only but many times, with the young men of Gabii, making war
against the Romans and plundering their country, and had always fared
well, putting the enemy to flight and' bringing back much spoil (and,
indeed, things were so ordered by the King that it should be so), the
people of Gabii were persuaded that he was dealing honestly with them,
and chose him to be the captain of their host. After this, when he found
that he could now do all things at his pleasure in Gabii, he sent a
messenger to the King his father, desiring to know what he would
have him do. To this messenger the King, doubting whether the man was
faithful, gave no answer by word of mouth, but rose up from his place
and walked in the garden that was by the palace, having the look of one
that took deep counsel with himself. And as he walked he smote off the
heads of the tallest poppies that were in the garden with a staff that
he had in his hand, but spake never a word. At the last, the messenger
being wearied out with the asking of a question to no purpose, departed,
thinking that he had now fulfilled his errand. And when he came to Gabii
he told to Sextus what he had seen; "only," he said, "the King your
father, whether for anger or for haughtiness, spake not one word." But
Sextus knew right well what his father would have him do. For he set
himself to overthrow the chief men of the city. Some he accused to
the people; and against some he took occasion of offence given to the
Commons. Some were put to death publicly, and others, to whose charge
nothing could be laid, were slain by secret violence. Others again were
suffered to go of their own accord into banishment; and the goods of
all, whether they were slain or banished, were divided amongst the
Commons; nor did these, being blinded by the desire of gain, perceive
what damage the State suffered, till Gabii, having lost all its rulers
and counsellors, fell into the hands of the Romans without so much as a
battle. By such means did King Tarquin increase his power.

Now there was at Rome in the days of Tarquin a noble youth, by name
Lucius Junius, who was akin to the house of Tarquin, seeing that his
mother was sister to the King. This man, seeing how the King sought
to destroy all the chief men in the State (and, indeed, the brother of
Lucius had been so slain), judged it well so to bear himself that there
should be nothing in him which the King should either covet or desire.
a prey; for which reason men