ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romalles 529 that Jupiter appeared unto him, and commaunded him to signifie to the Senate, that they had caused a very vile lewde daunser to goe before the procession: and sayed, the first time this vision had appeared unto him, he made no reckoning of it: and comming againe another time into his minde, he made not muche more accompt of the matter then before. In the ende, he sawe one of his sonnes dye, who had the best nature and condition of all his brethern: and sodainely he him selfe was so taken in all his limmes, that he became lame and impotent. Hereupon he tolde the whole circumstance of this vision before the Senate, sitting upon his litle couche or bedde, whereon he was caried on mens annes: and he had no sooner reported this vision to the Senate, but he presently felt his bodie and limmes restored again, to their former strength and use. So raising up him self upon his couche, he got up on his feete at that instant, and walked home to his house, without helpe of any man. The Senate being amazed at this matter, made diligent enquierie to understand the trothe: and in the ende they found there was such a thing. There was one that had delivered a bondman of his that had offended him, into the hands of other slaves and bondemen, and had commanded them to whippe him up and down the market place,l and afterwards to kill him: and as they had him in execution, whipping him cruelly, they dyd so martyre the poore wretch, that for the cruell smarte and payne he felt, he turned and writhed his bodie, in straunge and pittiefull sorte. The procession by chaunce came by even at the same time, and many that followed it, were hartely moved and offended with the sight, saying: that this was no good sight to behold, nor mete to he met in procession time. But for all this, there was nothing done: saving they blamed and rebuked him, that punished his slave so cruelly. For the Romaines at that time, dyd use their bondemen very gently, bicause they them selves dyd labour with their owne hands, and lived with them, and emong them: and therefore they dyd use them the more gently and familliarly. For the greatest punishment hey gave a slave that had offended, was this.2 They made him carie a limmer on his showlders that is fastened to the axel tree of a coche, and compelled him to goe up and downe in that sorte amongest all their neighbours. He that had once abidden this punishement, and was scene in that manner, was proclaimed and cried in every market towne: so that no man would ever trust him after, and they called him Furcifer, bicause the Latines call the wodd that ronneth into the axeltree of the coche, Furca, as muche to saye, as a forke.3 Now when
530 Latinus had made reporte to the Senate of the VISIon that had happ,ened to him, they were devising whom this unpleasaunt daunser should be, that went before the procession. Thereupon certain that stoode by, remembred the poore slave that was so cruelly whipped through the market place, whom they afterwardes put to death: and the thing that made them remember it, was the straunge and rare manner of his punishment. The priestes hereupon were repaired unto for advise: they were wholy of opinion, that it was the whipping of the slave. So they caused the slaves master to be punished, and beganne againe a newe procession, and all other showes and sightes in honour of Jupiter .... Now Tullus and Martius had secret conference with the greatest personages of the cittie of Antium, declaring unto them, that now they had good time offered them to make wane with the Romaines, while they were in dissention one with another. They aunswered them, they were ashamed to breake the league, considering that they were swol'l1e to keepe peace for two yeres. Howbeit shortely after, the Romaines gave them great occasion to make warre with them.l For on a holy daye common playes being kept in Rome, apon some suspition, or false reporte, they made proclamation by sound of trumpet, that all the Volsces should avoyde out of Rome before sunne set. Some thincke this was a crafte and deceipt of Martius, who sent one to Rome to the Consuls, to accuse the Volsces falsely, advertising them howe they had made a conspiracie to set apon them, whilest they were busie in seeing these games, and also to set their cittie a fyre.2 This open proclamation made all the Voisces more offended with the Romaines, then ever they were before: and Tullus agravating the matter, dyd so inflame the Volsces against them, that in the ende they sent their ambassadours to Rome, to summone them to deliver their landes and townes againe, which they had taken from them in times past, or to looke for present warres. The Romaines hearing this, were marvelously netled: and made no other aunswer but thus: If the Volsces be the first that beginne warre: the Romaines will be the last that will ende it. Incontinently upon returne of the Volsces ambassadours, and deliverie of the Romaines aunswer: Tullus caused an assembly generall to be made of the Volsces, and concluded to make warre apon the Romaines. This done, Tullus dyd counsell them to take Martius into their service, and not to mistrust him for the remembraunce of any thing past, but boldcly to trust him in any matter to come: for he would doe them more service in fighting for them, then ever he dyd them displeasure in
fighting against them. So Martius was called forth, who spake so excellently in the presence of them all, that he was thought no lesse eloquent in tongue, then warlike in showe: and declared him selfe both expert in warres, and wise with valliantnes. Thus he was joyned in commission with Tullus as generall of the Volsces, having absolute authoritie betwene them to follow and pursue the warres.1 But Martius fearing least tract of time to bring this armie togither with all the munition and furniture of the Volsces, would robbe him of the meane he had to execute his purpose and intent: left order with the rulers and chief of the cittie, to assemble the rest of their power, and to prepare all necessary provision for the campe. Then he with the lightest souldiers he had, and that were willing to followe him, stale awaye upon the sodaine, and marched with all speede, and entred the territories of Rome, before the Romaines heard any newes of his comming.2 In so much the Volsces found such spoyle in the fields, as they had more then they could spend in their campe, and were wearie to drive and carie awaye that they had.3 Howbeit the gayne of the spoyle and the hurte they dyd to the Romaines in this invasion, was the least parte of his intent. For his chiefest purpose was, to increase still the malice and dissention betweene the nobilitie, and the communaltie4 : and to drawe that on, he was very carefull to keepe the noble mens landes and goods safe from harme and burning, but spoyled all the whole countrie besides, and would suffer no man to take or hurte any thing of the noble mens. This made greater sturre and broyle betweene the nobilitie and people, then was before. For the noble men fell out with the people, bicause they had so unjustly banished a man of so great valure and power.5 The people on thother side, accused the nobilitie, how they had procured Martius to make these warres, to be revenged of them: bicause it pleased them to see their goodes burnt and spoyled before their eyes, whilest them selves were well at ease, and dyd behold the peoples losses and misfortunes, and knowing their owne goodes safe and out of daunger: and howe the warre was not made against the noble men, that had the enemie abroad, to keepe that they had in safety. Now Martius having done this first exploite (which made the Volsces bolder, and lesse fearefull of the Romaines) brought home all the armie againe, without losse
532 of any man. After their whole armie (which was marvelous great, and very forward to service) was assembled in one campe: they agreed to leave parte of it for garrison in the countrie about, and the other parte should goe on, and make the warre apon the Romaines. So Martius bad Tullus choose, and take which of the two charges he liked best. Tullus made him aunswer, he knewe by experience that Martius was no lesse valliant then him selfe, and howe he ever had better fortune and good happe in all battells, then him selfe had. Therefore he thought it best for him to have the leading of those that should make the wanes abroade: and him selfe would keepe home, to provide for the safety of the citties and of his countrie, and to furnishe the campe also of all necessary provision abroade. So Martius being stronger then before, went first of all unto the cittie of Circees, inhabited by the Romaines, who willingly yelded them selves, and therefore had no hurte. From thence, he entred the countrie of the Latines, imagining the Romaines would fight with him there, to defend the Latines, who were their confederates, and had many times sent unto the Romaines for their ayde. But on the one side, the people of Rome were very ill willing to goe: and on the other side the Consuls being upon their going out of their office, would not hazard them selves for so small a time: so that the ambassadours of the Latines returned home againe, and dyd no good. Then Martius dyd besiege their citties, and having taken by force the townes of the Tolerinians, Vicanians, Pedanians, and the Bolanians, who made resistaunce: he sacked all their goodes, and tooke them prisoners.1 Suche as dyd yeld them selves willingly unto him, he was as carefull as possible might be to defend them from hurte: and bicause they should receyve no damage by his will, he removed his campe as farre from their confines as he could. Afterwards, he tooke the cittie of Boles by assault, being about an hundred furlonge from Rome, where he had a marvelous great spoyle, and put every man to the sword that was able to carie weapon. The other Volsces that were appointed to remaine in garrison for defence of their countrie, hearing this good newes, would tary no lenger at home, but armed them selves, and ranne to Martius campe, saying they dyd acknowledge no other captaine but him.2 Hereupon his fame ranne through all Italie, and every one praised him for a valliant captaine, for that by chaunge of one man for another, suche and so straunge events fell out in the state. In this while, all went still to wracke at Rome. For, to come into the field to fight with the enemie, they could not abyde to heare of it, they were one so muche against another, and full of seditious wordes,
the nobilitie against the people, and the people against the nobilitie. Untill they had intelligence at the length that the enemies had layed seige to the cittie of Lavinium, in the which were all the temples and images of the goddes their protectours, and from whence came first their auncient originall, for that }Eneas at his first arrivall into Italie dyd build that cittie.1 Then fell there out a marvelous sodain chaunge of minde among the people, and farre more straunge and contrarie in the nobilitie. For the people thought good to repeale the condemnation and exile of Martius. The Senate assembled upon it, would in no case yeld to that. Who either dyd it of a selfe will to be contrarie to the peoples desire: or bicause Martius should not returne through the grace and favour of the people. Or els, bicause they were throughly angrie and offended with him, that he would set apon the whole, being offended but by a fewe, and in his doings would shewe him selfe an open enemie besides unto his countrie: notwithstanding the most parte of them tooke the wrong they had done him, in marvelous ill parte, and as if the injurie had bene done unto them selves. Reporte being made of the Senates resolution, the people founde them selves in a straight: for they could authorise and confirme nothing by their voyces, unles it had bene first propounded and ordeined by the Senate. But Martius hearing this sturre about him, was in a greater rage with them then before: in so muche as he raised his seige incontinently before the cittie of Lavinium, and going towardes Rome, lodged his campe within fortie furionge ofthe cittie, at the ditches called Cluilire. His incamp. ing so neere Rome, dyd put all the whole cittie in a wonderfull feare: howbeit for the present time it appeased the sedition and dissention betwext the Nobilitie and the people. For there was no Consul, Senatour, nor Magistrate, that durst once contrarie the opinion of the people, for the calling home againe of Martius. When they sawe the women in a marvelous feare, ronning up and downe the cittie: the temples of the goddes full of olde people, weeping bitterly in their prayers to the goddes: and finally, not a man either wise or hardie to provide for their safetie: then they were all of opinion, that the people had reason to call home Martius againe, to reconcile them selves to him, and that the Senate on the contrary parte, were in marvelous great faulte to be angrie and in choller with him, when it stooele them upon rather to have gone out and intreated him. So they all agreed together to send ambassadours unto him, to let him understand howe his countrymen dyd call him home againe, and restored him to all his goodes, and besought him to deliver them from this warre. The ambassadours that were sent,
534· were Martius familliar friendes,l and acquaintaunce, who looked at the least for a curteous welcome of him, as of their familliar friende and kynseman. Howbeit they founde nothing lesse. For at their comming, they were brought through the campe, to the place where he was set in his chayer of state, with a marvelous and an unspeakable majestie, having the chief est men of the Volsces about him: so he commaunded them to declare openly the cause of their camming. Which they delivered in the most humble and lowly wordes they possiblie could devise, and with all modest countenaunce and behaviour agreable for the same. When they had done their message: for the injurie they had done him, he aunswered them very hottely, and in great choller. But as generall of the Volsces, he willed them to restore unto the Volsces, all their landes and citties they had taken from them in former warres: and moreover, that they should geve them the like honour and freedome of Rome, as they had before geven to the Latines. For otherwise they had no other meane to ende this warre, if they dyd not graunte these honest and just conditions of peace. Thereupon he gave them thirtie dayes respit to make him aunswer. So the ambassadours returned straight to Rome, and Martius forthwith departed with his armie out of the territories of the Romaines.2 This was the first matter wherewith the Volsces (that most envied Martius glorie and authoritie) dyd charge Martius with.3 Among those, Tullus was chief: who though he had receyved no private injurie or displeasure of Martius, yet the common faulte and imperfection of mans nature wrought in him, and it grieved him to see his owne reputation bleamished, through Martius great fame and honour, and so him selfe to be lesse esteemed of the Volsces, then he was before.4 This fell out the more, bicause every man honoured Martius, and thought he only could doe all, and that all other govern ours and captaines must be content with suche credit and authoritie, as he would please to countenaunce them with. From hence they derived all their first accusations and secret murmurings against Martius. For private captaines conspiring against him, were very angrie with him: and gave it out, that the removing of the eampe was a manifest treason, not of the townes, nor fortes, nor of armes, but of time and occasion, which was a losse of great importaunce, bieause it was that which in treason might both lose and binde all, and preserve the whole. Now Martius having
