A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca
A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca
422 The Revolution Plut. ib. 3. His laws. Plutarch, Gains Gracchus, 5. His monarchical power. Plutarch, Gaius Gracchus, 6. Rome, 130, n. I. An administrator of marvelous energy. for speaking freely when lamenting the fate of his brother. Of the laws which he proposed with a view to gaining the popular favor and to weakening the senate, one was for the establishment of colonies and for the distribution of public land among the poor. Another provided for supplying the soldiers with clothing at the public expense, without any deduction from their pay on this account; the same law exempted youths under seventeen from being drafted for the army. A third favored the allies, and put the Italians on the same footing as the citizens with respect to the suffrage. Another, relating to grain, had for its object the lowering of the price for the poor. The last referred to the jurors,—a measure which most of all encroached on the privileges of the senate. The people not only passed the last-named measure, but empowered Gracchus to select from the knights those who were to act as jurors—a right which conferred on him a kind of monarchical authority, and even the senate now assented to the measures which he proposed in that body. All his plans, however, were honorable to the senate. Such, for instance, was the reasonable and just decree about the grain which Fabius the propraetor sent from Iberia. Gracchus induced the senate to sell the grain and return the money to the Iberian cities, and further to censure Fabius for making the Roman dominion heavy and intolerable to the subject nations. This decree brought Gaius great reputation and popularity in the provinces. He also introduced measures for sending out colonies, for the construction of roads, and for the building of public granaries; and he made himself director and superintendent for carrying all these plans into effect. Though engaged in so many great undertakings, he was never
Gaius Gracchus as Administrator 423 wearied, but with wonderful activity and labor he effected every single object as if he had for the time no other occupation; so that even those who thoroughly feared and hated him were amazed at the rapidity and perfect execution of all that he undertook. But the people looked with admiration on the man himself, as they saw him attended by crowds of building contractors, artificers, ambassadors, soldiers, and learned men, to all of whom he was easy of access. And while he maintained his dignity, he was affable to all, and adapted his behavior to the condition of every individual, and so proved the falsehood of those who called him tyrannical or arrogant or violent. In this way he showed himself more skilful as a popular leader in his dealings with men than even in his speeches from the rostra. But Gaius busied himself most about the building of His public , . . , ... roads with a view to utility, . , ^ roads, convenience, and ornament. The roads were made in a straight line through the coun- caiushraetry, partly of quarried stone and partly with tight-rammed masses of earth. By filling up the depressions, and by throwing bridges across those parts which were traversed by winter torrents or deep ravines, and by raising the road on both sides to the same uniform height, the whole line was made level, and presented a pleasing appearance. He also measured all the roads by miles— the Roman mile is not quite eight stadia—and he fixed stone blocks to mark the distances. He placed other stones at shorter distances from one another on each side of the road, that people might easily mount their horses from these blocks without other assistance. Gaius Gracchus is held to have been a powerful and strenuous orator. No one disputes it. But how is it to be borne, that in the eyes of some he appears more stern, '^''"^' 7-
- Page 387 and 388: . ROMAN ORGANIZATION; CHAPTER XXXII
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- Page 425 and 426: Hostility to Advanced Studies 409 I
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- Page 429 and 430: Cato's Proverbs 413 He said, too, "
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- Page 435 and 436: The Agrarian Law 419 by forbidding
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- Page 443 and 444: Marius and Sulla 427 This war, dive
- Page 445 and 446: Sulla's Proscriptions 429 him and e
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- Page 449 and 450: CHAPTER XXXVII THE REVOLUTION: (II)
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- Page 465 and 466: — Caesar's Death; Character 449 i
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- Page 477 and 478: — A Refuge from Care 461 Ke grins
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- Page 481 and 482: Personal Character; Government 465
- Page 483 and 484: Oath of Lo3'alty 467 the progress o
- Page 485 and 486: ' Ludi Ssculares 469 the quirites i
- Page 487 and 488: — The Secular Hymn 471 Now, even
422 <strong>The</strong> Revolution<br />
Plut. ib. 3.<br />
His laws.<br />
Plutarch,<br />
Gains Gracchus,<br />
5.<br />
His<br />
monarchical<br />
power.<br />
Plutarch,<br />
Gaius Gracchus,<br />
6.<br />
Rome, 130,<br />
n. I.<br />
An administrator<br />
<strong>of</strong><br />
marvelous<br />
energy.<br />
for speaking freely when lamenting the fate <strong>of</strong> his<br />
brother.<br />
Of the laws which he proposed with a view to gaining<br />
the popular favor and to weakening the senate, one was<br />
for the establishment <strong>of</strong> colonies and for the distribution<br />
<strong>of</strong> public land among the poor. Another provided for<br />
supplying the soldiers with clothing at the public expense,<br />
without any deduction from their pay on this account;<br />
the same law exempted youths under seventeen from being<br />
drafted for the army. A third favored the allies, and put<br />
the Italians on the same footing as the citizens with respect<br />
to the suffrage. Another, relating to grain, had for<br />
its object the lowering <strong>of</strong> the price for the poor. <strong>The</strong> last<br />
referred to the jurors,—a measure which most <strong>of</strong> all encroached<br />
on the privileges <strong>of</strong> the senate.<br />
<strong>The</strong> people not only passed the last-named measure,<br />
but empowered Gracchus to select from the knights those<br />
who were to act as jurors—a right which conferred on him<br />
a kind <strong>of</strong> monarchical authority, and even the senate now<br />
assented to the measures which he proposed in that body.<br />
All his plans, however, were honorable to the senate.<br />
Such, for instance, was the reasonable and just decree<br />
about the grain which Fabius the propraetor sent from<br />
Iberia.<br />
Gracchus induced the senate to sell the grain and<br />
return the money to the Iberian cities, and further to<br />
censure Fabius for making the Roman dominion heavy<br />
and intolerable to the subject nations.<br />
This decree brought<br />
Gaius great reputation and popularity in the provinces.<br />
He also introduced measures for sending out colonies,<br />
for the construction <strong>of</strong> roads, and for the building <strong>of</strong> public<br />
granaries; and he made himself director and superintendent<br />
for carrying all these plans into effect. Though<br />
engaged in so many great undertakings, he was never