Read Online Ancient Rome: An Introductory History by Paul A. Zoch - Free Book Online
Authors: Paul A. Zoch
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still was the condition of his body, pale and racked by disease. What's more, a long unkempt beard and hair made his face look like an animal's. He was nonetheless recognized, despite the change from what he had once been, and the people said that he had once been a centurion [in charge of 100 soldiers and roughly equivalent to a sergeant in the U.S. army]. Pitying him, they talked about his other awards for valor. He himself showed his proof of honorable battlesthe wounds on his chest, a wound for each battle. To their asking why he had deteriorated so, he responded (now a great crowd had congregated, as if an assembly had been called) that while fighting in the Sabine war, he had not only lost his year's crop after the destruction of his farm, but also his cottage had been burned down, all his possessions stolen, and his flocks driven off; on top of that, taxes were levied during those hard times, forcing him to borrow money.
After interest was added to other losses, he finally lost the farm that his ancestors had worked, and then he lost everything else. After that, destruction came to his body like a disease; he was taken by his creditors not to slavery but to a workhouse and to the executioner. Then he showed his back, scarred with recent lashes of the whip. (Livy II.23.2-7)
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The plebeians began to clamor for a change, but the senators and consuls could not agree how to alleviate their distress. During the deliberations, news came that the Volsci were marching on Romenews that is said to have caused the common people to cheer and to encourage each other not to fight. They preferred that the city should perish rather than that the patricians should continue ruling them. The consul Servilius then issued an edict making it illegal to put a Roman citizen into chains or into prison for debt, thus keeping him from serving in the army; to seize or sell the property of any soldier on active service; or to interfere with his children or grandchildren. The Romans then conquered the Volsci.
The problem was still not solved. Servilius could accomplish very little against the opposition not only of the Senatemany of whom were allied to the creditorsbut also of the other consul, Appius Claudius, who allowed creditors to put debtors in chains and in prison. Groups of citizens ganged up to protect fellow citizens who were about to be arrested, and beat back the lictors sent to make the arrest.
The Plebeians Secede; Tribuni Plebis Created
Finally, the common people decided to secede from Rome. With their weapons and provisions they encamped on the Sacred Mount, outside the city. Rome was surrounded by enemies, who were constantly looking to attack, so the city was vulnerable with most of its soldiers settling on the Sacred Mount. The Senate then sent Menenius Agrippa to speak with them, for they did not hate him as much as they hated the other senators. He gave this speech:
''Once upon a time, the parts of the body did not have one mind, as they now do, but each part had its own mind and its own voice. The parts of the body were indignant that by their work, slavery, and diligence, everything was sought for the stomach. The stomach, at rest in the middle, did nothing but enjoy the pleasures given it by the others. So they swore an oath that the hands would not carry food to the mouth, that the mouth would not receive the food that was given, and that the teeth would not chew the food that they had received. While they wanted to subdue the stomach by hunger, the members themselves and the whole body all at
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the same time wasted away to nothing, all on acccount of their destructive anger. Consequently it became clear that it was not simply slavery to the stomach, and that the stomach was no more being fed than it was feeding, giving back to all the parts of the body the blood, equally divided between the veins, that it had made from the digested food; and that blood gives us existence and good health." (Livy
After interest was added to other losses, he finally lost the farm that his ancestors had worked, and then he lost everything else. After that, destruction came to his body like a disease; he was taken by his creditors not to slavery but to a workhouse and to the executioner. Then he showed his back, scarred with recent lashes of the whip. (Livy II.23.2-7)
Page 52
The plebeians began to clamor for a change, but the senators and consuls could not agree how to alleviate their distress. During the deliberations, news came that the Volsci were marching on Romenews that is said to have caused the common people to cheer and to encourage each other not to fight. They preferred that the city should perish rather than that the patricians should continue ruling them. The consul Servilius then issued an edict making it illegal to put a Roman citizen into chains or into prison for debt, thus keeping him from serving in the army; to seize or sell the property of any soldier on active service; or to interfere with his children or grandchildren. The Romans then conquered the Volsci.
The problem was still not solved. Servilius could accomplish very little against the opposition not only of the Senatemany of whom were allied to the creditorsbut also of the other consul, Appius Claudius, who allowed creditors to put debtors in chains and in prison. Groups of citizens ganged up to protect fellow citizens who were about to be arrested, and beat back the lictors sent to make the arrest.
The Plebeians Secede; Tribuni Plebis Created
Finally, the common people decided to secede from Rome. With their weapons and provisions they encamped on the Sacred Mount, outside the city. Rome was surrounded by enemies, who were constantly looking to attack, so the city was vulnerable with most of its soldiers settling on the Sacred Mount. The Senate then sent Menenius Agrippa to speak with them, for they did not hate him as much as they hated the other senators. He gave this speech:
''Once upon a time, the parts of the body did not have one mind, as they now do, but each part had its own mind and its own voice. The parts of the body were indignant that by their work, slavery, and diligence, everything was sought for the stomach. The stomach, at rest in the middle, did nothing but enjoy the pleasures given it by the others. So they swore an oath that the hands would not carry food to the mouth, that the mouth would not receive the food that was given, and that the teeth would not chew the food that they had received. While they wanted to subdue the stomach by hunger, the members themselves and the whole body all at
Page 53
the same time wasted away to nothing, all on acccount of their destructive anger. Consequently it became clear that it was not simply slavery to the stomach, and that the stomach was no more being fed than it was feeding, giving back to all the parts of the body the blood, equally divided between the veins, that it had made from the digested food; and that blood gives us existence and good health." (Livy
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