the war, claiming for himself superior knowledge in this, on the
ground of being well acquainted with the strength of both nations,
and also because he knew that the king's pride, which even his own
children had been unable to endure, had become decidedly hateful to
his subjects. As he thus by degrees stirred up the nobles of the
Gabians to renew the war, and himself accompanied the most active of
their youth on plundering parties and expeditions, and unreasonable
credit was increasingly given to all his words and actions, framed
as they were with the object of deceiving, he was at last chosen
general-in-chief in the war. In the course of this war when--the
people being still ignorant of what was going on--trifling skirmishes
with the Romans took place, in which the Gabians generally had the
advantage, then all the Gabians, from the highest to the lowest, were
eager to believe that Sextus Tarquinius had been sent to them as their
general, by the favour of the gods. By exposing himself equally
with the soldiers to fatigues and dangers, and by his generosity in
bestowing the plunder, he became so loved by the soldiers, that his
father Tarquin had not greater power at Rome than his son at Gabii.
Accordingly, when he saw he had sufficient strength collected to
support him in any undertaking, he sent one of his confidants to his
father at Rome to inquire what he wished him to do, seeing the gods
had granted him to be all-powerful at Gabii. To this courier no
answer by word of mouth was given, because, I suppose, he appeared of
questionable fidelity. The king went into a garden of the palace, as
if in deep thought, followed by his son's messenger; walking there for
some time without uttering a word, he is said to have struck off
the heads of the tallest poppies with his staff.[49] The messenger,
wearied with asking and waiting for an answer, returned to Gabii
apparently without having accomplished his object, and told what
he had himself said and seen, adding that Tarquin, either through