POPLICOLA
  500　B。C。
  by　Plutarch
  translated　by　John　Dryden
  SUCH　was　Solon。　To　him　we　compare　Poplicola；　who　received　this　later
  title　from　the　Roman　people　for　his　merit；　as　a　noble　accession　to　his
  former　name；　Publius　Valerius。　He　descended　from　Valerius；　a　man
  amongst　the　early　citizens；　reputed　the　principal　reconciler　of　the
  differences　betwixt　the　Romans　and　Sabines；　and　one　that　was　most
  instrumental　in　persuading　their　kings　to　assent　to　peace　and　union。
  Thus　descended；　Publius　Valerius；　as　it　is　said；　whilst　Rome
  remained　under　its　kingly　government；　obtained　as　great　a　name　from
  his　eloquence　as　from　his　riches；　charitably　employing　the　one　in
  liberal　aid　to　the　poor；　the　other　with　integrity　and　freedom　in　the
  service　of　justice　thereby　giving　assurance；　that；　should　the
  government　fall　into　a　republic；　he　would　become　a　chief　man　in　the
  community。　The　illegal　and　wicked　accession　of　Tarquinius　Superbus
  to　the　crown；　with　his　making　it；　instead　of　kingly　rule；　the
  instrument　of　insolence　and　tyranny；　having　inspired　the　people　with　a
  hatred　to　his　reign；　upon　the　death　of　Lucretia　（she　killing　herself
  after　violence　had　been　done　to　her）；　they　took　an　occasion　of　revolt；
  and　Lucius　Brutus；　engaging　in　the　change；　came　to　Valerius　before　all
  others；　and；　with　his　zealous　assistance；　deposed　the　kings。　And
  whilst　the　people　inclined　towards　the　electing　one　leader　instead
  of　their　king；　Valerius　acquiesced；　that　to　rule　was　rather　Brutus's
  due；　as　the　author　of　the　democracy。　But　when　the　name　of　monarchy　was
  odious　to　the　people；　and　a　divided　power　appeared　more　grateful　in
  the　prospect；　and　two　were　chosen　to　hold　it；　Valerius；　entertaining
  hopes　that　he　might　be　elected　consul　with　Brutus；　was　disappointed；
  for；　instead　of　Valerius；　notwithstanding　the　endeavours　of　Brutus；
  Tarquinius　Collatinus　was　chosen；　the　husband　of　Lucretia；　a　man
  noways　his　superior　in　merit。　But　the　nobles　dreading　the　return　of
  their　kings；　who　still　used　all　endeavours　abroad　and　solicitations　at
  home；　were　resolved　upon　a　chieftain　of　an　intense　hatred　to　them；　and
  noways　likely　to　yield。
  Now　Valerius　was　troubled　that　his　desire　to　serve　his　country
  should　be　doubted；　because　he　had　sustained　no　private　injury　from　the
  insolence　of　the　tyrants。　He　withdrew　from　the　senate　and　practice
  of　the　bar；　quitting　all　public　concerns；　which　gave　an　occasion　of
  discourse；　and　fear；　too；　lest　his　anger　should　reconcile　him　to　the
  king's　side；　and　he　should　prove　the　ruin　of　the　state；　tottering　as
  yet　under　the　uncertainties　of　a　change。　But　Brutus　being　doubtful
  of　some　others；　and　determined　to　give　the　test　to　the　senate　upon　the
  altars；　upon　the　day　appointed　Valerius　came　with　cheerfulness　into
  the　forum；　and　was　the　first　man　that　took　the　oath；　in　no　way　to
  submit　or　yield　to　Tarquin's　propositions；　but　rigorously　to
  maintain　liberty；　which　gave　great　satisfaction　to　the　senate　and
  assurance　to　the　consuls；　his　action　soon　after　showing　the
  sincerity　of　his　oath。　For　ambassadors　came　from　Tarquin；　with　popular
  and　specious　proposals；　whereby　they　thought　to　seduce　the　people；
  as　though　the　king　had　cast　off　all　insolence；　and　made　moderation　the
  only　measure　of　his　desires。　To　this　embassy　the　consuls　thought　fit
  to　give　public　audience；　but　Valerius　opposed　it；　and　would　not　permit
  that　the　poorer　people；　who　entertained　more　fear　of　war　than　of
  tyranny；　should　have　any　occasion　offered　them；　or　any　temptations
  to　new　designs。　Afterwards　other　ambassadors　arrived；　who　declared
  their　king　would　recede　from　his　crown；　and　lay　down　his　arms；　only
  capitulating　for　a　restitution　to　himself；　his　friends；　and　allies；　of
  their　moneys　and　estates　to　support　them　in　their　banishment。　Now；
  several　inclining　to　the　request；　and　Collatinus　in　particular
  favouring　it；　Brutus；　a　man　of　vehement　and　unbending　nature；　rushed
  into　the　forum；　there　proclaiming　his　fellow…consul　to　be　a　traitor；
  in　granting　subsidies　to　tyranny；　and　supplies　for　a　war　to　those　to
  whom　it　was　monstrous　to　allow　so　much　as　subsistence　in　exile。　This
  caused　an　assembly　of　the　citizens；　amongst　whom　the　first　that
  spake　was　Caius　Minucius；　a　private　man；　who　advised　Brutus；　and　urged
  the　Romans　to　keep　the　property；　and　employ　it　against　the　tyrants；
  rather　than　to　remit　it　to　the　tyrants；　to　be　used　against　themselves。
  The　Romans；　however；　decided　that　whilst　they　had　enjoyed　the
  liberty　they　had　fought　for；　they　should　not　sacrifice　peace　for　the
  sake　of　money；　but　send　out　the　tyrants'　property　after　them。　This
  question；　however；　of　his　property　was　the　least　part　of　Tarquin's
  design；　the　demand　sounded　the　feelings　of　the　people；　and　was
  preparatory　to　a　conspiracy　which　the　ambassadors　endeavoured　to
  excite；　delaying　their　return；　under　pretence　of　selling　some　of　the
  goods　and　reserving　others　to　be　sent　away；　till；　in　fine；　they
  corrupted　two　of　the　most　eminent　families　in　Rome；　the　Aquillian；
  which　had　three；　and　the　Vitellian；　which　had　two　senators。　These
  all　were；　by　the　mother's　side；　nephews　to　Collatinus；　besides　which
  Brutus　had　a　special　alliance　to　the　Vitellii　from　his　marriage　with
  their　sister；　by　whom　he　had　several　children；　two　of　whom；　of　their
  own　age；　their　near　relations　and　daily　companions；　the　Vitellii
  seduced　to　join　in　the　plot；　to　ally　themselves　to　the　great　house　and
  royal　hopes　of　the　Tarquins；　and　gain　emancipation　from　the　violence
  and　imbecility　united　of　their　father；　whose　austerity　to　offenders
  they　termed　violence；　while　the　imbecility　which　he　had　long
  feigned；　to　protect　himself　from　the　tyrants；　still；　it　appears；
  was；　in　name　at　least；　ascribed　to　him。　When　upon　these　inducements
  the　youths　came　to　confer　with　the　Aquillii；　and　thought　it　convenient
  to　bind　themselves　in　a　solemn　and　dreadful　oath；　by　tasting　the　blood
  of　a　murdered　man；　and　touching　his　entrails。　For　which　design　they
  met　at　the　house　of　the　Aquillii。　The　building　chosen　for　the
  transaction　was；　as　was　natural；　dark　and　unfrequented；　and　a　slave
  named　Vindicius　had；　as　it　chanced；　concealed　himself　there；　not　out
  of　design　or　any　intelligence　of　the　affair；　but；　accidentally　being
  within；　seeing　with　how　much　haste　and　concern　they　came　in；　he　was
  afraid　to　be　discovered；　and　placed　himself　behind　a　chest；　where　he
  was　able　to　observe　their　actions　and　overhear　their　debates。　Their
  resolutions　were　to　kill　the　consuls；　and　they　wrote　letters　to
  Tarquin　to　this　effect；　and　gave　them　to　the　ambassadors；　who　were
  lodging　upon　the　spot　with　the　Aquillii；　and　were　present　at　the
  consultation。
  Upon　their　departure；　Vindicius　secretly　quitted　the　house；　but
  was　at　a　loss　what　to　do　in　the　matter；　for　to　arraign　the　sons　before
  the　father　Brutus；　or　the　nephews　before　the　uncle　Collatinus；
  seemed　equally　（as　indeed　it　was）　shocking；　yet　he　knew　no　private
  Roman　to　whom　he　could　intrust　secrets　of　such　importance。　Unable；
  however；　to　keep　silence；　and　burdened　with　his　knowledge；　he　went　and
  addressed　himself　to　Valerius；　whose　known　freedom　and　kindness　of
  temper　were　an　inducement；　as　he　was　a　person　to　whom　the　needy　had
  easy　access；　and　who　never　shut　his　gates　against　the　petitions　or
  indigences　of　humble　people。　But　when　Vindicius　came　and　made　a
  complete　discovery　to　him；　his　brother　Marcus　and　his　own　wife　being
  present；　Valerius　was　struck　with　amazement；　and　by　no　means　would
  dismiss　the　discoverer；　but　confined　him　to　the　room；　and　placed　his
  wife　as　a　guard　to　the　door；　sending　his　brother　in　the　interim　to
  beset　the　king's　palace；　and　seize；　if　possible；　the　writings　there；
  and　secure　the　domestics；　whilst　he；　with　his　constant　attendance　of
  clients　and　friends；　and　a　great　retinue　of　attendants；　repaired　to
  the　house　of　the　Aquillii；　who　were；　as　it　chanced；　absent　from
  home；　and　so；　forcing　an　entrance　through　the　gates；　they　lit　upon　the
  letters　then　lying　in　the　lodgings　of　the　ambassadors。　Meantime　the
  Aquillii　returned　in　all　haste；　and；　coming　to　blows　about　the　gate；
  endeavoured　a　recovery　of　the　letters。　The　other　party　made　a
  resistance；　and　throwing　their　gowns　around　their　opponents'　necks；　at
  last；　after　much　struggling　on　both　sides；　made　their　way　with　them
  their　prisoners　through　the　streets　into　the　forum。　The　like
  engagement　happened　about　the　king's　palace；　where　Marcus　seized
  some　other　letters　which　it　was　designed　should　be　conveyed　away　in
  the　goods；　and；　laying　hands　on　such　of　the　king's　people　as　he
  could　find；　dragged　them　also　into　the　forum。　When　the　consuls　had
  quieted　the　tumult；　Vindicius　was　brought　out　by　the　orders　of
  Valerius；　and　the　accusation　stated；　and　the　letters　were　opened；　to
  which　the　traitors　could　make　no　plea。　Most　of　the　people　standing
  mute　and　sorrowful；　some　only；　out　of　kindness　to　Brutus；　mentioning
  banishment；　the　tears　of　Collatinus；　attended　with　Valerius's　silence；
  gave　some　hopes　of　mercy。　But　Brutus；　calling　his　two　sons　by　their
  names；　〃Canst　not　thou；〃　said　he；　〃O　Titus；　or　thou；　Tiberius；　make
  any　defence　against　the　indictment