should be levied two armies; and that Minucius the Consul should march
with the one against the Æquians on Mount Ægidus, and that the other
should hinder the enemy from their plundering. This levying the tribunes
of the Commons sought to hinder; and perchance had done so, but there also
came well-nigh to the walls of the city a great host of the Sabines
plundering all the country. Thereupon the people willingly offered
themselves, and there were levied forthwith two great armies. Nevertheless
when the Consul Minucius had marched to Mount Ægidus, and had pitched his
camp not far from the Æquians, he did nought for fear of the enemy, but
kept himself within his entrenchments. And when the enemy perceived that
he was afraid, growing the bolder for his lack of courage, they drew lines
about him, keeping him in on every side. Yet before that he was altogether
shut up there escaped from his camp five horsemen, that bare tidings to
Rome how that the Consul, together with his army, was besieged. The people
were sorely dismayed to hear such tidings; nor, when they cast about for
help, saw they any man that might be sufficient for such peril, save only
Cincinnatus. By common consent, therefore, he was made Dictator for six
months, a thing that may well be noted by those who hold that nothing is
to be accounted of in comparison of riches, and that no man may win great
honor or show forth singular virtue unless he be well furnished with
wealth. For here in this great peril of the Roman people there was no hope
of safety but in one who was cultivating with his own hand a little plot
of scarcely three acres of ground. For when the messengers of the people
came to him they found him ploughing, or, as some say, digging a ditch.
When they had greeted each the other, the messengers said, "May the Gods
prosper this thing to the Roman people and to thee. Put on thy robe and
hear the words of the people." Then said Cincinnatus, being not a little
astonished, "Is all well?" and at the same time he called to his wife
Racilia that she should bring forth his robe from the cottage. So she
brought it forth, and the man wiped from him the dust and the sweat, and
clad himself in his robe, and stood before the messengers. These said to
him, "The people of Rome make thee Dictator, and bid thee come forthwith
to the city." And at the same time they told how the Consul and his army
were besieged by the Æquians. So Cincinnatus departed to Rome; and when he
came to the other side of the Tiber there met him first his three sons,
and next many of his kinsfolk and friends, and after them a numerous
company of the nobles. These all conducted him to his house, the lictors,
four and twenty in number, marching before him. There was also assembled a
very great concourse of the people, fearing much how the Dictator might
deal with them, for they knew what manner of man he was, and that there
was no limit to his power, nor any appeal from him.
The next day before dawn the Dictator came into the market-place, and
appointed one Lucius Tarquinius to be Master of the Horse. This Tarquinius
was held by common consent to excel all other men in exercises of war;
only, though, being a noble by birth, he should have been among the
horsemen, he had served, for lack of means, as a foot soldier. This done
he called an assembly of the people and commanded that all the shops in
the city should be shut; that no man should concern himself with any
private business, but all that were of an age to go to the war should be
present before sunset in the Field of Mars, each man having with him
provisions of cooked food for five days, and twelve stakes. As for them
that were past the age, they should prepare the food while the young men
made ready their arms and sought for the stakes. These last they took as
they found them, no man hindering them; and when the time appointed by the
Dictator was come, all were assembled, ready, as occasion might serve,
either to march or to give battle. Forthwith they set out, the Dictator
leading the foot soldiers by their legions, and Tarquinius the horsemen,
and each bidding them that followed make all haste. "We must needs come,"
they said, "to our journey's end while it is yet night. Remember that the
Consul and his army have been besieged now for three days, and that no man
knows what a day or a night may bring forth." The soldiers themselves also
were zealous to obey, crying out to the standard-bearers that they should
quicken their steps, and to their fellows that they should not lag behind.
Thus they came at midnight to Mount Ægidus, and when they perceived that
the enemy was at hand they halted the standards. Then the Dictator rode
forward to see, so far as the darkness would suffer him, how great was the
camp of the Æquians and after what fashion it was pitched. This done he
commanded that the baggage should be gathered together into a heap, and
that the soldiers should stand every man in his own place. After this he
compassed about the whole army of the enemy with his own army, and
commanded that at a set signal every man should shout, and when they had
shouted should dig a trench and set up therein the stakes. This the
soldiers did, and the noise of the shouting passed over the camp of the
enemy and came into the city, causing therein great joy, even as it caused
great fear in the camp. For the Romans cried, "These be our countrymen,
and they bring us help." Then said the Consul, "We must make no delay. By
that shout is signified, not that they are come only, but that they are
already dealing with the enemy. Doubtless the camp of the Æquians is even
now assailed from without. Take ye your arms and follow me." So the legion
went forth, it being yet night, to the battle, and as they went they
shouted, that the Dictator might be aware. Now the Æquians had set
themselves to hinder the making of a ditch and rampart which should shut
them in; but when the Romans from the camp fell upon them, fearing lest
these should make their way through the midst of their camp, they left
them that were with Cincinnatus to finish their entrenching, and fought
with the Consul. And when it was now light, lo! they were already shut in,
and the Romans, having finished their entrenching, began to trouble them.
And when the Æquians perceived that the battle was now on either side of
them, they could withstand no longer, but sent ambassadors praying for
peace, and saying, "Ye have prevailed; slay us not, but rather permit us
to depart, leaving our arms behind us." Then said the Dictator, "I care
not to have the blood of the Æquians. Ye may depart, but ye shall depart
passing under the yoke, that ye may thus acknowledge to all men that ye
are indeed vanquished." Now the yoke is thus made. There are set up in the
ground two spears, and over them is bound by ropes a third spear. So the
Æquians passed under the yoke.
In the camp of the enemy there was found abundance of spoil. This the
Dictator gave wholly to his own soldiers. "Ye were well-nigh a spoil to
the enemy," said he to the army of the Consul, "therefore ye shall have no
share in the spoiling of them. As for thee, Minucius, be thou a lieutenant
only till thou hast learnt how to bear thyself as a consul." Meanwhile at
Rome there was held a meeting of the Senate, at which it was commanded
that Cincinnatus should enter the city in triumph, his soldiers following
him in order of march. Before his chariot there were led the generals of
the enemy; also the standards were carried in the front; and after these
came the army, every man laden with spoil. That day there was great
rejoicing in the city, every man setting forth a banquet before his doors
in the street.
After this, Virginius, that had borne false witness against Cæso, was
found guilty of perjury, and went into exile. And when Cincinnatus saw
that justice had been done to this evil-doer, he resigned his
dictatorship, having held it for sixteen days only.
THE STORY OF VIRGINIA
Adapted by Alfred J. Church
It was agreed between the nobles and the commons that, to make an end of
disputing about the laws, ambassadors should be sent into Greece, and
especially to Athens (which city and its lawgiver, Solon, were held in
high repute in those days), to learn what manner of laws and customs they
had, and to bring back a report of them. And when the ambassadors had
brought back their report, it seemed good to the people that in the
following year there should be appointed neither consuls nor any other
magistrate, but decemvirs only; that is to say, ten men, who should set in
order the laws of Rome. Thus it came to pass in the ninety and first year
from the driving out of the kings, that decemvirs were appointed in the
stead of consuls, Appius Claudius being the chief of the ten.
For a while these pleased the people well, doing justice equally between
man and man. And the custom was that each day one of the ten sat as judge
with the twelve lictors about him, the nine others sitting with one
minister only. Also they busied themselves with the ordering of the laws;
and at last set forth ten tables on which these were written. At the same
time they called the people together to an assembly, and spake to them
thus: "The Gods grant that this undertaking may turn to the credit of the
state, and of you, and of your children. Go, therefore, and read these
laws which we have set forth; for though we have done what ten men could
do to provide laws that should be just to all, whether they be high or
low, yet the understandings of many men may yet change many things for the
better. Consider therefore all these matters in your own minds, and debate
them among yourselves. For we will that the Roman people should be bound
by such laws only as they shall have agreed together to establish."
The ten tables were therefore set forth, and when these had been
sufficiently considered, and such corrections made therein as seemed good,
a regular assembly of the people was called, and the laws were duly
established. But now there was spread abroad a report that two tables were
yet wanting, and that when these should have been added the whole would be
complete; and thence there arose a desire that the Ten should be appointed
to hold office a second year. This indeed was done; but Appius Claudius so
ordered matters that there were elected together with him none of the
chief men of the state, but only such as were of an inferior condition and
fortune.
After this the Ten began more and more to set aside all law and right.
Thus whereas at the first one only on each day was followed by the twelve
lictors, each of the Ten came daily into the market-place so attended, and
whereas before the lictors carried bundles of rods only, now there was
bound up with the rods an axe; whereby was signified the power of life and
death. Their actions also agreed with this show, for they and their
ministers plundered the goods and chattels of the people. Some also they
scourged, and some they beheaded. And when they had so put a man to death,
they would divide his substance among those that waited upon them to do
their pleasure.
Among their misdeeds two were especially notable. There was a certain
Sicinius in the host, a man of singular strength and courage, who took it
ill that the Ten should thus set themselves above all law, and was wont to
say to his comrades that the commons should depart from the city as they
had done in time past, or should at the least make them tribunes to be
their champions as of old. This Sicinius the Ten sent on before the army,
there being then war with the Sabines, to search out a place for a camp;
and with him they sent certain others, bidding them slay him when they
should have come to some convenient place. This they did, but not without
suffering much loss; for the man fought for his life and defended himself,
slaying many of his enemies. Then they that escaped ran into the camp,
saying that Sicinius had fallen into an ambuscade, and had died along with
certain others of the soldiers. At the first, indeed, this story was
believed; but afterward, when, by permission of the Ten, there went some
to bury the dead, they found that none of the dead bodies had been
spoiled, and that Sicinius lay with his arms in the midst, the others
having their faces toward him; also that there was no dead body of an
enemy in the place, nor any track as of them that had gone from the place;
for which reasons they brought back tidings that Sicinius had certainly
been slain by his own comrades. At this there was great wrath in the camp;
and the soldiers were ready to carry the body of Sicinius to Rome, but
that the Ten made a military funeral for him at the public cost. So they
buried Sicinius with great lamentation; but the Ten were thereafter in
very ill repute among the soldiers.
Again, there was a certain centurion, Lucius Virginius by name, an upright
man and of good credit both at home and abroad. This Virginius had a
daughter, Virginia, a very fair and virtuous maiden, whom he had espoused
to a certain Icilius that had once been a tribune of the commons. On this
maiden Appius Claudius, the chief of the Ten, sought to lay hands, and for
this end gave commandment to one Marcus Claudius, who was one of the
clients of his house, that he should claim the girl for a slave. On the
morrow therefore, as Virginia passed across the market-place, being on her
way to school (for the schools in those days were held in the
market-place), this Claudius seized her, affirming that she was born of a
woman that was a slave, and was therefore by right a slave herself. The
maiden standing still for fear, the nurse that attended her set up a great
cry and called the citizens to help. Straightway there was a great
concourse, for many knew the maiden's father Virginius, and Icilius to
whom she was betrothed. Then said Claudius, seeing that he could not take
her by force, "There is no need of tumult or of gathering a crowd. I would
proceed by law, not by force." Thereupon he summoned the girl before the
judge. When they came to the judgment-seat of Appius the man told a tale
that had already been agreed upon between the two. "This girl," he said,
"was born in my house, and was thence secretly taken to the house of
Virginius, and passed off on the man as his daughter. Of this I will bring
proof sufficient, such as will convince Virginius himself, who doubtless
has received the chief wrong in this matter. But in the meanwhile it is
reasonable that the slave should remain in the house of her master." To
this the friends of the girl made answer, "Virginius is absent on the
service of the state, and will be here within the space of two days, if
tidings of this matter be sent to him. Now it is manifestly wrong that
judgment concerning a man's children should be given while he is himself
absent. Let the cause, therefore, be postponed till he come. Meanwhile let
the maiden have her freedom, according to the law which Appius and his
fellows have themselves established."
Appius gave sentence in these words: "That I am a favorer of freedom is
manifest from this law of which ye make mention. Yet this law must be
observed in all cases and without respect of persons; and as to this girl,
there is none but her father only to whom her owner may yield the custody
of her. Let her father therefore be sent for; but in the meanwhile
Claudius must have custody of her, as is his right, only giving security
that he will produce her on the morrow."
At this decree, so manifestly unrighteous was it, there was much
murmuring, yet none dared to oppose it, till Numitorius, the girl's uncle,
and Icilius came forth from the crowd. The lictor cried, "Sentence has
been given," and bade Icilius give place. Then Icilius turned to Appius,
saying, "Appius, thou must drive me hence with the sword before thou canst
have thy will in this matter. This maiden is my espoused wife; and verily,
though thou call hither all thy lictors and the lictors of thy colleagues,
she shall not remain in any house save the house of her father."
To this Appius, seeing that the multitude was greatly moved and were ready
to break forth into open violence, made this reply: "Icilius cares not for
Virginia, but being a lover of sedition and tumult, seeks an occasion for
strife. Such occasion I will not give him to-day. But that he may know
that I yield not to his insolence, but have regard to the rights of a
father, I pronounce no sentence. I ask of Marcus Claudius that he will
concede something of his right, and suffer surety to be given for the girl
against the morrow. But if on the morrow the father be not present here,
then I tell Icilius and his fellows that he who is the author of this law
will not fail to execute it. Neither will I call in the lictors of my
colleague to put down them that raise a tumult. For this my own lictors
shall suffice."
So much time being thus gained, it seemed good to the friends of the
maiden that the son of Numitorius and the brother of Icilius, young men
both of them and active, should hasten with all speed to the camp, and
bring Virginius thence as quickly as might be. So the two set out, and
putting their horses to their full speed, carried tidings of the matter to
the father. As for Appius, he sat awhile on the judgment-seat, waiting for
other business to be brought before him, for he would not have it seem
that he had come for this cause only; but finding that there was none, and
indeed the people were wholly intent on the matter of Virginia, he
departed to his own house. Thence he sent an epistle to his colleagues
that were at the camp, saying, "Grant no leave of absence to Virginius,
but keep him in safe custody with you." But this availed nothing, for
already, before ever the epistle was brought to the camp, at the very
first watch of the night, Virginius had set forth.
When Virginius was come to the city, it being then early dawn, he put on
mean apparel, as was the custom with such as were in danger of life or
liberty, and carried about his daughter, who was clad in like manner,
praying all that he met to help and succor him. "Remember," said he, "that
day by day I stand fighting for you and for your children against your
enemies. But what shall this profit you or me if this city being safe,
nevertheless our children stand in peril of slavery and shame?" Icilius
spake in like manner, and the women (for a company of matrons followed
Virginia) wept silently, stirring greatly the hearts of all that looked
upon them. But Appius, so set was his heart on evil, heeded none of these
things; but so soon as he had sat him down on the seat of judgment, and he
that claimed the girl had said a few words complaining that right had not
been done to him, he gave his sentence, suffering not Virginius to speak.
What pretense of reason he gave can scarce be imagined, but the sentence
(for this only is certain) was that the girl should be in the custody of
Claudius till the matter should be decided by law. But when Claudius came
to take the maiden, her friends and all the women that bare her company
thrust him back. Then said Appius, "I have sure proof, and this not from
the violence only of Icilius, but from what is told to me of gatherings by
night in the city, that there is a purpose in certain men to stir up
sedition. Knowing this I have come hither with armed men; not to trouble
quiet citizens, but to punish such as would break the peace of the state.
Such as be wise, therefore, will keep themselves quiet. Lictor, remove
this crowd, and make room for the master that he may take his slave."
These words he thundered forth in great anger; and the people, when they
heard them, fell back in fear, so that the maiden stood without defense.
Then Virginius, seeing that there were none to help him, said to Appius,
"I pray thee, Appius, if I have said aught that was harsh to thee, that
thou wilt pardon it, knowing how a father must needs suffer in such a
case. But now suffer me to inquire somewhat of this woman that is the
girl's nurse, that I may know what is the truth of the matter. For if I
have been deceived in the matter, and am not in truth father to the girl,
I shall be more content." Then, Appius giving permission, he led his
daughter and her nurse a little space aside, to the shops that are by the
temple of Cloacina, and snatching a knife from a butcher's, said, "My
daughter, there is but this one way that I can make thee free," and he
drave the knife into her breast. Then he looked back to the judgment-seat
and cried, "With this blood, Appius, I devote thee and thy life to
perdition." There went up a great cry from all that stood there when they
saw so dreadful a deed, and Appius commanded that they should seize him.
But no man laid hands on him, for he made a way for himself with the knife
that he carried in his hand, and they that followed defended him, till he
came to the gate of the city. Then Icilius and Numitorius took up the dead
body of the maiden and showed it to the people, saying much of the
wickedness of him who had driven a father to do such a deed, and much also
of the liberty which had been taken from them, and which, if they would
only use this occasion, they might now recover. As for Appius, he cried
out to his lictors that they should lay hands on Icilius, and when the
crowd suffered not the lictors to approach, would himself have made a way
to him, by the help of the young nobles that stood by him. But now the
crowd had leaders, themselves also nobles, Valerius and Horatius. These
said, "If Appius would deal with Icilius according to law we will be
securities for him; if he mean to use violence, we are ready to meet him."
And when the lictor would have laid hands on these two the multitude brake
his rods to pieces. Then Appius would have spoken to the people, but they
clamored against him, so that at last, losing all courage and fearing for
his life, he covered his head and fled secretly to his own house.
Meanwhile Virginius had made his way to the camp, which was now on Mount
Vecilius, and stirred up the army yet more than he had stirred the city.
"Lay not to my charge," he said, "that which is in truth the wickedness of
Appius; neither turn from me as from the murderer of my daughter. Her
indeed I slew, thinking that death was better than slavery and shame; nor
indeed had I survived her but that I hoped to avenge her death by the help
of my comrades." Others also that had come from the city persuaded the
soldiers; some saying that the power of the Ten was overthrown, and others
that Appius had gone of his own accord into banishment. These words so
prevailed with the soldiers that, without any bidding from their generals,
they took up their arms, and, with their standards carried before them,
came to Rome and pitched their camp on the Aventine.
Nevertheless, the Ten were still obstinate, affirming that they would not
resign their authority till they had finished the work for which they had
been appointed, namely, the drawing up of the twelve tables of the laws.
And when the army perceived this they marched from the Aventine and took
up their abode on the Sacred Hill, all the commons following them, so that
there was not left in the city a single man that had ability to move; nor
did the women and children stay behind, but all, as many as could move,
bare them company; for Duilius, that had been tribune, said, "Unless the
Senate see the city deserted, they will take no heed of your complaints."
And indeed, when these perceived what had taken place, they were more
urgent than before that the Ten should resign their office. And these at
last consented. "Only," said they, "do not suffer us to perish from the
rage of the commons. It will be an ill day for the nobles when the people
shall learn to take vengeance on them." And the Senate so wrought that
though at the first the commons in their great fury demanded that the Ten
should be burned alive, yet they were persuaded to yield, it being agreed
that each man should be judged by the law according to his deserts.
Appius, therefore, was accused by Virginius, and being cast into prison,
slew himself before the day appointed for the trial. Oppius also, another
of the Ten, whom the commons hated for his misdeeds next after Appius, was
accused and died in like manner. As for Claudius, that had claimed
Virginia for his slave, he was condemned to be banished. And thus at the
last, the guilty having been punished, the spirit of Virginia had rest.
THE SACRIFICE OF MARCUS CURTIUS
Adapted by Alfred J. Church