Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

The Gracchi Marius and Sulla - Epochs of Ancient History by A.H. Beesley
page 63 of 219 (28%)

Caius had meditated, it may be, many colonies, but, according to
Plutarch, had at this time only actually settled two. Drusus proposed
to plant twelve, each of 3,000 citizens. Caius had superintended
the settlement himself, and employed his friends. With virtuous
self-denial Drusus washed his hands of all such patronage. Caius had
imposed a yearly tax on those to whom he gave land; Drusus proposed to
remit it. Caius had wished to give the Latins the franchise; Drusus
replied by a comparatively ridiculous favour, which, however, might
appeal more directly to the lower class of Latins. No Latin, he said,
should be liable to be flogged even when serving in the army. Drusus
could afford to be liberal. His colonies were sham colonies. His
remission of the vectigal was a thin-coated poison. His promise to the
Latins was at best a cheap one, and was not carried out. But none the
less his treachery or imbecility served its purpose, and the greedier
and baser of the partisans of Gracchus began to look coldly on their
leader. [Sidenote: Caius rejected for the tribunate.] It is stated,
indeed, that on his standing for the tribunate a third time he was
rejected by fraud, his colleagues having made a false return of the
names of the candidates. In any case he was not elected, and one of
the consuls for the year 121 was L. Opimius, his mortal foe.

The end was drawing near. Sadly Caius must have recognised that his
presentiments would soon be fulfilled, and that he must share his
brother's fate. [Sidenote: Preparations for civil strife.] His foes
proposed to repeal the law for the settlement of Junonia, and,
according to Plutarch, others of his laws also. Warned by the past,
his friends armed. Men came disguised as reapers to defend him. It is
likely enough that they were really reapers, who would remember why
Tiberius lost his life, and that their support would have saved him.
DigitalOcean Referral Badge