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they had enjoyed the liberty they had fought for, they should not
sacrifice peace for the sake of money, but send out the tyrants' property
after them. This question, however, of his property was the least
part of Tarquin's design; the demand sounded the feelings of the people,
and was preparatory to a conspiracy which the ambassadors endeavoured
to excite, delaying their return, under pretence of selling some of
the goods and reserving others to be sent away, till, in fine, they
corrupted two of the most eminent families in Rome, the Aquillian,
which had three, and the Vitellian, which had two senators. These
all were, by the mother's side, nephews to Collatinus; besides which
Brutus had a special alliance to the Vitellii from his marriage with
their sister, by whom he had several children; two of whom, of their
own age, their near relations and daily companions, the Vitellii seduced
to join in the plot, to ally themselves to the great house and royal
hopes of the Tarquins, and gain emancipation from the violence and
imbecility united of their father, whose austerity to offenders they
termed violence, while the imbecility which he had long feigned, to
protect himself from the tyrants, still, it appears, was, in name
at least, ascribed to him. When upon these inducements the youths
came to confer with the Aquillii, and thought it convenient to bind
themselves in a solemn and dreadful oath, by tasting the blood of
a murdered man, and touching his entrails. For which design they met
at the house of the Aquillii. The building chosen for the transaction
was, as was natural, dark and unfrequented, and a slave named Vindicius
had, as it chanced, concealed himself there, not out of design or
any intelligence of the affair, but, accidentally being within, seeing
with how much haste and concern they came in, he was afraid to be
discovered, and placed himself behind a chest, where he was able to
observe their actions and overhear their debates. Their resolutions
were to kill the consuls, and they wrote letters to Tarquin to this
effect, and gave them to the ambassadors, who were lodging upon the
spot with the Aquillii, and were present at the consultation.
Upon their departure, Vindicius secretly quitted the house, but was
at a loss what to do in the matter, for to arraign the sons before
the father Brutus, or the nephews before the uncle Collatinus, seemed
equally (as indeed it was) shocking; yet he knew no private Roman
to whom he could intrust secrets of such importance. Unable, however,
to keep silence, and burdened with his knowledge, he went and addressed
himself to Valerius, whose known freedom and kindness of temper were
an inducement; as he was a person to whom the needy had easy access,
and who never shut his gates against the petitions or indigences of
humble people. But when Vindicius came and made a complete discovery
to him, his brother Marcus and his own wife being present, Valerius
was struck with amazement, and by no means would dismiss the discoverer,
but confined him to the room, and placed his wife as a guard to the
door, sending his brother in the interim to beset the king's palace,
and seize, if possible, the writings there, and secure the domestics,
whilst he, with his constant attendance of clients and friends, and
a great retinue of attendants, repaired to the house of the Aquillii,
who were, as it chanced, absent from home; and so, forcing an entrance
through the gates, they lit upon the letters then lying in the lodgings
of the ambassadors. Meantime the Aquillii returned in all haste, and,
coming to blows about the gate, endeavoured a recovery of the letters.
The other party made a resistance, and throwing their gowns around
their opponents' necks, at last, after much struggling on both sides,
made their way with them their prisoners through the streets into
the forum. The like engagement happened about the king's palace, where
Marcus seized some other letters which it was designed should be conveyed
away in the goods, and, laying hands on such of the king's people
as he could find, dragged them also into the forum. When the consuls
had quieted the tumult, Vindicius was brought out by the orders of
Valerius, and the accusation stated, and the letters were opened,
to which the traitors could make no plea. Most of the people standing
mute and sorrowful, some only, out of kindness to Brutus, mentioning