Having given an account severally of these persons, it remains
only that we should take a view of them in comparison with one
another.
As for the Gracchi, the greatest detractors and their worst
enemies could not but allow, that they had a genius to virtue
beyond all other Romans, which was improved also by a generous
education. Agis and Cleomenes may be supposed to have had
stronger natural gifts, since, though they wanted all the
advantages of good education, and were bred up in those very
customs, manners, and habits of living, which had for a long time
corrupted others, yet they were public examples of temperance and
frugality. Besides, the Gracchi, happening to live when Rome had
her greatest repute for honor and virtuous actions, might justly
have been ashamed, if they had not also left to the next
generation the noble inheritance of the virtues of their
ancestors. Whereas the other two had parents of different morals;
and though they found their country in a sinking condition, and
debauched, yet that did not quench their forward zeal to what was
just and honorable.
The integrity of the two Romans, and their superiority to money,
was chiefly remarkable in this; that in office and the
administration of public affairs, they kept themselves from the
imputation of unjust gain; whereas Agis might justly be offended,
if he had only that mean commendation given him, that he took
nothing wrongfully from any man, seeing he distributed his own
fortunes, which, in ready money only, amounted to the value of
six hundred talents, amongst his fellow-citizens. Extortion
would have appeared a crime of a strange nature to him, who
esteemed it a piece of covetousness to possess, though never so
justly gotten, greater riches than his neighbors.
Their political actions, also, and the state revolutions they
attempted, were very different in magnitude. The chief things in
general that the two Romans commonly aimed at, were the settlement
of cities and mending of highways; and, in particular, the boldest
design which Tiberius is famed for, was the recovery of the public
lands; and Caius gained his greatest reputation by the addition,
for the exercise of judicial powers, of three hundred of the order
of knights to the same number of senators. Whereas the alteration
which Agis and Cleomenes made, was in a quite different kind.
They did not set about removing partial evils and curing petty
incidents of disease, which would have been (as Plato says), like
cutting off one of the Hydra's heads, the very means to increase
the number; but they instituted a thorough reformation, such as
would free the country at once from all its grievances, or rather,
to speak more truly, they reversed that former change which had
been the cause of all their calamities, and so restored their city
to its ancient state.
However, this must be confessed in the behalf of the Gracchi, that
their undertakings were always opposed by men of the greatest
influence. On the other side, those things which were first
attempted by Agis, and afterwards consummated by Cleomenes, were
supported by the great and glorious precedent of those ancient
laws concerning frugality and leveling which they had themselves
received upon the authority of Lycurgus, and he had instituted on
that of Apollo. It is also further observable, that from the
actions of the Gracchi, Rome received no additions to her former
greatness; whereas, under the conduct of Cleomenes, Greece
presently saw Sparta exert her sovereign power over all
Peloponnesus, and contest the supreme command with the most
powerful princes of the time; success in which would have freed
Greece from Illyrian and Gaulish violence, and placed her once
again under the orderly rule of the sons of Hercules.
From the circumstances of their deaths, also, we may infer some
difference in the quality of their courage. The Gracchi, fighting
with their fellow-citizens, were both slain, as they endeavored to
make their escape; Agis willingly submitted to his fate, rather
than any citizen should be in danger of his life. Cleomenes,
being shamefully and unjustly treated, made an effort toward
revenge, but failing of that, generously fell by his own hand.
On the other side it must be said, that Agis never did a great
action worthy a commander, being prevented by an untimely death.
And as for those heroic actions of Cleomenes, we may justly
compare with them that of Tiberius, when he was the first who
attempted to scale the walls of Carthage, which was no mean
exploit. We may add the peace which he concluded with the
Numantines, by which he saved the lives of twenty thousand Romans,
who otherwise had certainly been cut off. And Caius, not only at
home, but in war in Sardinia, displayed distinguished courage. So
that their early actions were no small argument, that afterwards
they might have rivaled the best of the Roman commanders, if they
had not died so young.
In civil life, Agis showed a lack of determination; he let himself
be baffled by the craft of Agesilaus; disappointed the
expectations of the citizens as to the division of the lands, and
generally left all the designs which he had deliberately formed
and publicly announced, unperformed and unfulfilled, through a
young man's want of resolution. Cleomenes, on the other hand,
proceeded to effect the revolution with only too much boldness and
violence, and unjustly slew the Ephors, whom he might, by
superiority in arms, have gained over to his party, or else might
easily have banished, as he did several others of the city. For
to use the knife, unless in the extremest necessity, is neither
good surgery nor wise policy, but in both cases mere
unskillfulness; and in the latter, unjust as well as unfeeling.
Of the Gracchi, neither the one nor the other was the first to
shed the blood of his fellow-citizens; and Caius is reported to
have avoided all manner of resistance, even when his life was
aimed at, showing himself always valiant against a foreign enemy,
but wholly inactive in a sedition. This was the reason that he
went from his own house unarmed, and withdrew when the battle
began, and in all respects showed himself anxious rather not to do
any harm to others, than not to suffer any himself. Even the very
flight of the Gracchi must not be looked upon as an argument of
their mean spirit, but an honorable retreat from endangering of
others. For if they had stayed, they must either have yielded to
those who assailed them, or else have fought them in their own
defense.
The greatest crime that can be laid to Tiberius's charge, was the
deposing of his fellow tribune, and seeking afterwards a second
tribuneship for himself. As for the death of Antyllius, it is
falsely and unjustly attributed to Caius, for he was slain unknown
to him, and much to his grief. On the contrary, Cleomenes (not to
mention the murder of the Ephors) set all the slaves at liberty,
and governed by himself alone in reality, having a partner only
for show; having made choice of his brother Euclidas, who was one
of the same family. He prevailed upon Archidamus, who was the
right heir to the kingdom of the other line, to venture to return
home from Messene; but after his being slain, by not doing
anything to revenge his death, confirmed the suspicion that he was
privy to it himself. Lycurgus, whose example he professed to
imitate, after he had voluntarily settled his kingdom upon
Charillus, his brother's son, fearing lest, if the youth should
chance to die by accident, he might be suspected for it, traveled
a long time, and would not return again to Sparta until Charillus
had a son, and an heir to his kingdom. But we have indeed no
other Grecian who is worthy to be compared with Lycurgus, and it
is clear enough that in the public measures of Cleomenes various
acts of considerable audacity and lawlessness may be found.
Those, therefore, who incline to blame their characters, may
observe, that the two Grecians were disturbers even from their
youth, lovers of contest, and aspirants to despotic power; that
Tiberius and Caius by nature had an excessive desire after glory
and honors. Beyond this, their enemies could find nothing to
bring against them; but as soon as the contention began with their
adversaries, their heat and passions would so far prevail beyond
their natural temper, that by them, as by ill winds, they were
driven afterwards to all their rash undertakings. What could be
more just and honorable than their first design, had not the power
and the faction of the rich, by endeavoring to abrogate that law,
engaged them both in those fatal quarrels, the one, for his own
preservation, the other, to revenge his brother's death, who was
murdered without any law or justice?
From the account, therefore, which has been given, you yourself
may perceive the difference; which if it were to be pronounced of
every one singly, I should affirm Tiberius to have excelled them
all in virtue; that young Agis had been guilty of the fewest
misdeeds; and that in action and boldness Caius came far short of
Cleomenes.