Tiberius Gracchus   

hand, the moneyed men, and those of great estates, were exasperated,
through their covetous feelings against the law itself, and against
the lawgiver, through anger and party-spirit. They therefore endeavoured
to seduce the people, declaring that Tiberius was designing a general
redivision of lands, to overthrow the government, and cut all things
into confusion.
But they had no success. For Tiberius, maintaining an honourable and
just cause, and possessed of eloquence sufficient to have made a less
creditable action appear plausible, was no safe or easy antagonist,
when, with the people crowding around the hustings, he took his place,
and spoke in behalf of the poor. "The savage beasts," said he, "in
Italy, have their particular dens, they have their places of repose
and refuge; but the men who bear arms, and expose their lives for
the safety of their country, enjoy in the meantime nothing more in
it but the air and light and, having no houses or settlements of their
own, are constrained to wander from place to place with their wives
and children." He told them that the commanders were guilty of a ridiculous
error, when, at the head of their armies, they exhorted the common
soldiers to fight for their sepulchres and altars; when not any amongst
so many Romans is possessed of either altar or monument, neither have
they any houses of their own, or hearths of their ancestors to defend.
They fought indeed and were slain, but it was to maintain the luxury
and the wealth of other men. They were styled the masters of the world,
but in the meantime had not one foot of ground which they could call
their own. An harangue of this nature, spoken to an enthusiastic and
sympathizing audience, by a person of commanding spirit and genuine
feelings, no adversaries at that time were competent to oppose. Forbearing,
therefore, all discussion and debate, they addressed themselves to
Marcus Octavius, his fellow-tribune, who being a young man of a steady,
orderly character, and an intimate friend of Tiberius, upon this account
declined at first the task of opposing him; but at length, over-persuaded
with the repeated importunities of numerous considerable persons,
he was prevailed upon to do so, and hindered the passing of the law;
it being the rule that any tribune has a power to hinder an act, and
that all the rest can effect nothing, if only one of them dissents.
Tiberius, irritated at these proceedings, presently laid aside this
milder bill, but at the same time preferred another; which, as it
was more grateful to the common people, so it was much more severe
against the wrongdoers, commanding them to make an immediate surrender
of all lands which, contrary to former laws, had come into their possession.
Hence there arose daily contentions between him and Octavius in their
orations. However, though they expressed themselves with the utmost
heat and determination, they yet were never known to descend to any
personal reproaches, or in their passion to let slip any indecent
expressions, so as to derogate from one another.
For not alone-
"In revellings and Bacchic play," but also in contentions and political
animosities, a noble nature and a temperate education stay and compose
the mind. Observing that Octavius himself was an offender against
this law, and detained a great quantity of ground from the commonalty,
Tiberius desired him to forbear opposing him any further, and proffered,
for the public good, though he himself had but an indifferent estate,
to pay a price for Octavius's share at his own cost and charges. But
upon the refusal of this proffer by Octavius, he then interposed an
edict, prohibiting all magistrates to exercise their respective functions,
till such time as the law was either ratified or rejected by public
votes. He further sealed up the gates of Saturn's temple, so that
the treasurers could neither take any money out from thence, nor put
any in. He threatened to impose a severe fine upon those of the praetors
who presumed to disobey his commands, insomuch that all the officers,
for fear of this penalty, intermitted the exercise of their several
jurisdictions. Upon this the rich proprietors put themselves into
mourning, and went up and down melancholy and dejected; they entered
also into a conspiracy against Tiberius, and procured men to murder