THE DEATH OF TIBERIUS GRACCHUS
Tiberius did all that was possible to influence the people in the short
time that was his before the votes were to be taken. He appeared before
them clad in mourning, and bade them guard his young son should he not
escape from the coming contest with his life.
The citizens were easily moved, and his eloquent words and sombre garb
appealed to their imagination. They flocked to his side, escorted him
to his home, and promised to give him their support on the morrow.
That night Tiberius arranged to give his friends a sign--to raise his
hand to his head--should he think it necessary to use force.
Early the next morning the people assembled on the Capitol, and
Gracchus left his house to join them, although he was warned that
danger would overtake him.
Omens of ill were rife. As he left his house, Tiberius stumbled and
wounded his great toe so severely that the blood dripped from his
shoe. In spite of this accident he went on, and before long he noticed
two ravens fighting on the top of a house. Gracchus was at the moment
surrounded by people, yet a stone struck from the building by one of
the ravens fell at his feet.
Even the boldest of his friends was daunted by such occurrences. It was
plain that it would be wise for him to return to his home after such
distinct warnings of disaster.
But Gracchus went on toward the Capitol, where he was joyfully greeted
by his friends.
The voting began almost immediately, but again and again it was
interrupted by the enemies of Gracchus, until at length he determined
to settle the matter by force.
He gave the signal he had arranged with his followers, and they flew to
his aid. Before long a riot had begun, and the opponents of Gracchus
were driven away by a fierce attack of stones and cudgels.
The Optimates were enraged by this rebuff. They declared in their anger
that Gracchus wished to overthrow the nobles that he might become king.
They had seen him raise his hand to his head. It was the signal he had
arranged to give his friends, but they said that it was a sign to the
people that he hoped to wear a crown. Some even asserted that he had
already been presented with a royal diadem and a purple robe.
The Consul, they agreed, ought to employ force to scatter the followers
of Gracchus.
But Mucius Scævola was a wise Consul, and refused to kill a single
citizen without a trial.
‘Since the Consul betrays the republic,’ cried Scipio Nasica, ‘I call
upon those men to follow me who desire to preserve the laws of our
country.’ Then, drawing his toga over his head, Nasica marched against
the followers of Gracchus at the head of a band of senators and knights.
The people saw the officers of state marching towards them, and
stricken with fear they fled, leaving Gracchus, whom they had promised
to defend, alone and unprotected.
Tiberius hastened toward the temple of Jupiter, thinking that he would
find shelter there, but the priest had closed the door.
As he turned away he stumbled for the second time that day. But he
quickly raised himself, only, however, to be struck brutally on the
head by one of his enemies. Before he could recover from the blow, a
second stroke ended the life of the unfortunate man. Three hundred of
his followers were slain before the tumult ended, and the bodies of the
victims were thrown into the Tiber.
Gaius begged that he might be allowed to bury his brother, but his
request was refused, and the body of Tiberius was also dragged to the
river and flung into the tide.
Tiberius had paid with his life for his reforms, but he had been
successful in wresting the land laws from the patricians, and in
shaking the power of the Senate by his appeal to the people. Nor was
the law repealed after his death.
The place left empty on the committee by the murder of Tiberius was
filled by Publius Crassus, the father-in-law of Gaius, and the division
of land for the good of the people was slowly carried on.