tiberius gracchus-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




TIBERIUS　GRACCHUS



Having　completed　the　first　two　narratives；　we　now　may　proceed

to　take　a　view　of　misfortunes；　not　less　remarkable；　in　the

Roman　couple；　and　with　the　lives　of　Agis　and　Cleomenes；

compare　these　of　Tiberius　and　Caius。　　They　were　the　sons　of

Tiberius　Gracchus；　who；　though　he　had　been　once　censor；　twice

consul；　and　twice　had　triumphed；　yet　was　more　renowned　and

esteemed　for　his　virtue　than　his　honors。　　Upon　this　account；

after　the　death　of　Scipio　who　overthrew　Hannibal；　he　was

thought　worthy　to　match　with　his　daughter　Cornelia；　though

there　had　been　no　friendship　or　familiarity　between　Scipio

and　him；　but　rather　the　contrary。　　There　is　a　story　told；

that　he　once　found　in　his　bedchamber　a　couple　of　snakes；　and

that　the　soothsayers；　being　consulted　concerning　the　prodigy；

advised；　that　he　should　neither　kill　them　both　nor　let　them

both　escape；　adding；　that　if　the　male　serpent　was　killed；

Tiberius　should　die；　and　if　the　female；　Cornelia。　　And　that；

therefore；　Tiberius；　who　extremely　loved　his　wife；　and

thought；　besides；　that　it　was　much　more　his　part；　who　was　an

old　man；　to　die；　than　it　was　hers；　who　as　yet　was　but　a　young

woman；　killed　the　male　serpent；　and　let　the　female　escape；

and　soon　after　himself　died；　leaving　behind　him　twelve

children　borne　to　him　by　Cornelia。



Cornelia；　taking　upon　herself　all　the　care　of　the　household

and　the　education　of　her　children；　approved　herself　so

discreet　a　matron；　so　affectionate　a　mother；　and　so　constant

and　noble…spirited　a　widow；　that　Tiberius　seemed　to　all　men

to　have　done　nothing　unreasonable；　in　choosing　to　die　for

such　a　woman；　who；　when　king　Ptolemy　himself　proffered　her

his　crown；　and　would　have　married　her；　refused　it；　and　chose

rather　to　live　a　widow。　　In　this　state　she　continued；　and

lost　all　her　children；　except　one　daughter；　who　was　married

to　Scipio　the　younger；　and　two　sons；　Tiberius　and　Caius；

whose　lives　we　are　now　writing。



These　she　brought　up　with　such　care；　that　though　they　were

without　dispute　in　natural　endowments　and　dispositions　the

first　among　the　Romans　of　their　time；　yet　they　seemed　to　owe

their　virtues　even　more　to　their　education　than　to　their

birth。　　And　as；　in　the　statues　and　pictures　made　of　Castor

and　Pollux；　though　the　brothers　resemble　one　another；　yet

there　is　a　difference　to　be　perceived　in　their　countenances；

between　the　one；　who　delighted　in　the　cestus；　and　the　other；

that　was　famous　in　the　course；　so　between　these　two　noble

youths；　though　there　was　a　strong　general　likeness　in　their

common　love　of　fortitude　and　temperance；　in　their　liberality；

their　eloquence；　and　their　greatness　of　mind；　yet　in　their

actions　and　administrations　of　public　affairs；　a　considerable

variation　showed　itself。　　It　will　not　be　amiss；　before　we

proceed；　to　mark　the　difference　between　them。



Tiberius；　in　the　form　and　expression　of　his　countenance；　and

in　his　gesture　and　motion；　was　gentle　and　composed；　but

Caius；　earnest　and　vehement。　　And　so；　in　their　public

speeches　to　the　people；　the　one　spoke　in　a　quiet　orderly

manner；　standing　throughout　on　the　same　spot；　the　other　would

walk　about　on　the　hustings；　and　in　the　heat　of　his　orations；

pull　his　gown　off　his　shoulders；　and　was　the　first　of　all　the

Romans　that　used　such　gestures；　as　Cleon　is　said　to　have　been

the　first　orator　among　the　Athenians　that　pulled　off　his

cloak　and　smote　his　thigh；　when　addressing　the　people。

Caius's　oratory　was　impetuous　and　passionate；　making

everything　tell　to　the　utmost；　whereas　Tiberius　was　gentle；

rather；　and　persuasive；　awakening　emotions　of　pity。　　His

diction　was　pure；　and　carefully　correct；　while　that　of　Caius

was　vehement　and　rich。　　So　likewise　in　their　way　of　living；

and　at　their　tables；　Tiberius　was　frugal　and　plain；　Caius；

compared　with　other　men　temperate　and　even　austere；　but

contrasting　with　his　brother　in　a　fondness　for　new　fashions

and　rarities；　as　appears　in　Drusus's　charge　against　him；　that

he　had　bought　some　silver　dolphins；　to　the　value　of　twelve

hundred　and　fifty　drachmas　for　every　pound　weight。



The　same　difference　that　appeared　in　their　diction；　was

observable　also　in　their　tempers。　　The　one　was　mild　and

reasonable；　the　other　rough　and　passionate；　and　to　that

degree；　that　often；　in　the　midst　of　speaking；　he　was　so

hurried　away　by　his　passion；　against　his　judgment；　that　his

voice　lost　its　tone；　and　he　began　to　pass　into　mere　abusive

talking；　spoiling　his　whole　speech。　　As　a　remedy　to　this

excess；　he　made　use　of　an　ingenious　servant　of　his；　one

Licinius；　who　stood　constantly　behind　him　with　a　sort　of

pitch…pipe；　or　instrument　to　regulate　the　voice　by；　and

whenever　he　perceived　his　master's　tone　alter；　and　break　with

anger；　he　struck　a　soft　note　with　his　pipe；　on　hearing　which；

Caius　immediately　checked　the　vehemence　of　his　passion　and

his　voice；　grew　quieter；　and　allowed　himself　to　be　recalled

to　temper。　　Such　are　the　differences　between　the　two

brothers；　but　their　valor　in　war　against　their　country's

enemies；　their　justice　in　the　government　of　its　subjects；

their　care　and　industry　in　office；　and　their　self…command　in

all　that　regarded　their　pleasures　were　equally　remarkable　in

both。



Tiberius　was　the　elder　by　nine　years；　owing　to　which　their

actions　as　public　men　were　divided　by　the　difference　of　the

times　in　which　those　of　the　one　and　those　of　the　other　were

performed。　　And　one　of　the　principal　causes　of　the　failure　of

their　enterprises　was　this　interval　between　their　careers；

and　the　want　of　combination　of　their　efforts。　　The　power　they

would　have　exercised；　had　they　flourished　both　together；

could　scarcely　have　failed　to　overcome　all　resistance。　　We

must　therefore　give　an　account　of　each　of　them　singly；　and

first　of　the　eldest。



Tiberius；　immediately　on　his　attaining　manhood；　had　such　a

reputation；　that　he　was　admitted　into　the　college　of　the

augurs；　and　that　in　consideration　more　of　his　early　virtue

than　of　his　noble　birth。　　This　appeared　by　what　Appius

Claudius　did；　who；　though　he　had　been　consul　and　censor；　and

was　now　the　head　of　the　Roman　senate；　and　had　the　highest

sense　of　his　own　place　and　merit；　at　a　public　feast　of　the

augurs；　addressed　himself　openly　to　Tiberius；　and　with　great

expressions　of　kindness；　offered　him　his　daughter　in

marriage。　　And　when　Tiberius　gladly　accepted；　and　the

agreement　had　thus　been　completed；　Appius；　returning　home；　no

sooner　had　reached　his　door；　but　he　called　to　his　wife　and

cried　out　in　a　loud　voice；　〃O　Antistia；　I　have　contracted　our

daughter　Claudia　to　a　husband。〃　　She；　being　amazed；　answered；

〃But　why　so　suddenly；　or　what　means　this　haste？　Unless　you

have　provided　Tiberius　Gracchus　for　her　husband。〃　　I　am　not

ignorant　that　some　apply　this　story　to　Tiberius；　the　father

of　the　Gracchi；　and　Scipio　Africanus；　but　most　relate　it　as

we　have　done。　　And　Polybius　writes；　that　after　the　death　of

Scipio　Africanus；　the　nearest　relations　of　Cornelia；

preferring　Tiberius　to　all　other　competitors；　gave　her　to　him

in　marriage；　not　having　been　engaged　or　promised　to　anyone

by　her　father。



This　young　Tiberius；　accordingly；　serving　in　Africa　under　the

younger　Scipio；　who　had　married　his　sister；　and　living　there

under　the　same　tent　with　him；　soon　learned　to　estimate　the

noble　spirit　of　his　commander；　which　was　so　fit　to　inspire

strong　feelings　of　emulation　in　virtue　and　desire　to　prove

merit　in　action；　and　in　a　short　time　he　excelled　all　the

young　men　of　the　army　in　obedience　and　courage；　and　he　was

the　first　that　mounted　the　enemy's　wall；　as　Fannius　says；　who

writes；　that　he　himself　climbed　up　with　him；　and　was　partaker

in　the　achievement。　　He　was　regarded；　while　he　continued　with

the　army；　with　great　affection；　and　left　behind　him　on　his

departure　a　strong　desire　for　his　return。



After　that　expedition；　being　chosen　paymaster；　it　was　his

fortune　to　serve　in　the　war　against　the　Numantines；　under　the

command　of　Caius