tiberius gracchus-第3章

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got　far　beyond　him　in　fame　and　influence；　and　to　be　much

looked　up　to；　he　thought　to　outdo　him；　by　attempting　a

popular　enterprise　of　this　difficulty；　and　of　such　great

consequence。　　But　his　brother　Caius　has　left　it　us　in

writing；　that　when　Tiberius　went　through　Tuscany　to　Numantia；

and　found　the　country　almost　depopulated；　there　being　hardly

any　free　husbandmen　or　shepherds；　but　for　the　most　part　only

barbarian；　imported　slaves；　he　then　first　conceived　the

course　of　policy　which　in　the　sequel　proved　so　fatal　to　his

family。　　Though　it　is　also　most　certain　that　the　people

themselves　chiefly　excited　his　zeal　and　determination　in　the

prosecution　of　it；　by　setting　up　writings　upon　the　porches；

walls；　and　monuments；　calling　upon　him　to　reinstate　the　poor

citizens　in　their　former　possessions。



However；　he　did　not　draw　up　his　law　without　the　advice　and

assistance　of　those　citizens　that　were　then　most　eminent　for

their　virtue　and　authority；　amongst　whom　were　Crassus；　the

high…priest；　Mucius　Scaevola；　the　lawyer；　who　at　that　time

was　consul；　and　Claudius　Appius；　his　father…in…law。　　Never

did　any　law　appear　more　moderate　and　gentle；　especially　being

enacted　against　such　great　oppression　and　avarice。　　For　they

who　ought　to　have　been　severely　punished　for　transgressing

the　former　laws；　and　should　at　least　have　lost　all　their

titles　to　such　lands　which　they　had　unjustly　usurped；　were

notwithstanding　to　receive　a　price　for　quitting　their

unlawful　claims；　and　giving　up　their　lands　to　those　fit

owners　who　stood　in　need　of　help。　　But　though　this

reformation　was　managed　with　so　much　tenderness；　that；　all

the　former　transactions　being　passed　over；　the　people　were

only　thankful　to　prevent　abuses　of　the　like　nature　for　the

future；　yet；　on　the　other　hand；　the　moneyed　men；　and　those　of

great　estates　were　exasperated；　through　their　covetous

feelings　against　the　law　itself；　and　against　the　law　giver；

through　anger　and　party　spirit。　　They　therefore　endeavored　to

seduce　the　people；　declaring　that　Tiberius　was　designing　a

general　redivision　of　lands；　to　overthrow　the　government；　and

put　all　things　into　confusion。



But　they　had　no　success。　　For　Tiberius；　maintaining　an

honorable　and　just　cause；　and　possessed　of　eloquence

sufficient　to　have　made　a　less　creditable　action　appear

plausible；　was　no　safe　or　easy　antagonist；　when；　with　the

people　crowding　around　the　hustings；　he　took　his　place；　and

spoke　in　behalf　of　the　poor。　　〃The　savage　beasts；〃　said　he；

〃in　Italy；　have　their　particular　dens；　they　have　their　places

of　repose　and　refuge；　but　the　men　who　bear　arms；　and　expose

their　lives　for　the　safety　of　their　country；　enjoy　in　the

meantime　nothing　more　in　it　but　the　air　and　light；　and

having　no　houses　or　settlements　of　their　own；　are　constrained

to　wander　from　place　to　place　with　their　wives　and　children。〃

He　told　them　that　the　commanders　were　guilty　of　a　ridiculous

error；　when；　at　the　head　of　their　armies；　they　exhorted　the

common　soldiers　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　indeed；

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　meantime　had　not　one　foot　of　ground　which

they　could　call　their　own。　　A　harangue　of　this　nature；

spoken　to　an　enthusiastic　and　sympathizing　audience；　by　a

person　of　commanding　spirit　and　genuine　feeling；　no

adversaries　at　that　time　were　competent　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　importunities　of　numerous　considerable

persons；　he　was　prevailed　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　reproaches；　or　in　their　passion　to　let　slip

any　indecent　expressions；　so　as　to　derogate　from　one　another。



For　not　alone



In　revelings　and　Bacchic　play；



but　also　in　contentions　and　political　animosities；　a　noble

nature　and　a　temperate　education　stay　and　compose　the　mind。

Observing；　however；　that　Octavius　himself　was　an　offender

against　this　law；　and　detained　a　great　quantity　of　ground

from　the　commonalty；　Tiberius　desired　him　to　forbear　opposing

him　any　further；　and　proffered；　for　the　public　good；　though

he　himself　had　but　an　indifferent　estate；　to　pay　a　price　for

Octavius's　share　at　his　own　cost　and　charges。　　But　upon　the

refusal　of　this　proffer　by　Octavius；　he　then　interposed　an

edict；　prohibiting　all　magistrates　to　exercise　their

respective　functions；　till　such　time　as　the　law　was　either

ratified　or　rejected　by　public　votes。　　He　further　sealed　up

the　gates　of　Saturn's　temple；　so　that　the　treasurers　could

neither　take　any　money　out　from　thence；　or　put　any　in。　　He

threatened　to　impose　a　severe　fine　upon　those　of　the　praetors

who　presumed　to　disobey　his　commands；　insomuch　that　all　the

officers；　for　fear　of　this　penalty；　intermitted　the　exercise

of　their　several　jurisdictions。　　Upon　this；　the　rich

proprietors　put　themselves　into　mourning；　went　up　and　down

melancholy　and　dejected；　they　entered　also　into　a　conspiracy

against　Tiberius；　and　procured　men　to　murder　him；　so　that　he

also；　with　all　men's　knowledge；　whenever　he　went　abroad；　took

with　him　a　sword…staff；　such　as　robbers　use；　called　in　Latin

a　dolo。



When　the　day　appointed　was　come；　and　the　people　summoned　to

give　their　votes；　the　rich　men　seized　upon　the　voting　urns；

and　carried　them　away　by　force；　thus　all　things　were　in

confusion。　　But　when　Tiberius's　party　appeared　strong　enough

to　oppose　the　contrary　faction；　and　drew　together　in　a　body；

with　the　resolution　to　do　so；　Manlius　and　Fulvius；　two　of　the

consular　quality；　threw　themselves　before　Tiberius；　took　him

by　the　hand；　and　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　begged　of　him　to

desist。　　Tiberius；　considering　the　mischiefs　that　were　all

but　now　occurring；　and　having　a　great　respect　for　two　such

eminent　persons；　demanded　of　them　what　they　would　advise　him

to　do。　　They　acknowledged　themselves　unfit　to　advise　in　a

matter　of　so　great　importance；　but　earnestly　entreated　him　to

leave　it　to　the　determination　of　the　senate。　　But　when　the

senate　assembled；　and　could　not　bring　the　business　to　any

result；　through　the　prevalence　of　the　rich　faction；　he　then

was　driven　to　a　course　neither　legal　nor　fair；　and　proposed

to　deprive　Octavius　of　his　tribuneship；　it　being　impossible

for　him　in　any　other　way　to　get　the　law　brought　to　the　vote。

At　first　he　addressed　him　publicly；　with　entreaties　couched

in　the　kindest　terms；　and　taking　him　by　his　hands；　besought

him；　that　now；　in　the　presence　of　all　the　people；　he　would

take　this　opportunity　to　oblige　them；　in　granting　only　that

request　which　was　in　itself　so　just　and　reasonable；　being　but

a　small　recompense　in　regard　of　those　many　dangers　and

hardships　which　they　had　undergone　for　the　public　safety。

Octavius；　however；　would　by　no　means　be　persuaded　to

compliance；