1. THE year following, the two consuls of the former year, Man'lius and Fa'bius, were cited by the tribunes to appear before the people. The Agrarian law, which had been proposed some time before, for equally dividing the lands of the commonwealth among the people, was the object invariably pursued, and they were accused of having made unjustifiable delays in putting it off.

2. The Agrarian law was a grant the senate could not think of making to the people. The Consuls, therefore, made many delays and excuses; till at length they were once more obliged to have recourse to a dictator'; and they fixed upon Quintus Cincinna'tus, a man who had, for some time, given up all views of ambition, and retired to his little farm, where the deputies of the senate found him holding the plough, and dressed in the mean attire of a labouring husbandman'. 3. He appeared but little ele

1 Cincinna'tus was chosen consul only, in the room of Publius Vale'rius, who died during his consulship. He was afterwards appointed dictator, in the war with the E'qui and Vol'sci.

2 The poverty of Cincinna'tus was caused by the crimes of his son, Cæ'so Quinc'tius. This young patrician, with a band of his associates, insulted the plebeian magistrates and offered violence to their persons. He was of course indicted, but allowed to remain at large on giving

vated with the addresses of ceremony, and the pompous habits they brought him; and, upon declaring to him the senate's pleasure, he testified rather a concern that his aid should be wanted. He naturally preferred the charms of a country retirement to the fatiguing splendours of office, and only said to his wife as they were leading him away, "I fear, my Atti'lia, that for this year our little fields must remain unsown." 4. Then taking a tender leave, he departed for the city, where both parties were strongly inflamed against each other. However, he resolved to side with neither; but, by a strict attention to the interests of his country, instead of gaining the confidence of faction, to seize the esteem of all. 5. Thus, by threats and welltimed submission, he prevailed upon the tribunes to put off their law for a time, and conducted himself so as to be a terror to the multitude whenever they refused to enlist: and their greatest encourager whenever their submission deserved it. 6. Having, by these means, restored that tranquillity to the people, which he so much loved himself, he again gave up the splendours of ambition, to enjoy it with a greater relish in his little farm.

7. Cincinna'tus had not long retired from his office, U.C. when a fresh exigence of the state once more re295. quired his assistance; and the 'qui and the Vol'sci, who, although always worsted, were still for renewing the war, made new inroads into the territories of Rome. 8. Minu'tius, one of the consuls who succeeded Cincinna'tus, was sent to oppose them; but being naturally timid, and rather more afraid of being conquered than desirous of victory, his army was driven into a defile between two mountains, from which, except through

heavy security for his appearance on the day of trial.

In the inter

vening time, Caso and his companions murdered an aged and sick plebeian, and justly dreading popular resentment he fled into Tuscany. The payment of the heavy bail compelled Cincinna'tus to sell all his property. Cincinna'tus was a violent partisan of the aristocracy, and a fierce enemy of the rights and privileges of the people.

the enemy, there was no egress. 9. This, however, the E'qui had the precaution to fortify, by which the Roman army was so hemmed in on every side, that nothing remained but submission to the enemy, famine, or immediate death. 10. Some knights, who found means of getting away privately through the enemy's camp, were the first that brought the account of this disaster to Rome. 11. Nothing could exceed the consternation of all ranks of people when informed of it: the senate at first thought of the other consul; but not having sufficient experience of his abilities, they unanimously turned their eyes upon Cincinna'tus, and resolved to make him dictator. 12. Cincinna'tus, the only person on whom Rome could now place her whole dependence, was found, as before, by the messengers of the senate, labouring in his field with cheerful industry. 13. He was at first astonished at the ensigns of unbounded power, with which the deputies came to invest him; but still more at the approach of the principal of the senate, who came out to attend him. 14. A dignity so unlooked for, however, had no effect upon the simplicity or integrity of his manners; and being now possessed of absolute power, and called upon to nominate his master of the horse, he chose a poor man named Tarqui'tius, one who, like himself, despised riches, when they led to dishonour. Thus the saving a great nation was devolved upon a husbandman taken from the plough, and an obscure sentinel found among the dregs of the army'. 15. Upon entering the city, the dictator put on a serene look, and entreated all those who were able to bear arms, to repair before sun-set to the Cam'pus Martius (the place where the levies were made), with necessary arms, and provisions for five days. 16. He put himself at the head of these,

1 Though Tarqui'tius was poor, and served as a private sentinel, he was a patrician by birth, and of uncommon valour. Cincinna'tus, therefore, did justice to his merit, and notwithstanding his poverty, raised him to that high station.

and, marching all night with great expedition, arrived early the next day within sight of the enemy. Upon his approach, he ordered his soldiers to raise a loud shout, to apprise the consul's army of the relief that was at hand. 17. The 'qui were not a little amazed when they saw themselves between two enemies; but still more when they perceived Cincinna'tus making the strongest entrenchments beyond them, to prevent their escape, and enclosing them. as they had enclosed the consul. 18. To prevent this, a furious combat ensued; but the Æ'qui being attacked on both sides, and unable longer to resist or fly, begged a cessation of arms. 19. They offered the dictator his own terms; he gave them their lives, and obliged them, in token of servitude, to pass under the yoke, which was two spears set upright, and another across, in the form of a gallows, beneath which the vanquished were to march. Their captains and generals he made prisoners of war, being reserved to adorn his triumph. 20. As for the plunder of the enemy's camp, that he gave entirely up to his own soldiers, without reserving any part for himself, or permitting those of the delivered army to have a share. 21. Thus having rescued a Roman army from inevitable destruction, having defeated a powerful enemy, having taken and fortified their city, and still more, having refused any part of the spoil, he resigned his dictatorship, after having enjoyed it but fourteen days. The senate would have enriched him, but he declined their proffers, choosing to retire once more to his farm and his cottage, content with competence and fame1.

22. But this repose from foreign invasion did not lessen the tumults of the city within. The clamours for the Agra'rian law still continued, and still more fiercely, when Sic'cius Denta'tus, a plebe'ian advanced in years, but of an admirable person and military deportment, came for

1 About this time the number of the tribunes was increased from five to ten.

ward to enumerate his hardships and his merits. This old soldier made no scruple of extolling the various achievements of his youth; indeed, his merits more than supported his ostentation. 23. He had served his country in the wars forty years: he had been an officer thirty, first a centurion, and then a tribune; he had fought one hundred and twenty battles, in which, by the force of his single arm, he had saved a multitude of lives; he had gained fourteen civic', three mural 2, and eight golden crowns; besides eighty-three chains, sixty bracelets, eighteen gilt spears, and twenty-three horse-trappings, whereof nine were for killing the enemy in single combat; moreover, he had received forty-five wounds in front, and none behind. 24. These were his honours; yet, notwithstanding all these, he had never received any share of those lands which were won from the enemy, but continued to drag on a life of poverty and contempt, while others were possessed of those very territories which his valour had won, without any merit to deserve them, or ever having contributed to the conquest 3. 25. A case of so much hardship had a strong effect upon the multitude; they unanimously demanded that the law might be passed, and that such merit should not go unrewarded. It was in vain that some of the senators rose up to speak against it, their voices were drowned by the cries of the people. 26. When reason, therefore, could no longer be heard, passion, as usual, succeeded; and the young patricians, running furiously into the throng, broke the balloting urns, and dispersed the multitude that offered to oppose them. 27.

1 A civic crown among the Romans, was made of oaken leaves, and given to those who had saved the life of a citizen.

2 A mural crown was an honorary reward, given by the ancient Romans to the soldiers who first scaled the walls of an enemy's city. 3 "These military toys," said he, "are the only rewards I have hitherto received. No lands, no share of the conquered countries. Usurpers, without any title but that of a patrician extraction, possess them. Is this to be endured? Shall they alone possess the fruits of