to deprecate the dangers impending over
that man, whose vices he had shunned, now clad in a mourning garment,
with the members of his family and his clients, went about the forum,
and solicited the interest of the citizens individually, "That they
would not cast such a stain on the Claudian family, as to consider them
deserving of imprisonment and chains; that a man whose image would be
most highly honoured with posterity, the framer of their laws and the
founder of Roman jurisprudence, lay in chains amongst nightly thieves
and robbers. (He begged) that they would turn away their minds from
resentment for a while to examination and reflection; and rather pardon
one at the intercession of so many members of the Claudian family, than
through a hatred of one spurn the entreaties of many; that he himself
also paid this tribute to the family and the name; nor had he been
reconciled to him, whose unfortunate situation he wished to relieve;
that by fortitude liberty had been recovered; by clemency the harmony of
the several orders might be established." Some there were whom he
influenced more by his warm attachment to his family than for the sake
of him for whom he interceded. But Virginius begged that "they would
rather pity him and his daughter; and that they would listen to the
entreaties, not of the Claudian family, which had assumed a sort of
sovereignty over the commons, but those of the near friends of Virginia
and of the three tribunes; who having been created for the aid of the
commons, were now themselves imploring the protection and aid of the
commons." These tears appeared more just. Accordingly, all hope being
cut off, Appius put a period to his life, before the day arrived
appointed for his trial. Soon after, Spurius Oppius, the next object of
public indignation, as having been in the city when the unjust decision
was given by his colleague, was arraigned by Publius Numitorius.
However, an act of injustice committed by Oppius brought more odium on
him, than the not preventing one (in the case of Appius). A witness was
brought forward, who, after reckoning up twenty campaigns, after having
been particularly honoured eight different times, and wearing these
honours in the sight of the Roman people, tore open his garment and
exhibited his back torn with stripes, asking no other conditions but
"that, if the accused could name any one guilty act of his, he might,
though a private individual, once more repeat his severit