VIII. ple355. When the assembly was full, Brutus mounted LETTER the rostra; and placing the patricians near him, explained, in a long and animated speech, the reasons for calling the citizens together, and the views of the confederates356. He began his address with claiming the attention of the people, and by laying open his motives for counterfeiting folly. He next recapitulated, and painted in all their horror, the crimes of Lucius Tarquinius II. before he attained the sovereignty. "And how did "he attain it?"-cried the patriotic orator. "Did "he follow, in this matter, the example of former kings? By no means. They were all advanced to "that dignity by us, their fellow-citizens! according to "the laws and customs of the Roman nation; but he ac66 quired the sovereignty by arms, by violence, and the "conspiracies of wicked men, according to the custom "of tyrants. And after he had possessed himself of "the supreme power, did he use it in a manner be"coming a king? No man in his senses will say so; "who sees the miserable condition to which we are "reduced, or who knows the cruelties to which we "have been exposed. "I shall say nothing," continued he, " of the "calamities which we, who are patricians, suffer; "calamities, which even our enemies could not hear "described without tears, and which have reduced us "from a numerous body to a few; from splendour, "to obscurity; from prosperity and affluence, to po66 verty and want. But what is your condition ple"beians?-for that I cannot pass over in silence. Has "not Tarquinius Superbus robbed you of your na 355. Id. ibid. 356. Dion. Halicarnass. lib. iv. cap. Ixxvii-lxxxiii. Liv. lib. i. cap. lix. ❝tional Ant. Chr. 508. Ann. Rom. 244. PART I. Ant. Chr. 508. Ann. Rom. 244. "tional rights?-Has he not abolished your meetings "on account of religion?—Your solemn festivals and "sacrifices! Has he not put an end to your election of "magistrates?—to your right of voting, and your "assemblies for the concerns of the state?-Does he "not force you, like slaves, purchased with money, to "labour in a degrading manner?-to cut stones, saw "timber, carry burdens, and waste your strength in "deep pits and subterraneous caverns, without allow"ing you the least respite from servile toils ?-What "then will be the issue of your calamities?-Where "will your miseries terminate?-How long shall we "submit to these indignities, or when shall we recover "our native liberty?-When Tarquin dies, do you '66 say?-And shall we then be in a better condition?— "No! but in a worse; for instead of one Tarquin, we "shall have three, and each more detestable than the "present tyrant." Here Brutus gave an account of the horrid triumph of Sextus Tarquinius over the virtue of Lucretia, with a description of her intrepid death. "O admirable "woman!" exclaimed he, great are the praises you "merit, for your heroic resolution. To you, after "being robbed of your unsullied chastity, by the vio"lence of one night, death appeared more eligible "than life; and shall not we adopt the same noble "sentiment?-we whom Tarquin has robbed of all "the pleasures of life, in robbing us of our liberty; "and who have yet suffered his haughty domination, "and oppressive tyranny for twenty-five years !— "We cannot live any longer, fellow-citizens! under "these grievances. If we would prove ourselves the "descendants of those illustrious Romans, who thought. "themselves worthy to give laws to the neighbouring "nations, we have now no other choice left, but life "with liberty, or death with glory 357.” 357. Dion. Halicarnass. Rom. Antiq. lib. iv. cap. lxxx-lxxxiii. At VIII. 508. Ann. Rom. 244. At these words, the whole body of the people, as LETTER if with one voice, called, out for arms. "Hear first," subjoined Brutus, charmed with such alacrity, "hear Ant. Chr. "the resolution of our associates. We have deter"mined, that the Tarquins, and all their posterity, "shall be banished from the city of Rome and the ter"ritories of the Roman state; and that, if any person "shall act contrary to our determination, in abetting, "either by words or deeds, the cause of the tyrants, "he shall be put to death. If you are willing this "resolution be confirmed, divide yourselves into your "curiæ, and give your votes. And let the exercise "of that right be considered as the beginning of your "restored liberty 358 " Those forms were complied with; and all the curiæ having given their votes for the banishment of the Tarquins, Brutus again stood up, and said, "Citi"zens, since you have confirmed the first resolution, "in a manner worthy of the Roman people, hear "what we have resolved concerning the plan of our "future government. After we had considered," observed he "what order of magistracy should be "invested with sovereign authority, we came to a re"solution to chuse no more kings; but to elect two ❝ annual magistrates, under the name of CONSULS, to "be chosen by yourselves in the comitia centuriata, " and invested with regal power. If it is your plea66 sure, that this resolution also do pass, give your "votes 359," They were unanimous in their approbation of it. Having thus collected the sense of the people, and obtained their sanction to the proceedings of the confederates, Brutus appointed Spurius Lucretius to 358. Dion. Halicarnass. lib. iv. cap. lxxxiv. VOL. I. 3 R 359. Id. ibid. preside, Ant. Chr. 508: 244. PARTI. preside, as inter-rex, at the election of chief magistrates, according to the laws in that case established. And he, having dismissed the assembly, ordered all the Ann. Rom. people to appear in arms, in the Campus Martius, the usual place for such elections. When they were there mustered, Lucretius nominated two persons to discharge the functions which had belonged to the Roman kings; namely, Brutus the head of the confederacy, and Colatinus the husband of Lucretia. And the people being called to give their votes, in their centuries, confirmed, by their election, the magistracy of the first consuls 360. Meanwhile Tarquin having received intelligence, by certain messengers, who had left the city before the gates were shut, that Brutus was haranguing the people, and exciting them to attempt the recovery of their freedom, took with him his three sons, and a chosen body of troops, in which he could confide, and advanced to Rome, in hopes of suppressing the insurrection. But finding the gates fast, and the battlements planted with armed men, he returned to the camp with all speed; bewailing his misfortune, and boiling with resentment against the insurgents 361. Tarquin, however, on his arrival at Ardea, found new cause to complain of fortune; and, instead of harbouring revenge, to blame himself for that despotic government which had made him obnoxious to his subjects of all descriptions. For the consuls, foreseeing that he would present himself before the walls of Rome, had sent letters, by secret roads, to their friends in the camp; exhorting them to revolt from the tyrant, and informing them of the votes passed in the assembly of the people. And Titus Herminius, and Marcus Ho 360. Dion. Halicarnass. ubi sup. Liv. lib. i. cap. lx. ratius, VIII. ratius, who had been appointed by Tarquin to com- LETTER Tarquin II, who had reigned twenty-five years, and While liberty, in consequence of the abuse of kingly 508. 254. 362. Dion. Halicarnass. lib. iv. cap. lxxxv. 363. Id. ibid. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME, |