seduce　the　people；　declaring　that　Tiberius　was　designing　a
  general　redivision　of　lands；　to　overthrow　the　government；　and
  put　all　things　into　confusion。
  But　they　had　no　success。　　For　Tiberius；　maintaining　an
  honorable　and　just　cause；　and　possessed　of　eloquence
  sufficient　to　have　made　a　less　creditable　action　appear
  plausible；　was　no　safe　or　easy　antagonist；　when；　with　the
  people　crowding　around　the　hustings；　he　took　his　place；　and
  spoke　in　behalf　of　the　poor。　　〃The　savage　beasts；〃　said　he；
  〃in　Italy；　have　their　particular　dens；　they　have　their　places
  of　repose　and　refuge；　but　the　men　who　bear　arms；　and　expose
  their　lives　for　the　safety　of　their　country；　enjoy　in　the
  meantime　nothing　more　in　it　but　the　air　and　light；　and
  having　no　houses　or　settlements　of　their　own；　are　constrained
  to　wander　from　place　to　place　with　their　wives　and　children。〃
  He　told　them　that　the　commanders　were　guilty　of　a　ridiculous
  error；　when；　at　the　head　of　their　armies；　they　exhorted　the
  common　soldiers　to　fight　for　their　sepulchres　and　altars；
  when　not　any　amongst　so　many　Romans　is　possessed　of　either
  altar　or　monument；　neither　have　they　any　houses　of　their　own；
  or　hearths　of　their　ancestors　to　defend。　　They　fought　indeed；
  and　were　slain；　but　it　was　to　maintain　the　luxury　and　the
  wealth　of　other　men。　　They　were　styled　the　masters　of　the
  world；　but　in　the　meantime　had　not　one　foot　of　ground　which
  they　could　call　their　own。　　A　harangue　of　this　nature；
  spoken　to　an　enthusiastic　and　sympathizing　audience；　by　a
  person　of　commanding　spirit　and　genuine　feeling；　no
  adversaries　at　that　time　were　competent　to　oppose。
  Forbearing；　therefore；　all　discussion　and　debate；　they
  addressed　themselves　to　Marcus　Octavius；　his　fellow…tribune；
  who；　being　a　young　man　of　a　steady；　orderly　character；　and　an
  intimate　friend　of　Tiberius；　upon　this　account　declined　at
  first　the　task　of　opposing　him；　but　at　length；　over…persuaded
  with　the　repeated　importunities　of　numerous　considerable
  persons；　he　was　prevailed　upon　to　do　so；　and　hindered　the
  passing　of　the　law；　it　being　the　rule　that　any　tribune　has　a
  power　to　hinder　an　act；　and　that　all　the　rest　can　effect
  nothing；　if　only　one　of　them　dissents。　　Tiberius；　irritated
  at　these　proceedings；　presently　laid　aside　this　milder　bill；
  but　at　the　same　time　preferred　another；　which；　as　it　was　more
  grateful　to　the　common　people；　so　it　was　much　more　severe
  against　the　wrongdoers；　commanding　them　to　make　an　immediate
  surrender　of　all　lands　which；　contrary　to　former　laws；　had
  come　into　their　possession。　　Hence　there　arose　daily
  contentions　between　him　and　Octavius　in　their　orations。
  However；　though　they　expressed　themselves　with　the　utmost
  heat　and　determination；　they　yet　were　never　known　to　descend
  to　any　personal　reproaches；　or　in　their　passion　to　let　slip
  any　indecent　expressions；　so　as　to　derogate　from　one　another。
  For　not　alone
  In　revelings　and　Bacchic　play；
  but　also　in　contentions　and　political　animosities；　a　noble
  nature　and　a　temperate　education　stay　and　compose　the　mind。
  Observing；　however；　that　Octavius　himself　was　an　offender
  against　this　law；　and　detained　a　great　quantity　of　ground
  from　the　commonalty；　Tiberius　desired　him　to　forbear　opposing
  him　any　further；　and　proffered；　for　the　public　good；　though
  he　himself　had　but　an　indifferent　estate；　to　pay　a　price　for
  Octavius's　share　at　his　own　cost　and　charges。　　But　upon　the
  refusal　of　this　proffer　by　Octavius；　he　then　interposed　an
  edict；　prohibiting　all　magistrates　to　exercise　their
  respective　functions；　till　such　time　as　the　law　was　either
  ratified　or　rejected　by　public　votes。　　He　further　sealed　up
  the　gates　of　Saturn's　temple；　so　that　the　treasurers　could
  neither　take　any　money　out　from　thence；　or　put　any　in。　　He
  threatened　to　impose　a　severe　fine　upon　those　of　the　praetors
  who　presumed　to　disobey　his　commands；　insomuch　that　all　the
  officers；　for　fear　of　this　penalty；　intermitted　the　exercise
  of　their　several　jurisdictions。　　Upon　this；　the　rich
  proprietors　put　themselves　into　mourning；　went　up　and　down
  melancholy　and　dejected；　they　entered　also　into　a　conspiracy
  against　Tiberius；　and　procured　men　to　murder　him；　so　that　he
  also；　with　all　men's　knowledge；　whenever　he　went　abroad；　took
  with　him　a　sword…staff；　such　as　robbers　use；　called　in　Latin
  a　dolo。
  When　the　day　appointed　was　come；　and　the　people　summoned　to
  give　their　votes；　the　rich　men　seized　upon　the　voting　urns；
  and　carried　them　away　by　force；　thus　all　things　were　in
  confusion。　　But　when　Tiberius's　party　appeared　strong　enough
  to　oppose　the　contrary　faction；　and　drew　together　in　a　body；
  with　the　resolution　to　do　so；　Manlius　and　Fulvius；　two　of　the
  consular　quality；　threw　themselves　before　Tiberius；　took　him
  by　the　hand；　and　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　begged　of　him　to
  desist。　　Tiberius；　considering　the　mischiefs　that　were　all
  but　now　occurring；　and　having　a　great　respect　for　two　such
  eminent　persons；　demanded　of　them　what　they　would　advise　him
  to　do。　　They　acknowledged　themselves　unfit　to　advise　in　a
  matter　of　so　great　importance；　but　earnestly　entreated　him　to
  leave　it　to　the　determination　of　the　senate。　　But　when　the
  senate　assembled；　and　could　not　bring　the　business　to　any
  result；　through　the　prevalence　of　the　rich　faction；　he　then
  was　driven　to　a　course　neither　legal　nor　fair；　and　proposed
  to　deprive　Octavius　of　his　tribuneship；　it　being　impossible
  for　him　in　any　other　way　to　get　the　law　brought　to　the　vote。
  At　first　he　addressed　him　publicly；　with　entreaties　couched
  in　the　kindest　terms；　and　taking　him　by　his　hands；　besought
  him；　that　now；　in　the　presence　of　all　the　people；　he　would
  take　this　opportunity　to　oblige　them；　in　granting　only　that
  request　which　was　in　itself　so　just　and　reasonable；　being　but
  a　small　recompense　in　regard　of　those　many　dangers　and
  hardships　which　they　had　undergone　for　the　public　safety。
  Octavius；　however；　would　by　no　means　be　persuaded　to
  compliance；　upon　which　Tiberius　declared　openly；　that　seeing
  they　two　were　united　in　the　same　office；　and　of　equal
  authority；　it　would　be　a　difficult　matter　to　compose　their
  difference　on　so　weighty　a　matter　without　a　civil　war；　and
  that　the　only　remedy　which　he　knew；　must　be　the　deposing　one
  of　them　from　their　office。　　He　desired；　therefore；　that
  Octavius　would　summon　the　people　to　pass　their　verdict　upon
  him　first；　averring　that　he　would　willingly　relinquish　his
  authority　if　the　citizens　desired　it。　　Octavius　refused；　and
  Tiberius　then　said　he　would　himself　put　to　the　people　the
  question　of　Octavius's　deposition；　if　upon　mature
  deliberation　he　did　not　alter　his　mind；　and　after　this
  declaration；　he　adjourned　the　assembly　till　the　next　day。
  When　the　people　were　met　together　again；　Tiberius　placed
  himself　in　the　rostra；　and　endeavored　a　second　time　to
  persuade　Octavius。　　But　all　being　to　no　purpose；　he　referred
  the　whole　matter　to　the　people；　calling　on　them　to　vote　at
  once；　whether　Octavius　should　be　deposed　or　not；　and　when
  seventeen　of　the　thirty…five　tribes　had　already　voted　against
  him；　and　there　wanted　only　the　votes　of　one　tribe　more　for
  his　final　deprivation；　Tiberius　put　a　short　stop　to　the
  proceedings；　and　once　more　renewed　his　importunities；　he
  embraced　and　kissed　him　before　all　the　assembly；　begging；
  with　all　the　earnestness　imaginable；　that　he　would　neither
  suffer　himself　to　incur　the　dishonor；　nor　him　to　be　reputed
  the　author　and　promoter　of　so　odious　a　measure。　　Octavius；　we
  are　told；　did　seem　a　little　softened　and　moved　with　these
  entreaties；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears；　and　he　continued
  silent　for　a　considerable　time。　　But　presently　looking
  towards　the　rich　men　and　proprietors　of　estates；　who　stood
  gathered　in　a　body　together；　partly　for　shame；　and　partly　for
  fear　of　disgracing　himself　with　them；　he　boldly　bade　Tiberius
  use　any　severity　he　pleased。　　The　law　for　his　deprivation
  being　thus　voted；　Tiberius　ordered　one　of　his　servants；　whom
  he　had　made　a　freeman；　to　remove　Octavius　from　the　rostra；
  employing　his　own　domestic　freed　servants　in　the　stead　of　the
  public　officers。　　And　it　made　the　action　seem　all　the　sadder；
  that　Octavius　was　dragged　out　in　such　an　ignominious　manner。
  The　people　immediately　assaulted　him；　whilst　the　rich　men　ran
  in　to　his　assistance。　　Octavius；　with　some　difficulty；　was
  snatched　away；　and　safely　conveyed　out　of　the　crowd；　though　a
  trusty　servant　of　his；　who　had　placed　himself　in　front　of　his
  master　that　he　might　assist　his　escape；　in　keeping　off　the
  multitude；　had　his　eyes　struck　out；　much　to　the　displeasure
  of　Tiberius；　who　ran　with　all　haste；　when　he　perceived　the
  disturbance；　to　appease　the　rioters。
  This　being　done；　the　law　concerning　the　lands　was　ratified
  and　confirmed；　and　three　commissioners　were　appointed；　to
  make　a　survey　of　the　grounds　and　see　the　same　equally
  divided。　　These　were　Tiberius　himself；　Claudius　Appius；　his
  father…in…law；　and　his　brother；　Ca