of myrtle, with the pretexta, or ufual habit of the magiftrates, and was attended by the fenate only.

The greater triumph was conducted with the utmost state and magnificence of the citizens. Whenever a general demanded a triumph, he was obliged to refign his command of the army, and to keep at a diftance from Rome, till the ho nour had been granted or refufed him. He always wrote to the fenate a detail of his conquefts; and, if allowed of, a triumph was decreed; the general, on the day appointed, crowned with laurels, made a fpeech to the people; after which the fenators, preceded by the lower degree of officers, began the march. The fpoils taken from the enemy followed; and the conquered cities and nations were reprefented in gold, filver, and other metal, with the names of the places which the conqueror had fubjected to the Roman empire. The priests affifted on this occafion, and led the oxen deftined for the facrifice, dreffed with ribbands and garlands. Thefe were followed by chariots, whereon lay the crowns, and other enfigns of honour, which the provinces prefented to the conqueror to adorn his triumph, The captive monarchs and generals, in gold or filver chains, made part of the proceffion; then followed the officers of the army, with the crowns or keys of the conquered cities. After this, preceded by his relations and friends, came the conqueror crowned with laurel, and feated on an ivory chariot, with an ivory fceptre, and an eagle of gold in his hand. An officer ufually ftood behind him; and, left he fhould be too much clated with this fplendor, cried aloud, Remember that thou art a man. Before and after his chariot were carried perfumes, and every kind of mufical inftrument. The march was clofed by the generals, and other officers of the army. The Roman Legions fung congratulatory fongs in honour of the conqueror. The proceffion began without the walls of Rome, by the triumphal gate, and paffed through the city, under many arches, erected and adorned in honour of the triumph to the Capitol. Here the conqueror offered a crown, and the Spolia Opima to Jupiter; then a facrifice was made to the God, and the conqueror was reconducted with the like ftate to his palace.

Tarquin, ever reftlefs, again prevailed on the Latins to efpoufe his caufe, who found means to foment tumults within the walls of the city. Many of the poorer citizens and difcontented flaves engaged in the confpiracy, but it was difcovered by Sulpicius one of the confuls, who put the citizens to the fword in the forum, and condemned the flaves to be whipt with rods, and crucified.

K 3

Not

Notwithstanding these fruitless attempts, Tarquin, affifted by his fon-in-law Manilius Octavius, entered into a general league with the people of Latium, and twenty-four cities declared war against the Romans. They had well-nigh fucceeded in their defign, by the critical fituation of the Roman people, who could procure no auxiliaries from abroad, and were but ill supported at home.

CHAP. XXIV,

Of the Dictator.-The Tribunes of the People.

HE diffentions about debts were a frequent fource of

Tagitation and diforder in the Roman fate. Ancient

practice permitted the creditor to feize the perfon of the infolvent debtor, to employ him in the meaneft drudgery, to load him with chains, and to retain him in flavery. This complication of misery and ignominy excited the murmurs of the poor; and when the confuls came to raise the levies, the people refused to enrol their names for the war. The fenate

endeavoured to fufpend the diffentions; but the people perfifted in their refusal to enlift, until they had obtained an abolition of debts. Meanwhile the enemy approached to the gates of Rome. The confuls could not interpose their authority to enforce obedience; becaufe, fince the Valerian law had paffed, every citizen condemned by a magiftrate had a right of appealing to the people.

To elude this law, and fave the commonwealth, the fenate had recourse to a temporary expedient, which, in extraordinary fituations, became afterwards a ftanding practice. The confuls proposed to refign their authority, and to nominate a fingle magiftrate, who should be invested with absolute power, and from whom there fhould be no appeal. To this the Plebeians confented, willing to give up their own power, for the fake of abridging that of the fenate. This fupreme magiftrate was named Dictator, and his office was to continue no longer than fix months. Lartius Flavius, one of the confuls, was appointed to this high office. The creation of a dictator frequently faved Rome; proved a remedy for the natural defects of a republican ftate, corrected its tardy motions, and gave it all the activity of monarchical, or even defpotical government,

The

The new Dictator, having foon appeafed the clamours of the multitude, prevailed on the Latins to fufpend the war, when a truce was agreed on for a year. He conducted himfelf with great dignity and wifdom, and refigned the dictatorial office before the end of fix months.

The late truce being expired, the Latins, by the inftigation of Tarquin, and his fons, again prepared for war, and appeared on the frontiers of the republic with an army of forty thoufand foot, and three thoufand horfe. The main body was commanded by Titus; his brother Sextus commanded the left; and Manilius, fon-in-law to Tarquin, the right. The Romans, upon this, appointed Pofthumius, one of their confuls, dictator, who advanced with all speed to oppofe this formidable army of the enemy, with a body of twenty-four thoufard foot, and three thousand horfe. The battle was fought near the lake Regillus about fourteen miles from Rome; and both fides behaved with great refolution and courage. At laft, however, the victory fell to the Romans, and the army of the Latins was entirely routed. The two fons of Tarquin, and Manilius his fon-in-law, were among the flain. Upon this bad fuccefs of their army, the enemy, in the most submiffive manner, fued for peace, and laid the blame of their late behaviour on the nobles. This was the laft war made in favour of Tarquin, who now, abandoned by all the neighbouring ftates, withdrew himself into Campania, and died at Cuma, in the ninetieth year of his age.

While Tarquin was alive, the fenate faw the neceffity of governing the people with fome moderation, as in the hour of oppreffion they might recal their ancient king to the throne, But, as foon as they were delivered from this terror, they made a wanton ufe of their authority, and carried into rigorous execution the odious law concerning debts. The people had frequently made their complaints and remonstrances; and, trufting to the faith of the fenate, had been often deceived.

There is a certain point, beyond which mankind will not bear oppreffion. Deceived fo often, the people had taken the laft refolution. They threatened to abandon the city; and, under the preffure of the moment, the violent pointed to the fword. The army deferted fecretly under the conduct of Sicinius Bellulus, and withdrew to a hill on the banks of the river Anio. Numbers followed them; and, although the gates of Rome were fhut, by orders from the fenate, the inhabitants fcaled the walls in the dead hour of the night; and,

in the morning, the Patricians faw, afar from the deferted city, the facred mountain covered with the Roman people.

The fenate was filled with confternation. What astonished them ftill more, was the order and difcipline of the new camp. They beheld no tumult nor violence, but a moderation which announced a well-concerted enterprize. Ten perfons of the greatest dignity and popularity in the fenate were invefted with plenary power to treat with the people. Menenius the conful, among other difcourfe, related to them the following fable: "Once upon a time, the members of the "human body, obferving that the belly did not toil as they "did, rebelled and refused the aliments neceffary for its fup"port. Upon this, the members grew weak in proportion "as the belly became infirm, and foon found the need they "had of it; because the belly firft received the nourishment, " and afterwards communicated it to the members." Thus, fays he, "as the fenate and people form but one and the fame "body, that will be destroyed by divifions, and supported by "concord."

The multitude were so pleased with this ftory, and the just application made of it to them by Menenius, that they were much difpofed to treat with the deputies.

An immediate affent was given to the abolition of debts. Inftructed by the paft, the people required fecurity for the future, and demanded magiftrates of their own, to guard their rights, and oppofe the decrees which might be hoftile to their interefts. They obtained them; and the tribunes of the people were created.

These new magiftrates were chofen annually by the people, from their own body. Five in number at the beginning, they were afterwards augmented to ten. Their doors ftood open night and day, to receive complaints. Seats were placed for them at the gates of the fenate-house, and they were called in to confirm or annul the decrees of the fenate. They demanded two inferior magiftrates, to aid them in their functions, and the Ædiles were chosen, whose business it was to fuperintend the public buildings, to regulate the weights and measures, and to see that the corn was not hoarded up, or the markets foreftalled.

From this period the Plebeians became an order in the republic.

The leaders of the fedition would not allow the people to feparate, before they had elected the new magiftrates, Lucius Junius and Sicinius Bellulus, were chofen; who immediately named themselves three colleagues. A law was alfo paffed

before

before they left the camp, whereby the perfons of the tribunes were declared facred; and to make this law perpetual, all the Romans were obliged to fwear, for themfelves and their pofterity, that they would inviolably obferve it. After thefe regulations, the people erected an altar to Jupiter the Terrible, and having confecrated the place of their retreat, which, from this time, was called the facred Mount, they followed the deputies of the fenate, and returned to the city.

CHAP. XXV.

Of the Banishment of Coriolanus, who goes over to the

THE

Volfci.

HE Romans being at war with the Volfci, the commons now readily enlifted themselves, under the conful Pofthumius; and Corioli, the metropolis of that nation, was befieged by Lartius. The befieged made a ftrong fally, and the Romans were drived back to their trenches. On this fuccefs of the enemy, Caius Marcus, a valiant patrician, withstood the enemy's whole force, and drove them back into the town. He followed them fo close, that he entered the gates with them, and let the Roman army into the city, and took it. The Volfci were fo terrified at this heroic action, that they fued for a peace; and Caius Marcus had the firname of Coriolanus given him, for his noble conduct.

About this time, the neglect of agriculture was the caufe of a great commotion at Rome. They fent to Sicily and other parts of Italy to buy grain; but the common people grew turbulent, and laid the blame of this fcarcity upon the Patricians. On the arrival of corn from Syracufe, difputes arofe between the patricians and tribunes, about the diftribution of it to the public,

Coriolanus, incenfed at the behaviour of the commons, advised the fenators "to keep up the price of the corn, and "deliver it out fparingly, and not to give encouragement to "the infolence of the tribunes and the rabble, but wholly to "fupprefs the tribunefhip, as the only way to remedy the "diforders of the ftate." This unguarded behaviour of Coriolanus gave great offence, and the multitude were ready to fall upon the whole fenate; but they were reftrained by the tribunes, who laid the blame on Coriolanus only:

they