Tiberius Gracchus   

of speaking, he was so hurried away by his passion against his judgment,
that his voice lost its tone, and he began to pass into mere abusive
talking, spoiling his whole speech. As a remedy to this excess, he
made use of an ingenious servant of his, one Licinius, who stood constantly
behind him with a sort of pitch-pipe, or instrument to regulate the
voice by, and whenever he perceived his master's tone alter and break
with anger, he struck a soft note with his pipe, on hearing which
Caius immediately checked the vehemence of his passion, and his voice,
grew quieter, and allowed himself to be recalled to temper. Such are
the differences between the two brothers; but their valour in war
against their country's enemies, their justice in the government of
its subjects, their care and industry in office, and their self-command
in all that regarded their pleasures, were equally remarkable in both.
Tiberius was the elder by nine years; owing to which their actions
as public men were divided by the difference of the times in which
those of the one and those of the other were performed. And one of
the principal causes of the failure of their enterprises was this
interval between their careers, and the want of combination of their
efforts. The power they would have exercised, had they flourished
both together, could scarcely have failed to overcome all resistance.
We must therefore give an account of each of them singly, and first
of the eldest.
Tiberius, immediately on his attaining manhood, had such a reputation
that he was admitted into the college of the augurs, and that in consideration
more of his early virtue than of his noble birth. This appeared by
what Appius Claudius did, who, though he had been consul and censor,
and was now the head of the Roman senate, and had the highest sense
of his own place and merit, at a public feast of the augurs, addressed
himself openly to Tiberius, and with great expressions of kindness,
offered him his daughter in marriage. And when Tiberius gladly accepted,
and the agreement had thus been completed, Appius returning home,
no sooner had reached his door, but he called to his wife and cried
out in a loud voice, "O Antistia, I have contracted our daughter Claudia
to a husband." She, being amazed, answered, "But why so suddenly,
or what means this haste? Unless you have provided Tiberius Gracchus
for her husband." I am not ignorant that some apply this story to
Tiberius, the father of the Gracchi, and Scipio Africanus; but most
relate it as we have done. And Polybius writes, that after the death
of Scipio Africanus, the nearest relations of Cornelia, preferring
Tiberius to all other competitors, gave her to him in marriage, not
having been engaged or promised to any one by her father.
This young Tiberius, accordingly, serving in Africa under the younger
Scipio, who had married his sister, and living there under the same
tent with him, soon learned to estimate the noble spirit of his commander,
which was so fit to inspire strong feelings of emulation in virtue
and desire to prove merit in action, and in a short time he excelled
all the young men of the army in obedience and courage; and he was
the first that mounted the enemy's wall, as Fannius says, who writes
that he himself climbed up with him, and was partaker in the achievement.
He was regarded, while he continued with the army, with great affection;
and left behind him on his departure a strong desire for his return.
After that expedition, being chosen paymaster, it was his fortune
to serve in the war against the Numantines, under the command of Caius
Mancinus, the consul, a person of no bad character, but the most unfortunate
of all the Roman generals. Notwithstanding, amidst the greatest misfortunes,
and in the most unsuccessful enterprises, not only the discretion
and valour of Tiberius, but also, which was still more to be admired,
the great respect and honour which he showed for his general, were
most eminently remarkable; though the general himself, when reduced
in straits, forgot his own dignity and office. For being beaten in
various great battles, he endeavoured to dislodge by night and leave
his camp; which the Numantines perceiving, immediately possessed themselves
of his camp, and pursuing that part of the forces which was in flight,
slew those that were in the rear, hedged the whole army in on every