direct；　and　possessed　with　the　idea　that　to
vanquish　and　overbear　all　opposition　is　the　true　part　of　bravery；
and　never　imagining　that　it　was　the　weakness　and　womanishness　of　his
nature　that　broke　out；　so　to　say；　in　these　ulc