se upon Agesilaus, a
second-rate man, while he is curt and ill-tempered concerning
Epaminondas, the real genius of the age. It is more than likely that he
has colored his own part in the famous "Retreat," in glowing colors.
His hereditary instincts lead him to approve of autocrats as against
republics, Spartan discipline as against Attic freedom. Yet in himself
he has shown a striking example how the latter could appreciate and
embrace the former. As the simplest specimen of pure Attic prose he will
ever be paramount in schools, neglected in universities--the recreation
rather than the occupation of mature scholars. He is a great worthy, a
man of renown; "nevertheless, he did not attain unto the first
three"--the two masters of his own day, and the colossal Demosthenes.

[Signature: J. Pentland Mahaffy.]

THE GRACCHI

Extracts from "Caesar, a Sketch," by JAMES ANTHONY FROUDE, LL.D.
(164-133, 153-121 B.C.)

[Illustration: The Gracchi.]

Tiberius Gracchus was born about the year 164 B.C. He was one of twelve
children, nine of whom died in infancy, himself, his brother Caius, and
his sister Cornelia being the only survivors. His family was plebeian,
but of high antiquity, his ancestors for several generations having held
the highest offices in the Republic. On the mother's side he was the
grandson of Scipio Africanus. His father, after a distinguished career
as a soldier in Spain and Sardinia, had attempted reforms at Rome. He
had been censor, and in this capacity he had ejected disreputable
senators from the Curia; he had degraded offending Equites; he had
rearranged and tried to purify the Comitia. But his connections were
aristocratic. His wife was the daughter of the most famous of them,
Scipio Africanus the Younger. He had been himself in antagonism with the
tribunes, and had taken no part, at any time, in popular agitations.

[Illustration: The Mother of the Gracchi.]

The father died when Tiberius was still a boy, and the two brothers grew
up under the care of their mother, a noble and gifted lady. They early
displayed remarkable talents. Tiberius, when old enough, went into the
army, and served under his brother-in-law in the last Carthaginian
campaign. He was first on the walls of the city in the final storm. Ten
years later he went to Spain as quaestor, when he carried on his father's
popularity, and by taking the people's side in some questions, fell into
disagreement with his brother-in-law. His