cord makes the temple of Concord.' That year
there was a famous vintage, and nearly two centuries afterwards there
was some wine which had been made at the time that Caius Gracchus
died. The wine, says the elder Pliny, tasted like and had the
consistency of bitterish honey. But the memory of the great tribune
has lasted longer than the wine, and will be honoured for ever by all
those who revere patriotism and admire genius. He for whom at the
last extremity friend and slave give their lives does not fall
ingloriously. Even for a life so noble such deaths are a sufficient
crown.

[Sidenote: The mother of the Gracchi.] The child of Caius did not long
survive him. The son of Tiberius died while a boy. Only Cornelia, the
worthy mother of the heroic brothers, remained. She could (according
to the purport of Plutarch's pathetic narrative) speak of them without
a sigh or tear; and those who concluded from this that her mind was
clouded by age or misfortune, were too dull themselves to comprehend
how a noble nature and noble training can support sorrow, for though
fate may often frustrate virtue, yet 'to bear is to conquer our fate.'

[Sidenote: Position of the nobles after the murder. Lex Maria.] The
nobles no doubt thought that, having got rid of Gracchus, they had
renewed their own lease of power. But they had only placed themselves
at the mercy of meaner men. The murderous scenes just related happened
in 121 B.C., and in 119 we read of a Lex Maria, the first law, that is
to say, promulgated by the destined scourge of the Roman aristocracy.
Every Roman could vote, and voted by ballot, and was eligible to
every office. The first law of Marius was to protect voters from the
solicitations of candidates for office. It is significant that the
nobles opposed it, though in the end it was carried. Stealthy intrigue
was now their safest weapon, but their power was tottering to its
fall. Too jealous of each other to submit to the supremacy of one, it
only remained for them to be overthrown by some leader of the popular
party, and the Republic was no more. Yet, as if smitten by judicial
blindness, they proceeded to hasten on their own ruin by reactionary
provocations to their opponents. [Sidenote: Gracchan laws remain in
force.] They dared not interfere with the corn law of Caius, for now
that every man had a vote, which he could give by ballot, they were
dependent on the suffrages of the mob. Neither dared they till
seventeen years