[61.1] This motion of Genucius was received with general applause, and almost all who rose up after him conceded that this was the best course. The preliminary decree was accordingly drawn up by order of the consuls; and the tribunes, receiving it with great joy, proceeded to the Forum. Then they called an assembly of the people, and after giving much praise to the senate, urged such of the plebeians as cared to do so to stand for this magistracy together with the patricians. [2] But such a fickle thing, it seems, is desire apart from reason and so quickly does it veer the other way, particularly in the case of the masses, that those who hitherto had regarded it as a matter of supreme importance to have a share in the magistracy and, if this were not granted to them by the patricians, were ready either to abandon the city, as they had done before, or to seize the privilege by force of arms, now, when they had obtained the concession, promptly relinquished their desire for it and transferred their enthusiasm in the opposite direction. [3] At any rate, though many plebeians stood for the military tribuneship and used the most earnest solicitations to obtain it, the people thought none of them worthy of this honour but, when they came to give their votes, chose the patrician candidates, men of distinction, namely Aulus Sempronius Atratinus, Lucius Atilius Luscus and Titus Cloelius Siculus.
[62.1] These men were the first to assume the proconsular power, in the third year of the eighty-fourth Olympiad, when Diphilus was archon at Athens. But after holding it for only seventy-three days they voluntarily resigned it, in accordance with the ancient custom, when some heaven-sent omens occurred to prevent their continuing to conduct the public business. [2] After these men had abdicated their power, the senate met and chose interreges, who, having appointed a day for the election of magistrates, left the decision to the people whether they desired to choose military tribunes or consuls; and the people having decided to abide by their original customs, they gave leave to such of the patricians as so desired to stand for the consulship. Two of the patricians were again elected consuls, Lucius Papirius Mugillanus and Lucius Sempronius Atratinus, brother to one of the men who had resigned the military tribuneship. [3] These two magistracies, both invested with the supreme power, governed the Romans in the course of the same year. However, both are not recorded in all the Roman annals, but in some the military tribunes only, in others the consuls, and in a few both of them. I agree with the last group, not without reason, but relying on the testimony of the sacred and secret books. [4] No event, either military or civil, worthy of the notice of history happened during their magistracy, except a treaty of friendship and alliance entered into with the Ardeates; for these, dropping their complaints about the disputed territory, had sent ambassadors, asking to be admitted among the friends and allies of the Romans. This treaty was ratified by the consuls.
[63.1] The following year, the people having voted that consuls should again be appointed, Marcus Geganius Macerinus (for the second time) and Titus Quintius Capitolinus (for the fifth time) entered upon the consulship on the ides of December. [2] These men pointed out to the senate that many things had been overlooked and neglected by reason of the continuous military expeditions of the consuls, and particularly the most essential matter of all, the custom relating to the census, by which the number of such as were of military age was ascertained, together with the amount of their fortunes, in proportion to which every man was to pay his contributions for war. There had been no census for seventeen years, since the consulship of Lucius Cornelius and Quintus Fabius, so that . . . the basest and most licentious of the Romans shall leave (be left?), but remove to some place in which they may live as they have elected to live.
EXCERPTS FROM BOOK XII
[1.1] When a dire famine broke out in Rome, a certain man of no inconspicuous family and among the most powerful by reason of his riches, Spurius Maelius, who was given the cognomen Felix because of his great wealth, having recently taken over the estate of his father, yet being unable by reason of his youth and equestrian rank to hold magistracies or any other public charge, as brilliant a man as any in warfare and decorated with many prizes for valour, conceived it to be the best time for aiming at a tyranny and turned to currying favour with the multitude, the easiest of all the roads leading to tyranny. [2] Having many friends and clients, he dispatched them in various directions, giving them money from his own funds to collect food, while he himself went to Tyrrhenia. And having in a short time by his own efforts and those of his friends imported a large store of corn, he distributed it among the citizens, measuring out a peck for two denarii instead of for twelve denarii, and upon all those whom he perceived to be utterly helpless and unable to defray the cost of even their daily subsistence bestowing it without payment. [3] After winning over the people by this kindly service and gaining a most remarkable reputation, he went off again to import further supplies; and he was back before long with a very large number of river boats filled with food, which he distributed to the citizens in the same manner.
[4] The patricians, as they observed these activities of his, regarded him with suspicion, thinking that no good would come to them from the man’s prodigality; and gathering together in the Forum, they considered how they ought in most seemly fashion and without danger to force him to desist from these political designs. At first they met secretly and in small groups and discussed the matter with one another, but later they clamoured against him openly as well, now that he was offensive and insufferable, not only performing acts full of arrogance, but also delivering haughty speeches in his own behalf. [5] For, in the first place, he sat upon a conspicuous tribunal, as is the custom with those who hold magistracies, and gave advice the whole day long to those who consulted him about the distribution of corn, having relieved of this function the prefect who had been appointed by the senate. [6] Again, calling continual meetings of the assembly, although it was not customary among the Romans for a private individual to convoke an assembly, he indulged in many denunciations of Minucius before the people, charging that he merely bore the name of magistrate but had performed no useful act in the interest of the poor; and he uttered many reproaches against the patricians before the popular assembly for doing the things which would make the populace of little or no account and for taking no thought, either all of them together or the influential men singly, for the needy even on the occasion of a scarcity of corn, when it was essential above everything else that they, like himself, should submit to hardships both in their fortunes and in their persons and should import provisions into the city from every possible source. [7] He asked the people to weigh his own achievements against the actions of the other patricians and to note how greatly, nay, how utterly, they differed from one another. For they, he said, se nothing from their private fortunes for the common good, but had even appropriated the public land and had for a long time now enjoyed its use, whereas he, who held none of the public possessions, devoted even his paternal inheritance to assisting the needy, and when he had used up the funds on hand, raised loans from his friends, receiving nothing in return for such munificence save only the goodwill of his fellow citizens, a reward which he considered quite as precious as the greatest wealth in the world. [8] Those who were leagued with him were continually failing him as the saviour, father and founder of the fatherland; and declaring that the giving of the consular power to him would be a favour incommensurate with the greatness of his deeds, they wished to distinguish him with some greater and more brilliant honour, which should also be enjoyed by his posterity. [9] When he had made his third trop to the maritime districts of Italy and had sailed back to Ostia, the seaport of Rome, bringing many merchantmen laden with corn from Cumae and the harbours round Misenum, and had deluged the city with provisions, so that none of the old-time abundance was any longer lacking, the whole populace was ready, as soon as it was empowered to vote for magistrates, to grant him whatever honour he might seek, whether the consulship or some other magistracy, paying no heed to any law that forbade it or to any man who opposed it. [10] When the le
aders of the aristocracy perceived this, they were all in great dejection, neither being willing to permit it nor yet having the power to prevent it. And they were still more disturbed because, when both the tribunes and the consuls forbade him to convoke assemblies and harangue the people, the populace banded together and drove those magistrates out of the Forum, while affording great assurance and strength to Maelius.
[11] While the city was in this state, the man who had been appointed prefect of the corn supply became angered at the abusive language with which Maelius kept insulting him in the meetings of the assembly, and feared the man more than any others, lest, if he should obtain some magistracy, he might make himself more powerful (?) than the aristocracy or, by rousing the people against him (Minucius), might, through the agency of the men of his own faction, contrive some plot against him, and being indignant on both these accounts and being eager to be rid of him as a man having greater power than befitted one in private station, he proceeded to make a careful investigation of both his speeches and his actions. [12] And as those whom Maelius employed as confederates in his secret plans were numerous and were neither alike in their natures nor similar in their opposites, there was bound to be someone who, in all probability, would not continue a steady friend to him, either because of fear or for personal advantage; and when Minucius had given this man pledges that he would not reveal his identity to anyone, he learned the entire purpose of Maelius and his plans for accomplishing it. [13] After he had obtained incontrovertible proof and learned that the execution of the plot was imminent, he informed the consuls. Those magistrates, not feeling it right to carry out by themselves alone the investigation of so serious a plot, thought they ought to lay the matter before the senate; and they straightway called that body together, ostensibly to deliberate about some foreign war. [14] A full meeting of the senate being soon present, one of the consuls came forward and stated that information had been given them of a plot forming against the commonwealth, one that required very vigorous and prompt precautionary measures because of the magnitude of the danger. He added that the informant was not just an ordinary citizen, but a man whom the senators themselves because of his merits had placed in a position of the greatest and most essential service to the state, having satisfied themselves of his good faith and his zeal for the public interests as shown by his deportment throughout his whole life. [15] Then, when the senate was quite wrought up with expectation, he called Minucius, who said: The MS. adds: See the section on Harangues.
[2.1] When the information had been given to the senate, they chose a dictator, and he, having appointed his Master of Horse, ordered him to come to him with the knights about midnight, and he ordered the senators to assemble on the Capitol while it was still early morning; he commanded Minucius to appear before the tribunal bringing along the informer and the proofs as well, and bade all to keep these plans secret from everybody outside the senate, declaring that there was just one means of safety, which was for Maelius to hear naught of what was being said or done about him. [2] After making all the other necessary arrangements, he kept all the members in the senate-house until sunset, and only dismissed the session when it was already dark. When it was midnight, setting out from his house . . . he went forth about dawn, taking along the chosen forces of both consuls and the consuls themselves. [3] These together with the senators seized the Capitol at dawn and kept it under guard.
Maelius, who had heard nothing of all this, proceeded to the Forum when day had come, and seated upon the tribunal, gave advice to those who consulted him. In a short time the Master of Horse, Servilius, appeared before him with the flower of the knights, who carried swords under their clothing; and halting near him, he said: [4] “The dictator commands you, Maelius, to come to him.” And the other, answering, said: “What dictator, Servilius, commands me to go to him? Where and when did he become dictator? At the same time he looked round in consternation at the people surrounding the tribunal. When all were speechless, inasmuch as no one was aware of the action taken by the senate, Servilius said once more: “An act of impeachment was brought against you yesterday before the senate, Maelius, for attempting a revolution; perhaps the charge was false, for it is not right to prejudge anyone on the basis of the charge alone. [5] The senate, having decided to investigate the report, declared that the situation required a dictator, since they were running no slight risk; and they invested with this authority Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus, who, as you yourself are doubtless aware, is the best of the patricians and has twice already discharged the duties of this magistracy in an irreproachable manner. [6] This man, desiring to set up a court to try you and to give you an opportunity to defend yourself, has sent us — me, the Master of Horse, together with these men here — to conduct you in safety to make your defence. If you are confident you have done no wrong, come and offer your justification before a man who loves his country and will not wish to put you out of the way either because of the general ill will toward you or or any other unjust ground.” [7] Maelius, upon hearing this, leaped up and cried out in a loud voice: “Plebeians, help me; for I am being snatched away by the men in power because of my goodwill toward you. For it is not to a trial that I am summoned by them, but to death.” When a clamour arose and there was a great uproar round the tribunal, Maelius, aware that those who were intending to arrest him were more numerous than those who were rallying to his aid and that not far away others were lying in wait under arms, quickly leaped down from the tribunal and ran off through the Forum in his haste to reach the refuge of his own home. [8] But when he was being overtaken by the knights, he ran into a butcher’s shop, and seizing a cleaver used by the meat-cutters, he struck the first man who approached him. Then, when many fell upon him at once, he defended himself and held out for a short time; but soon his arm was cut off by someone and he fell down, and being hacked in pieces, died like a wild beast.
[9] Thus Maelius, who craved greatness and came very close to gaining the leadership over the Roman people, came to an unenviable and bitter end. When his body had been carried into the Forum and exposed to the view of all the citizens, there was a rush thither and a clamour and uproar on the part of all who were in the Forum, as some bewailed his fate, others angrily protested, and still others were eager to come to blows with the perpetrators of the deed. [10] The dictator, apprised by such a tumult that the knights had carried out the task assigned to them, descended from the citadel to the Forum, bringing with him all the senators and surrounded by the knights displaying naked swords; and after haranguing the people in their assembly he dismissed the crowd.
[3.1] (1) “. . . having about him men gathered together from every kind of depravity, whom he was rearing up like wild beasts against the fatherland. If, now, he had listened to me and had shown himself a man who abided by the laws, this would have contributed the greatest weight toward his defence and would have been no slight proof that he had not formed any plot against the fatherland; but as it was, goaded by his conscience, he was moved in the same way as are all who have formed unholy plots against those nearest to them: he determined to avoid the investigation of his acts, and striking with a butcher’s cleaver the knights who had come for him, he endeavoured to drive them away.”
[4.1] Of the plebeians, those who had not joined in plotting for the overthrow of the government were indignant and angry at the man’s attempt, while those who had shared in the conspiracy, being now freed from their fear, pretended to any other and praised the senate for the measures it had taken; but some few of them, the most knavish, made bold during the following days to spread reports to the effect that Maelius had been made away with by the men in power, and attempted to sow dissension among the people. The dictator put these men to death secretly, and after allaying the disturbance, resigned his magistracy.
[2] Now those who seem to me to give the most credible account of Maelius’ death have handed down the above report; but let me record also the account which appears to me less credible, the one adopted b
y Cincius and Calpurnius, native writers. These men state that neither was Quintius appointed dictator by the senate nor Servilius made Master of Horse by Quintius. [3] But when information was given by Minucius, those who were present in the senate believed that the things reported were true, and when one of the older senators made a motion to put the man to death immediately without a trial, they were convinced and accordingly appointed for this task Servilius, who was a young man and brave in action. [4] Servilius, they say, taking his dagger under his arm, approached Maelius as he was proceeding from the Forum, and coming up to him, said that he wished to speak with him about a private matter of great importance. Then, when Maelius ordered those who were close to him to withdraw to a little distance, the other, having thus got him separated from his guard, bared his sword and plunged it into his throat; and after doing this he ran to the senate-house, where the senators were still in session, brandishing his sword that dripped with blood and shouting to those who pursued him that he had destroyed the tyrant at the command of the senate. [5] When they heard mention of the senate, those who had been bent on beating and stoning him desisted and committed no lawless act against him. In consequence of this deed they say the cognomen Ala (Ahala) was given him, inasmuch as he had his sword under his arm-pit when he came upon Maelius; for the Romans call the arm-pit ala.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 108