The force of prejudice appears in nothing more strongly than in the
encomiums which have been lavished upon Lucretia for laying violent
hands upon herself, and Virginius for killing his own daughter. These
actions seem to derive all their glory from the revolutions to which
they gave rise, as the former occasioned the abolition of monarchy
amongst the Romans, and the latter put an end to the arbitrary power of
the decemviri. But if we lay aside our prepossessions for antiquity, and
examine these actions without prejudice, we cannot but acknowledge,
that they are rather the effects of human weakness and obstinacy than of
resolution and magnanimity. Lucretia, for fear of worldly censure, chose
rather to submit to the lewd desires of Tarquin, than have it thought
that she had been stabbed in the embraces of a slave; which sufficiently
proves that all her boasted virtue was founded upon vanity, and too high
a value for the opinion of mankind. The younger Pliny, with great
reason, prefers to this famed action that of a woman of low birth, whose
husband being seized with an incurable disorder, chose rather to perish
with him than survive him. The action of Arria is likewise much more
noble, whose husband Paetus, being condemned to death, plunged a dagger
in her breast, and told him, with a dying voice, "Paetus, it is not
painful." But the death of Lucretia gave rise to a revolution, and it
therefore became illustrious; though, as St. Augustine justly observes,
it is only an instance of the weakness of a woman, too solicitous about
the opinion of the world.
Virginius, in killing his daughter, to preserve her from falling a
victim to the lust of the decemvir Claudius, was guilty of the highest
rashness; since he might certainly have gained the people, already
irritated against the tyrant, without imbruing his hands in his own
blood. This action may indeed be extenuated, as Virginius slew his
daughter from a false principle of honor, and did it to preserve her
from what both he and she thought worse than death; namely, to preserve
her from violation; but though it may in some measure be excused, it
should not certainly be praised or admired.