The Rubicon; Or, Historical Allusions Familiarized

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ones, made by any person who should happen to possess power. But do you suppose, Anne, that what suited one people would be sure to suit another ? These ambassadors went in such a manner as should give the world at large an idea of the power of Rome, and after a year's absence they brought back those laws which, afterwards, formed the ten tables, and, with the addition of two more, made the famous code called the laws of the twelve tables, of which there are some remains even to this day. When the ambassadors returned, ten of the principal senators were chosen to arrange these laws, their power was to be absolute, and to continue in force one year. These magistrates were called Decemviri. Because there were ten of them, Anne, interrupted Philip. The Decemviri agreed to exercise their power iu turns, one day at a time; and at first gave satisfaction to all parties, by their moderation. At the end of the year, pretending that there was still something more to arrange respecting the laws, they procured their reelection, and a second decemvirate was formed. They now threw off the mask, and becametyrants in every sense of the word: yet, as their power was only to continue in force another year, the people bore with their ill-treatment, hoping that it would soon be over. This, however, was not the intention of the Decemviri, for a design was formed by Appius, with the assistance of his colleagues, to retain their power for ever, without the consent of either senate or people. Sad, indeed, was the condition of the Romans, under these harsh masters. Many of the best men were either banished from the city, or left it voluntarily, unwilling to behold the misery of their countrymen. This lasted until the end of the year, when the Decemviri made a law, by which they continue...