Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
and they had been used to talk freely together about the
state. He, upon Cleomenes's desire, came to him, and spoke
to him in fair terms, softening down his suspicions and
excusing the king's conduct. But as he went out again, not
knowing that Cleomenes followed him to the door, he severely
reprimanded the keepers for their carelessness in looking
after "so great and so furious a wild beast." This Cleomenes
himself heard, and retiring before Ptolemy perceived it, told
his friends what had been said. Upon this they cast off all
their former hopes, and determined for violent proceedings,
resolving to be revenged on Ptolemy for his base and unjust
dealing, to have satisfaction for the affronts, to die as it
became Spartans, and not stay till, like fatted sacrifices,
they were butchered. For it was both grievous and
dishonorable for Cleomenes, who had scorned to come to terms
with Antigonus, a brave warrior, and a man of action, to wait
an effeminate king's leisure, till he should lay aside his
timbrel and end his dance, and then kill him.
These courses being resolved on, and Ptolemy happening at the
same time to make a progress to Canopus, they first spread
abroad a report, that his freedom was ordered by the king,
and, it being the custom for the king to send presents and an
entertainment to those whom he would free, Cleomenes's
friends made that provision, and sent it into the prison,
thus imposing upon the keepers, who thought it had been sent
by the king. For he sacrificed, and gave them large
portions, and with a garland upon his head, feasted and made
merry with his friends. It is said that he began the action
sooner than he designed, having understood that a servant who
was privy to the plot, had gone out to visit a mistress that
he loved. This made him afraid of a discovery; and
therefore, as soon as it was full noon, and all the keepers
sleeping off their wine, he put on his coat, and opening the
seam to bare his right shoulder, with his drawn sword in his
hand, he issued forth, together with his friends, provided in
the same manner, making thirteen in all. One of them, by
name Hippitas, was lame, and followed the first onset very
well, but when he presently perceived that they were more
slow in their advances for his sake, he desired them to run
him through, and not ruin their enterprise by staying for an
useless, unprofitable man. By chance an Alexandrian was then
riding by the door; him they threw off, and setting Hippitas
on horseback, ran through the streets, and proclaimed liberty
to the people. But they, it seems, had courage enough to
praise and admire Cleomenes's daring, but not one had the
heart to follow and assist him. Three of them fell on
Ptolemy, the son of Chrysermas, as he was coming out of the
palace, and killed him. Another Ptolemy, the officer in
charge of the city, advancing against them in a chariot, they
set upon, dispersed his guards and attendants, and pulling
him out of the chariot, killed him upon the place. Then they
made toward the castle, designing to break open the prison,
release those who were confined, and avail themselves of
their numbers; but the keepers were too quick for them, and
secured the passages. Being baffled in this attempt,
Cleomenes with his company roamed about the city, none
joining with him, but all retreating from and flying his
approach. Therefore, despairing of success, and saying to
his friends, that it was no wonder that women ruled over men
that were afraid of liberty, he bade them all die as bravely
as became his followers and their own past actions. This
said, Hippitas was first, as he desired, run through by one
of the younger men, and then each of them readily and
resolutely fell upon his own sword, except Panteus, the same
who first surprised Megalopolis. This man, being; of a very
handsome person, and a great lover of the Spartan discipline,
the king had made his dearest friend; and he now bade him,
when he had seen him and the rest fallen, die by their
example. Panteus walked over them as they lay, and pricked
everyone with his dagger, to try whether any was alive, when
he pricked Cleomenes in the ankle, and saw him turn upon his
back, he kissed him, sat down by him, and when he was quite
dead, covered up the body, and then killed himself over it.
Thus fell Cleomenes, after the life which we have narrated,
having been king of Sparta sixteen years. The news of their
fall being noised through the city, Cratesiclea, though a
woman of a great spirit, could not bear up against the weight
of this affliction; but embracing Cleomenes's children, broke
out into lamentations. But the eldest boy, none suspecting
such a spirit in a child, threw himself headlong from the top
of the house. He was bruised very much, but not killed by
the fall, and was taken up crying, and expressing his
resentment for not being permitted to destroy himself.
Ptolemy, as soon as an account of the action was brought him,
gave order that Cleomenes's body should be flayed and hung
up, and that his children, mother, and the women that were
with her, should be killed. Amongst these was Panteus's
wife, a beautiful and noble-looking woman, who had been but
lately married, and suffered these disasters in the height of
her love. Her parents would not have her embark with
Panteus, so shortly after they were married, though she
eagerly desired it, but shut her up, and kept her forcibly at
home. But a few days after, she procured a horse and a
little money, and escaping by night, made speed to Taenarus,
where she embarked for Egypt, came to her husband, and with
him cheerfully endured to live in a foreign country. She
gave her hand to Cratesiclea, as she was going with the
soldiers to execution, held up her robe, and begged her to be
courageous; who of herself was not in the least afraid of
death, and desired nothing else but only to be killed before
the children. When they were come to the place of execution,
the children were first killed before Cratesiclea's eyes, and
afterward she herself, with only these words in her mouth, "O
children, whither are you gone?" But Panteus's wife,
fastening her dress close about her, and being a strong
woman, in silence and perfect composure, looked after every
one that was slain, and laid them decently out as far as
circumstances would permit; and after all were killed,
rearraying her dress, and drawing her clothes close about
her, and suffering none to come near or be an eyewitness of
her fall, besides the executioner, she courageously submitted
to the stroke, and wanted nobody to look after her or wind
her up after she was dead. Thus in her death the modesty of
her mind appeared, and set that guard upon her body which she
always kept when alive. And she, in the declining age of the
Spartans, showed that women were no unequal rivals of the
men, and was an instance of a courage superior to the
affronts of fortune.
A few days after, those that watched the hanging body of
Cleomenes, saw a large snake winding about his head, and
covering his face, so that no bird of prey would fly at it.
This made the king superstitiously afraid, and set the women
upon several expiations, as if he had been some extraordinary
being, and one beloved by the gods, that had been slain. And
the Alexandrians made processions to the place, and gave
Cleomenes the title of hero, and son of the gods, till the
philosophers satisfied them by saying, that as oxen breed
bees, putrefying horses breed wasps, and beetles rise from
the carcasses of dead asses, so the humors and juices of the
marrow of a man's body, coagulating, produce serpents. And
this the ancients observing, appropriated a serpent, rather
than any other creature to heroes.
TIBERIUS GRACCHUS
Having completed the first two narratives, we now may proceed
to take a view of misfortunes, not less remarkable, in the
Roman couple, and with the lives of Agis and Cleomenes,
compare these of Tiberius and Caius. They were the sons of
Tiberius Gracchus, who, though he had been once censor, twice
consul, and twice had triumphed, yet was more renowned and
esteemed for his virtue than his honors. Upon this account,
after the death of Scipio who overthrew Hannibal, he was
thought worthy to match with his daughter Cornelia, though
there had been no friendship or familiarity between Scipio
and him, but rather the contrary. There is a story told,
that he once found in his bedchamber a couple of snakes, and
that the soothsayers, being consulted concerning the prodigy,
advised, that he should neither kill them both nor let them
both escape; adding, that if the male serpent was killed,
Tiberius should die, and if the female, Cornelia. And that,
therefore, Tiberius, who extremely loved his wife, and
thought, besides, that it was much more his part, who was an
old man, to die, than it was hers, who as yet was but a young
woman, killed the male serpent, and let the female escape;
and soon after himself died, leaving behind him twelve
children borne to him by Cornelia.
Cornelia, taking upon herself all the care of the household
and the education of her children, approved herself so
discreet a matron, so affectionate a mother, and so constant
and noble-spirited a widow, that Tiberius seemed to all men
to have done nothing unreasonable, in choosing to die for
such a woman; who, when king Ptolemy himself proffered her
his crown, and would have married her, refused it, and chose
rather to live a widow. In this state she continued, and
lost all her children, except one daughter, who was married
to Scipio the younger, and two sons, Tiberius and Caius,
whose lives we are now writing.
These she brought up with such care, that though they were
without dispute in natural endowments and dispositions the
first among the Romans of their time, yet they seemed to owe
their virtues even more to their education than to their
birth. And as, in the statues and pictures made of Castor
and Pollux, though the brothers resemble one another, yet
there is a difference to be perceived in their countenances,
between the one, who delighted in the cestus, and the other,
that was famous in the course, so between these two noble
youths, though there was a strong general likeness in their
common love of fortitude and temperance, in their liberality,
their eloquence, and their greatness of mind, yet in their
actions and administrations of public affairs, a considerable
variation showed itself. It will not be amiss, before we
proceed, to mark the difference between them.
Tiberius, in the form and expression of his countenance, and
in his gesture and motion, was gentle and composed; but
Caius, earnest and vehement. And so, in their public
speeches to the people, the one spoke in a quiet orderly
manner, standing throughout on the same spot; the other would
walk about on the hustings, and in the heat of his orations,
pull his gown off his shoulders, and was the first of all the
Romans that used such gestures; as Cleon is said to have been
the first orator among the Athenians that pulled off his
cloak and smote his thigh, when addressing the people.
Caius's oratory was impetuous and passionate, making
everything tell to the utmost, whereas Tiberius was gentle,
rather, and persuasive, awakening emotions of pity. His
diction was pure, and carefully correct, while that of Caius
was vehement and rich. So likewise in their way of living,
and at their tables, Tiberius was frugal and plain, Caius,
compared with other men temperate and even austere, but
contrasting with his brother in a fondness for new fashions
and rarities, as appears in Drusus's charge against him, that
he had bought some silver dolphins, to the value of twelve
hundred and fifty drachmas for every pound weight.