Scipio," while she wished to be known as the "mother of the Gracchi."
The war in Sicily emphasized the troubles that Tiberius wished to put
an end to, and in the midst of it he was elected one of the tribunes,
the people hoping something from him, and putting up placards all over
the city calling upon him to take their part.

The people seemed to feel sure that Gracchus was intending to do
something for them, and they eagerly came together and voted for him,
and when he was elected, they crowded into the city from all the
regions about to vote in favor of the re-establishment of the Licinian
laws, with some alterations. They were successful; much to the disgust
of the aristocrats, [Footnote: Aristocrat is a word of Greek origin,
and means one of a governing body composed of the best men
(_aristos_, best) in the state. The aristocrats came to be called
also _optimatos_, from _optimus_, the corresponding Latin word for
best.] who hated Gracchus, and thenceforth plotted to overthrow him and
his power. For a while, the lands that had been wrongfully occupied by
the rich were taken by a commission and returned to the government.

When Attalus, the erratic king of Pergamus, left his estates to Rome,
Gracchus had an opportunity to perform an act of justice, by refunding
to the rich the outlays they had made on the lands of which they had
been deprived. This would have been politic as well as just, but
Gracchus did not see his opportunity. He proposed, on the other hand,
to divide the new wealth among the plebeians, to enable them to buy
implements and cattle for the estates they had acquired.

It was easy at that excited time to make false accusations against
public men, and to cause the populace to act upon them, and,
accordingly, the aristocrats now stirred up the people to believe that