Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 18, RHI-SCR

Rome.
ROM [ 134
the laft meafures for the execution of the enterprife. In
Rome.
79
the mean time he ufed all proper means to fecure the
city, and ordered the Roman knights to hold themfelves
ready, in the houfes adjoining to the forum, to execute
the orders they fhould receive. The confpirators met
at the time and place appointed by the two Tarquins ;
and the knights, upon a fignal agreed on beforehand,
ir.vefled the forum, and blocked up all the avenues to it
fo clofely. that it was impoffible for any of the confpira¬
tors to make their efcape. As foon as it was light, the
two confuls appeared with a Among guard on the tribu¬
nal ; for Sulpitius had fent to his colleague Manius, who
was befieging Fidense, defiring him to hafien to the city
with a chofen body of troops. The people were con¬
vened bv curiae, and acquainted with the confpiracy
which had been formed againfi the common liberty.
The accufed were allowed to make their defence, if
they had any thing to offer againA the evidence ; but
not one of them denying the fa6t, the confuls repaired
to the fenate, where fentence of death was pronounced
againA the confpirators, in cafe the people, approved it.
The confpi- This decree of the fenate being read to and approved
nifhed^U~ Pe°ple were ordered to retire, and
the confpirators were delivered up to the foldiers, who
put them all to the fword. The peace of Rome was
thought fufficiently fecured by this Aroke of feverity 5
and therefore, though all the confpirators rvere not pu-
nifired with death, it was judged proper not to make
any further inquiries. The two informers were reward¬
ed with all the privileges of Roman citizens, 100,000
afes, and 20 acres of land. Three fedival-days were
appointed for expiations, facrifices, and public games,
by way of thankfgiving to the gods. But the general
joy was difiurbed by a melancholy accident; as the peo¬
ple were conducing Manius Tullius the conful from the
circus to hi« houfe, he fell from his chariot, and died
three days after.
The city of Fidenae w7as not yet reduced : it held
out during the following confulAiip of T. AEbutius and
P. Veturius •, but was taken the next year by T. Lar-
tius, who, together with Q. Claelius, was raifed to the
confular dignity. The Latins, enraged at the lofs of
this town, began to complain of their leading men *,
which opportunity Tarquin and Mamilius improved fo
far, as to make all the Latin cities, 24 in number, enter
into an alliance againA Rome, and to bind themfelves
by oath never to violate t-heir engagements. The La¬
tins made vafi preparations, as did like wife the Romans 5
but the latter could procure no afiiAance from their
neighbours. As the Latin nation was much fuperior
tc them in Arength, they fent deputies to folicit fuc-
cours from the feveral Aates with which they were fur-
rounded : but their negociations proved every where
unfuccefsful •, and, what was worfe than all, the republic
had rebellious Ions in her own bofom, who refufed to
lend their aid in defence of their country. The poorer
fort of people and the debtors, refufed to take the mili¬
tary oaths, or to ferve ; alleging their poverty, and the
fruitlefs hazards they ran in fighting for the defence of
a city, where they were oppreffed and enflaved by their
creditors. This fpirit of mutinv fpread among the in¬
ferior claffes. moA of them refufing to lid themfelves,
unlefs their debts were all remitted by a decree of the
fenate *, nay, they began to talk of leaving the city, and
fettling elfewhere.
80
Difturban-
ces at
Rome.
] ROM
The fenate, apprehending a general infurre£txon, af-
fembled to deliberate on the means of quieting thofe
domefiic troubles. Some were for a free remiflion of
all debts, as the fafeA expedient at that juncture; others
urged the dangerous confequences of fuch a condefcen-
fion, advifing them to HA fuch only as were willing to
ferve, not doubting but thofe who refufed their af-
fiAance would offer it of their own accord when it was
no longer defined. Several other expedients were pro-
pofed : but at length this prevailed ; to wit, that all
aftions for debt* Atould be fufpended till the conclufion
of the war with the Latins. But this the indigent
debtors thought only a fufpenfion of their mifery 5 and
therefore it had not the intended effect on the minds
of the unruly multitude. The fenate ‘might indeed
have profecuted the ringleaders of the fedition •, but
the law of Poplicola, called the Vu/erian /aiv, which
allowed appeals to the affembly ot the people, was a
protection for the feditious, who were fure of being
acquitted by the accomplices of their rebellion. The
fenate, therefore, to elude the effeCt of a privilege that
put fuch a reAraint upon their pourer, refolved to create
one fupreme magiArate, who, with the title of diclator,
Arnold have an abfolute power for a time : but as this
could not be done without Ariking at the law of Po-
plicnla, and transferring the power of the people in cri¬
minal cafes to a magiArate fuperior to all laws, it was
neceffary to life artifice, in order to obtain the confent
of the curia?. They therefore reprefented to them in
a public affembly, that, in fo difficult a conjuncture*
when they had their domefiic quarrels to decide, and
at the fame time a powerful enemy to repulfe, it would
be expedient to put the commonwealth under a fingle
governor, who, fuperior to the eonfuls themfelves, Aiould created.
be the arbiter of the laws, and as it were the father of
his country \ that his power Aiould have no limits : but,
however, left he Aiould abufe it, they ought not to truft
him with it above fix months.
The people, not forefeeing the confequences of this
change, agreed to it ; but the greateA difficulty was to
find a man duly qualified in all refpeds for fo great a
truA. T. Lartius, one of the confuls, feemed to be
of all men the moA unexceptionable ; but the fenate,
fearing to offend his colleague by an invidious prefe¬
rence, gave the confuls the power of choofing a dicta¬
tor, and obliged them to name one of themfelves, no
doubting but Cloelius would yield to the fuperior ta¬
lents of his colleague : nor were they difappointed in
their expectations. But Lartius, with the fame readi-
nefs, named Cleelius ; and the only conteA was, which
of the two fhould raife the other to the fupreme autho¬
rity. Each perfiAed obAinately in remitting the dig¬
nity to his colleague, till Cloelius, Aarting up on a hid¬
den, abdicated the confulAiip, and, after the manner
of an interrex, proclaimed Titus Lartius dictator, who
thereupon was obliged to take upon him the govern¬
ment of the republic.
Lartius indeed took as much Aate upon him, after he He choofej
had entered upon his office, as he had fhoivn modefiy in a general
refufing it. He began by creating, without the partici-ot h01*-
pation either of the fenate or people, a general of the Ro¬
man horfe ; an office which lafied only during the diCta-
torfhip, and which all fubfequent dictators revived imme¬
diately after their eleCtion. Sp. Caffms, formerly conful,
and honoured with a triumph, was the perfon he advan¬
ced
Sr
A dictator
S3