poplicola-第2章

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hands　upon　the　Aquillii；　and；　calling　Brutus　to　his　assistance；
exclaimed　against　the　unreasonable　course　of　Collatinus；　to　impose
upon　his　colleague　the　necessity　of　taking　away　the　lives　of　his　own
sons；　and　yet　have　thoughts　of　gratifying　some　women　with　the　lives　of
traitors　and　public　enemies。　Collatinus；　displeased　at　this；　and
commanding　Vindicius　to　be　taken　away；　the　lictors　made　their　way
through　the　crowd　and　seized　their　man；　and　struck　all　who　endeavoured
a　rescue。　Valerius's　friends　headed　the　resistance；　and　the　people
cried　out　for　Brutus；　who；　returning；　on　silence　being　made；　told　them
he　had　been　competent　to　pass　sentence　by　himself　upon　his　own　sons；
but　left　the　rest　to　the　suffrages　of　the　free　citizens：　〃Let　every
man　speak　that　wishes；　and　persuade　whom　he　can。〃　But　there　was　no
need　of　oratory；　for；　it　being　referred　to　the　vote；　they　were
returned　condemned　by　all　the　suffrages；　and　were　accordingly
beheaded。
　　Collatinus's　relationship　to　the　kings　had；　indeed；　already　rendered
him　suspicious；　and　his　second　name；　too；　had　made　him　obnoxious　to
the　people；　who　were　loth　to　hear　the　very　sound　of　Tarquin；　but　after
this　had　happened；　perceiving　himself　an　offence　to　every　one；　he
relinquished　his　charge　and　departed　from　the　city。　At　the　new
elections　in　his　room；　Valerius　obtained；　with　high　honour；　the
consulship；　as　a　just　reward　of　his　zeal；　of　which　he　thought
Vindicius　deserved　a　share；　whom　he　made；　first　of　all　freedmen；　a
citizen　of　Rome；　and　gave　him　the　privilege　of　voting　in　what　tribe
soever　he　was　pleased　to　be　enrolled；　other　freedmen　received　the
right　of　suffrage　a　long　time　after　from　Appius；　who　thus　courted
popularity；　and　from　this　Vindicius；　a　perfect　manumission　is　called
to　this　day　vindicta。　This　done；　the　goods　of　the　kings　were　exposed
to　plunder；　and　the　palace　to　ruin。
　　The　pleasantest　part　of　the　field　of　Mars；　which　Tarquin　had
owned；　was　devoted　to　the　service　of　that　god；　but；　it　happening　to　be
harvest　season；　and　the　sheaves　yet　being　on　the　ground；　they
thought　it　not　proper　to　commit　them　to　the　flail；　or　unsanctify
them　with　any　use；　and；　therefore；　carrying　them　to　the　river…side；
and　trees　withal　that　were　cut　down；　they　cast　all　into　the　water；
dedicating　the　soil；　free　from　all　occupation；　to　the　deity。　Now；
these　thrown　in；　one　upon　another；　and　closing　together；　the　stream
did　not　bear　them　far；　but　where　the　first　were　carried　down　and
came　to　a　bottom；　the　remainder；　finding　no　farther　conveyance；　were
stopped　and　interwoven　one　with　another；　the　stream　working　the　mass
into　a　firmness；　and　washing　down　fresh　mud。　This；　settling　there；
became　an　accession　of　matter；　as　well　as　cement；　to　the　rubbish；
insomuch　that　the　violence　of　the　waters　could　not　remove　it；　but
forced　and　compressed　it　all　together。　Thus　its　bulk　and　solidity
gained　it　new　subsidies；　which　gave　it　extension　enough　to　stop　on　its
way　most　of　what　the　stream　brought　down。　This　is　now　a　sacred　island；
lying　by　the　city；　adorned　with　the　temples　of　the　gods；　and　walks；
and　is　called　in　the　Latin　tongue　inter　duos　pontes。　Though　some　say
this　did　not　happen　at　the　dedication　of　Tarquin's　field；　but　in
aftertimes；　when　Tarquinia；　a　vestal　priestess；　gave　an　adjacent　field
to　the　public；　and　obtained　great　honours　in　consequence；　as；
amongst　the　rest；　that　of　all　women　her　testimony　alone　should　be
received；　she　had　also　the　liberty　to　marry；　but　refused　it；　thus　some
tell　the　story。
　　Tarquin；　despairing　of　a　return　to　his　kingdom　by　the　conspiracy；
found　a　kind　reception　amongst　the　Tuscans；　who；　with　a　great　army；
proceeded　to　restore　him。　The　consuls　headed　the　Romans　against
them；　and　made　their　rendezvous　in　certain　holy　places；　the　one　called
the　Arsian　grove；　the　other　the　Aesuvian　meadow。　When　they　came　into
action；　Aruns；　the　son　of　Tarquin；　and　Brutus；　the　Roman　consul；　not
accidentally　encountering　each　other；　but　out　of　hatred　and　rage；
the　one　to　avenge　tyranny　and　enmity　to　his　country；　the　other　his
banishment；　set　spurs　to　their　horses；　and；　engaging　with　more　fury
than　forethought；　disregarding　their　own　security；　fell　together　in
the　combat。　This　dreadful　onset　hardly　was　followed　by　a　more
favourable　end；　both　armies；　doing　and　receiving　equal　damage；　were
separated　by　a　storm。　Valerius　was　much　concerned；　not　knowing　what
the　result　of　the　day　was；　and　seeing　his　men　as　well　dismayed　at
the　sight　of　their　own　dead；　as　rejoiced　at　the　loss　of　the　enemy；
so　apparently　equal　in　the　number　was　the　slaughter　on　either　side。
Each　party；　however；　felt　surer　of　defeat　from　the　actual　sight　of
their　own　dead；　than　they　could　feel　of　victory　from　conjecture
about　those　of　their　adversaries。　The　night　being　come　（and　such　as
one　may　presume　must　follow　such　a　battle）；　and　the　armies　laid　to
rest；　they　say　that　the　grove　shook；　and　uttered　a　voice；　saying
that　the　Tuscans　had　lost　one　man　more　than　the　Romans；　clearly　a
divine　announcement；　and　the　Romans　at　once　received　it　with　shouts
and　expressions　of　joy；　whilst　the　Tuscans；　through　fear　and
amazement；　deserted　their　tents；　and　were　for　the　most　part　dispersed。
The　Romans；　falling　upon　the　remainder；　amounting　to　nearly　five
thousand；　took　them　prisoners；　and　plundered　the　camp；　when　they
numbered　the　dead；　they　found　on　the　Tuscans'　side　eleven　thousand　and
three　hundred；　exceeding　their　own　loss　but　by　one　man。　This　fight
happened　upon　the　last　of　February；　and　Valerius　triumphed　in　honour
of　it；　being　the　first　consul　that　drove　in　with　a　four…horse　chariot；
which　sight　both　appeared　magnificent；　and　was　received　with　an
admiration　free　from　envy　or　offence　（as　some　suggest）　on　the　part
of　the　spectators；　it　would　not　otherwise　have　been　continued　with
so　much　eagerness　and　emulation　through　all　the　after　ages。　The　people
applauded　likewise　the　honours　he　did　to　his　colleague；　in　adding　to
his　obsequies　a　funeral　oration：　which　was　so　much　liked　by　the
Romans；　and　found　so　good　a　reception；　that　it　became　customary　for
the　best　men　to　celebrate　the　funerals　of　great　citizens　with　speeches
in　their　commendation；　and　their　antiquity　in　Rome　is　affirmed　to　be
greater　than　in　Greece；　unless；　with　the　orator　Anaximenes；　we　make
Solon　the　first　author。
　　Yet　some　part　of　Valerius's　behaviour　did　give　offence　and　disgust
to　the　people；　because　Brutus；　whom　they　esteemed　the　father　of
their　liberty；　had　not　presumed　to　rule　without　a　colleague；　but
united　one　and　then　another　to　him　in　his　commission；　while
Valerius；　they　said；　centering　all　authority　in　himself；　seemed　not　in
any　sense　a　successor　to　Brutus　in　the　consulship；　but　to　Tarquin　in
the　tyranny；　he　might　make　verbal　harangues　to　Brutus's　memory；　yet
when　he　was　attended　with　all　the　rods　and　axes；　proceeding　down
from　a　house　than　which　the　king's　house　that　he　had　demolished　had
not　been　statelier；　those　actions　showed　him　an　imitator　of　Tarquin。
For；　indeed；　his　dwelling…house　on　the　Velia　was　somewhat　imposing
in　appearance；　hanging　over　the　forum；　and　overlooking　all
transactions　there；　the　access　to　it　was　hard；　and　to　see　him　far
off　coming　down；　a　stately　and　royal　spectacle。　But　Valerius　showed
how　well　it　were　for　men　in　power　and　great　offices　to　have　ears
that　give　admittance　to　truth　before　flattery；　for　upon　his　friends
telling　him　that　he　displeased　the　people；　he　contended　not；　neither
resented　it；　but　while　it　was　still　night；　sending　for　a　number　of
work…people；　pulled　down　his　house　and　levelled　it　with　the　ground；　so
that　in　the　morning　the　people；　seeing　and　flocking　together；
expressed　their　wonder　and　their　respect　for　his　magnanimity；　and
their　sorrow；　as　though　it　had　been　a　human　being；　for　the　large　and
beautiful　house　which　was　thus　lost　to　them　by　an　unfounded
jealousy；　while　its　owner；　their　consul；　without　a　roof　of　his　own；
had　to　beg　a　lodging　with　his　friends。　For　his　friends　received　him；
till　a　place　the　people　gave　him　was　furnished　with　a　house；　though
less　stately　than　his　own；　where　now　stands　the　temple；　as　it　is
called；　of　Vica　Pota。
　　He　resolved　to　render　the　government；　as　well　as　himself；　instead　of
terrible；　familiar　and　pleasant　to　the　people；　and　parted　the　axes
from　the　rods；　and　always；　upon　his　entrance　into　the　assembly；
lowered　these　also　to　the　people；　to　show；　in　the　strongest　way；　the
republican　foundation　of　the　government；　and　this　the　consuls
observe　to　this　day。　But　the　humility　of　the　man　was　but　a　means；　not；
as　they　thought；　of　lessening　himself；　but　merely　to　abate　their
envy　by　this　moderation；　for　whatever　he　detracted　from　his
authority　he　added　to　his　real　power；　the　people　still　submitting　with
satisfaction；　which　they　expressed　by　calling　him　Poplicola；　or
people…lover；　which　name　had　the　pre…eminence　of　the　rest；　and；
therefore；　in　the　sequel　of　his　narrative　we　shall　use　no　other。
　　He　gave　free　leave　to　any　to　sue　for　the　consulship；　but　before
the　admittance　of　a　colleague；　mistrusting　the　chances；　lest　emulation
or　ignorance　should　cross　his　designs；　by　his　sole　authority　enacted
his　best　and　most　important　measures。　First；　he　supplied　the　vacancies
of　the　senators；　whom　either　Tarquin　long　before　had　put　to　death；
or　the　war　lately　cut　off；　those　that　he　enrolled；　they　write；
amounted　to　a　hundred　and　sixty…four；　afterwards　he　made　several
laws　which　added　much　to　the　people's　liberty；　in　particular　one
granting　offenders　the　liberty　of　appealing　to　the　people　from　the
judgment　of　the　consuls；　a　second；　that　made　it　death　to　usurp　any
magistracy　without　the　people's　consent；　a　third；　for　the　relief　of
poor　citizens；　which；　taking　off　their　taxes；　encouraged　their
labours；　another；　against　disobedience　to　the　consuls；　which　was　no
less　popular　than　the　rest；　and　rather　to　the　benefit　of　the
commonalty　than　to　the　advantage　of　the　nobles；　for　it　imposed　upon
disobedience　the　penalty　of　ten　oxen　and　two　sheep；　the　price　of　a
sheep　being　ten　obols；　of　an　ox；　an　hundred。　For　the　use　of　money
was　then　infrequent　amongst　the　Romans；　but　their　wealth　in　cattle
great；　even　now　pieces　of　property　are　called　peculia　from　pecus；
cattle；　and　they　had　stamped　upon　their　most　ancient　money　an　ox；　a
sheep；　or　a　hog；　and　surnamed　their　sons　Suillii；　Bubulci；　Caprarii；
and　Porcii；　from　caproe；　goats；　and　porci；　hogs。
　　Amidst　this　mildness　and　moderation；　for　one　excessive　fault　he
instituted　one　excessive　punishment；　for　he　made　it　lawful　without
trial　to　take　away　any　man's　life　that　aspired　to　a　tyranny；　and
acquitted　the　slayer；　if　he　produced　evidence　of　the　crime；　for　though
it　was　not　probable　for　a　man；　whose　designs　were　so　great；　to
escape　all　notice；　yet　because　it　was　possible　he　might；　although
observed；　by　force　anticipate　judgment；　which　the　usurpation　itself
would　then　preclue；　he　gave　a　licence　to　any　to　anticipate　the
usurper。　He　was　honoured　likewise　for　the　law　touching　the　treasury；
for　because　it　was　necessary　for　the　citizens　to　contribute　out　of
their　estates　to　the　maintenance　of　wars；　and　he　was　unwilling　himself
to　be　concerned　in　the　care　of　it；　or　to　permit　his　friends　or
indeed　to　let　the　public　money　pass　into　any　private　house；　he
al