Lucius Tarquin, having thus seized the kingdom (for he had not the
consent either of the Senators or of the Commons to his deed), bare
himself very haughtily, so that men called him Tarquin the Proud. First,
lest some other, taking example by him, should deal with him as he had
dealt with Tullius, he had about him a company of armed men for guards.
And because he knew that none loved him, he would have them fear him. To
this end he caused men to be accused before him. And when they were so
accused, he judged them by himself, none sitting with him to see that
right was done. Some he slew unjustly, and some he banished, and some he
spoiled of their goods. And when the number of the Senators was greatly
diminished by these means (for he laid his plots mostly against the
Senators, as being rich men and the chief of the State), he would not
choose any into their place, thinking that the people would lightly
esteem them if there were but a few of them. Nor did he call them
together to ask their counsel, but ruled according to his own pleasure,
making peace and war, and binding treaties or unbinding, with none to
gainsay him.
Nevertheless, for a while he increased greatly in power and glory. He
made alliance with Octavius Mamilius, prince of Tusculum, giving him his
daughter in marriage; nor was there any man greater than Mamilius in
all the cities of the Latins; and Suessa Pometia, that was a city of the
Volsci, he took by force, and finding that the spoil was very rich (for
there were in it forty talents of gold and silver), he built with the
money a temple to Jupiter on the Capitol, very great and splendid, and
worthy not only of his present kingdom but also of that great Empire
that should be thereafter. Also he took the city of Gabii by fraud, as
shall now be told.
The manner of his fraud was this. He made as if he had changed his
purpose about the city, leading away his army from before it, and
busying himself with laying the foundations of the Temple of Jupiter and
other like things. But while he did this, Sextus, that was the youngest
of his three sons, fled to Gabii, as if he were a deserter from the army
of his father, and complained grievously to the men of the city of the
cruelty which the King had used towards him. "Surely now," he said, "my
father has turned away his fury from others upon them that are of his
own household; and that same solitude which he has made in the Senate he
would have also in his own home, being so jealous of his kingdom that he
will not have any near him that shall inherit it. As for myself I barely
escaped with my life from them that would have slain me by his command;
nor do I count myself safe except among such as are enemies to the King.
As for you, think not that he has given up his purpose concerning you.
He only waits an occasion when he may take you unawares." The men of
Gabii, when they heard these words, received the young man kindly and
bade him be of good cheer, for that they would defend him from his
father. They said also that they counted themselves fortunate to
gain such help, knowing him to be brave and skilful in war, and that
doubtless, with his aid, they should soon carry the war from their own
city even to the walls of Rome. After this, when the young man had gone,
not once only but many times, with the young men of Gabii, making war
against the Romans and plundering their country, and had always fared
well, putting the enemy to flight and' bringing back much spoil (and,
indeed, things were so ordered by the King that it should be so), the
people of Gabii were persuaded that he was dealing honestly with them,
and chose him to be the captain of their host. After this, when he found
that he could now do all things at his pleasure in Gabii, he sent a
messenger to the King his father, desiring to know what he would
have him do. To this messenger the King, doubting whether the man was
faithful, gave no answer by word of mouth, but rose up from his place
and walked in the garden that was by the palace, having the look of one
that took deep counsel with himself. And as he walked he smote off the
heads of the tallest poppies that were in the garden with a staff that
he had in his hand, but spake never a word. At the last, the messenger
being wearied out with the asking of a question to no purpose, departed,
thinking that he had now fulfilled his errand. And when he came to Gabii
he told to Sextus what he had seen; "only," he said, "the King your
father, whether for anger or for haughtiness, spake not one word." But
Sextus knew right well what his father would have him do. For he set
himself to overthrow the chief men of the city. Some he accused to
the people; and against some he took occasion of offence given to the
Commons. Some were put to death publicly, and others, to whose charge
nothing could be laid, were slain by secret violence. Others again were
suffered to go of their own accord into banishment; and the goods of
all, whether they were slain or banished, were divided amongst the
Commons; nor did these, being blinded by the desire of gain, perceive
what damage the State suffered, till Gabii, having lost all its rulers
and counsellors, fell into the hands of the Romans without so much as a
battle. By such means did King Tarquin increase his power.
Now there was at Rome in the days of Tarquin a noble youth, by name
Lucius Junius, who was akin to the house of Tarquin, seeing that his
mother was sister to the King. This man, seeing how the King sought
to destroy all the chief men in the State (and, indeed, the brother of
Lucius had been so slain), judged it well so to bear himself that there
should be nothing in him which the King should either covet or desire.
a prey; for which reason men gave him the name of Brutus, or the
Foolish. Then he bided his time, waiting till the occasion should come
when he might win freedom for the people.
Now it chanced that King Tarquin, being disturbed by the marvel of a
great snake, which had been seen of a sudden to glide from the altar
in his house, sent messengers to Delphi to inquire of the god what this
thing might mean. And because he cared not that any strangers should
hear the answer of the oracle, he sent his own sons, Titus and Aruns,
and with them, to bear them company, or rather as one of whom they might
make sport, this same Lucius Brutus. And when the young men offered
gifts to the god, Brutus offered gold hidden away in a stick that had
been hollowed to receive it; meaning thereby a parable of himself, as of
a light hidden beneath that which seemed dull and of little worth. Now
when the sons of the King had fulfilled the commands of their father,
there came upon them a desire to enquire of the god which of them should
be king in time to come. Whereupon there came forth from the depths of
the cave this voice: "Know, O young men, that he of you who shall first
give a kiss to his mother, shall bear the chief rule hereafter at
Rome." When the sons of the King heard these words they would have their
brother Sextus, who had been left behind at Rome, know nothing of the
matter, lest he also should have a hope of the kingdom, Wherefore they
agreed among themselves that the matter should be kept secret, and that
they should leave to the casting of lots which of the two should first
give a kiss to his mother. But Brutus judged that the answer of the god
had another signification than this. Therefore, so soon as they were
come out of the temple, he made as if he stumbled, and falling on his
face, he kissed the earth, holding that the earth was his mother, being
indeed the common mother of us all.
Not many days after these things there came to Brutus an occasion
of showing what manner of man he was. Sextus, the King's son, did so
grievous a wrong to Lucretia, that was the wife of Collatinus, that the
woman could not endure to live, but slew herself with her own hand. But
before she died she called to her her husband and her father and Brutus,
and bade them avenge her upon the evil house of Tarquin. And when her
father and her' husband sat silent for grief and fear, Brutus drew the
knife wherewith she slew herself from the wound, and held it before him
dripping with blood, and cried aloud, "By this blood I swear, calling
the Gods to witness, that I will pursue with fire and sword and with all
other means of destruction Tarquin the Proud, with his accursed wife and
all his race; and that I will suffer no man hereafter to be king in this
city of Rome." And when he had ended he bade the others swear after the
same form of words. This they did and, forgetting their grief, thought
only how they might best avenge this great wrong that had been done.
First they carried the body of Lucretia, all covered with blood, into
the market-place of Collatia (for these things happened at Collatia),
and roused all the people that saw a thing so shameful and pitiful, till
all that were of an age for war assembled themselves carrying arms. Some
of them stayed behind to keep the gates of Collatia, that no one should
carry tidings of the matter to the King, and the rest Brutus took with
him with all the speed that he might to Rome. There also was stirred up
a like commotion, Brutus calling the people together and telling them
what a shameful wrong the young Tarquin had done. Also he spake to them
of the labours with which the King wore them out in the building of
temples and palaces and the like, so that they who had been in time past
the conquerors of all the nations round about were now come to be but
as hewers of wood and drawers of water. Also he set before them in what
shameful sort King Tullius had been slain, and how his daughter had
driven her chariot over the dead body of her father. With suchlike words
he stirred up the people to great wrath, so that they passed a decree
that there should be no more kings in Rome, and that Lucius Tarquin with
his wife and his children should be banished. After this Brutus made
haste to the camp and stirred up the army against the King. And in the
meanwhile Queen Tullia fled from her palace, all that saw her cursing
her as she went As for King Tarquin, when he came to the city he found
the gates shut against him; thereupon he returned and dwelt at Caere
that is in the land of Etruria, and two of his sons with him; but Sextus
going to Gabii, as to a city which he had made his own, was slain by the
inhabitants.
The King and his house being thus driven out, Brutus was made consul
with one Collatinus for his colleague. First he bound the people by an
oath that they would never thereafter suffer any man to be king at
Rome; and afterwards, because Collatinus was of the name and lineage of
Tarquin, he wrought with them that he also should be banished from the
city. "These Tarquins," he said, "are overmuch accustomed to kingship.
For Tarquin the elder reigned in Rome, and though after him another,
even Servius, was king, yet did not his son forget the kingdom of his
father, but took it for his own. And now this Collatinus Tarquin bears
rule in the city, whose very name, seeing that they of his house know
not how to be subject unto others, has in it great danger to liberty."
When he had wrought on the minds of the people with these words, he
called the people to an assembly, and spake to them thus: "Ye have sworn
that ye will suffer no man to be king at Rome, nor endure aught which
may bring liberty into peril. Now this that I am about to say, I say
against my will, speaking against a man that is dear to me, nor indeed
had I said it but that my love for my country prevailed over all other
things. The Roman people are not assured in their heart that they have
won liberty in very deed and truth, knowing that they who are of the
house and lineage of the King not only dwell in this State, but even
bear rule in it. Do thou, therefore, Collatinus, remove this fear from
the heart of thy countrymen. We deny not that thou didst drive away the
kings. Complete therefore this thy good deed, even by taking away from
this city a name which is the name of kings. All that thou hast we will
duly render thee; nay more, if thou lackest anything, we will supply it
bountifully. Depart therefore as a friend might depart; for though this
fear be idle, yet it troubles thy countrymen who think that they shall
not be quit of kingship till they be quit of all that bear a king's
name." To these words Collatinus at the first could answer nothing,
so astonished was he at the matter; and afterwards, when he would have
spoken, the chief men of the State came round, entreating that he would
hearken to Brutus. So when he had considered the thing for a space, he
consented, fearing lest, when he should be no longer Consul, the same
might happen to him, together also with loss of his goods and much wrong
to himself. Wherefore he abdicated his office and departed with all that
he had to Lanuvium. After this Brutus caused that the people passed a
law that all of the house of Tarquin should be banished for ever.
That the King would seek to come back by force of arms none doubted. But
while he delayed, as indeed he did delay beyond the expectation of all,
liberty was well nigh lost by treachery and treason. There were among
the youth of Rome certain young nobles that had been wont to live as
companions with the King's son with much license and luxury, after the
fashion of courts. These men, now that all citizens had equal rights,
loudly complained among themselves that other men's freedom had turned
to their own bondage. "It pleaseth us well," said they, "to have a king,
for he is a man even as we are, from whom we may ask and obtain what we
will, be it right or wrong, who can have a favour and do kindness, can
be angry or have compassion, whereas laws are deaf and not to be turned
by prayers, being better forsooth for the poor than for the rich."
While they thought these things in their hearts there chanced to come
ambassadors from King Tarquin. These made no mention of the matter
whether the King should return, but asked only that his goods should be
restored to him. To these the Senate gave audience; and when they had
heard them were not a few days in debating the matter, for they said,
"If we give not back these goods, there is open cause for war; and if
we give them back, we minister means by which war may be carried on."
In the meanwhile the ambassadors, making pretence to concern themselves
only about the goods of the King, plotted in secret how they might bring
him back. Going about therefore among the young nobles as if they would
bespeak their favour on behalf of their errand, they made trial of what
temper they were as to the bringing back of the King, and when they
found that their words were not ill taken, they gave them certain tokens
that they had brought from Tarquin, and had converse how the gates might
be opened to him by night. And the matter was put in charge of certain
noblemen, brothers, whose sister Brutus had to wife, and of this
marriage there had been born to Brutus two sons that were now grown to
manhood; and these young men had knowledge of the plot from the brethren
of their mother. After a while the Senate passed a decree that the goods
of the King should be given back to him; and the ambassadors made excuse
to tarry yet longer, asking time of the Consul that they find waggons
sufficient, to carry the goods. This time they spent wholly in
consulting with them that were privy to the plot, being urgent with them
that; they should give them a letter to carry to the King, "for," said
they, "who will believe us if we bring not some written testimony in
a matter so grave?" So the conspirators gave them a letter and thereby
made manifest proof of their guilt. For a certain slave had conceived
some suspicion of the matter, but waited for some more certain
knowledge. Now it fell out that on the night before the day when the
ambassador should depart there was a banquet at the house of them that
had chief charge of the matter in Rome, at which banquet there was much
talk, none being present but such as were privy to the plot. But the
slave of whom mention has been made, having hidden himself, overheard
that which was said; and when he knew that the letter had been given, he
carried the matter straightway to the Consuls, who going laid hands on
the ambassadors and on them that were privy to the plot, and so without
uproar or violence brought the matter to an end. They that would have
betrayed their country were thrown straightway into prison; as for the
ambassadors, men doubted awhile how they should deal with them; but
judged it better to send them away unhurt for all their misdoing. About
the Kings goods counsel was taken anew; and the Senate decreed that
neither should they be given back, nor should the price of them be
brought into the treasury, but rather that the people should spoil them
at their will. This having been done, the conspirators were brought to
judgment, and being condemned, suffered death, being first beaten with
rods and then beheaded. Now the Consuls' office was that, sitting in
their seats, they should see sentence executed on evil doers. And this
they did, nor did Brutus turn away from his duty, for all that his own
sons were done to death before his eyes, but sat in his place, seeing
that all things were done according to the law. As for the slave that
bare witness against the conspirators, he had freedom and citizenship
for his reward.
[Illustration: Brutus condemning his sons to death 118]
The end of Brutus was this. The men of Veii and the men of Tarquinii
gathered together their armies and marched against Rome, that they
might bring back King Tarquin. And the Romans came forth to meet them,
Valerius having command of the foot soldiers and Brutus riding before
with the horsemen. In the host of the enemy also the horsemen had the
first place, their leaders being Aruns son of King Tarquin. And the
lictors told Aruns, while they were yet far off, "See there is Brutus
the Consul," who himself also, when the armies were now near together,
knew the face of the man. Then he cried aloud in great wrath, "Lo, there
is the man that hath driven us forth into banishment. See how proudly he
goeth, bearing the honours that by good right are ours. Now may the gods
that avenge the wrongs of kings be with me that I may slay him." So he
struck spurs into his horse, and when Brutus saw that Aruns came against
him he made haste to meet him. (In those days they that led armies into
battle held it to be to their honour themselves to do battle.) And so
full of fury were these two that neither took any thought how he might
defend himself, but each smote the other through the body with his
spear, so that they fell dying both of them from their horses.
After this there was fought a great battle, neither side having the
victory, for when the men of Veii fled before the Romans, the men
of Tarquinii prevailed against them that stood over against them.
Nevertheless in the night a great panic fell upon the army of the
Etrurians, so that they departed and went to their homes. Also they
say that there was heard a voice from the grave of the hero Horatius,
saying, "There fell in this battle more in number by one of the
Etrurians than of the Romans; therefore the Romans are conquerors." When
it was now day there was not a man of the Etrurians in his place; so
Valerius the consul gathered together the spoil and returned in great
triumph to Rome. Also he made a great burial for Brutus; and the people
also mourned greatly for him, the women lamenting him for the space of a
whole year, even as is the custom for women to lament for a father or
a brother. And this they did because he had avenged the wrong done to a
woman in so noble a fashion.