, reserved by far the
greatest share of the authority to themselves, and decorated their own
body with all the spoils of deposed monarchy. The centuries of the
people chose from among the senators, instead of a king, two annual
magistrates, whom they called CONSULS,[1] with power equal to that of
the regal, and with the same privileges and the same ensigns of
authority.

2. Brutus, the deliverer of his country, and Collati'nus, the husband
of Lucre'tia, were chosen the first consuls in Rome.

3. But this new republic, however, which seemed so grateful to the
people, had like to have been destroyed in its very commencement. A
party was formed in favour of Tarquin. Some young men of the principal
families in the state, who had been educated about the king, and had
shared in all the luxuries and pleasures of the court, undertook to
re-establish monarchy. 4. This party secretly increased every day; and
what may create surprise, the sons of Bru'tus himself, and the
Aqui'lii, the nephews of Collati'nus, were among the number, 5.
Tarquin, who was informed of these intrigues in his favour, sent
ambassadors from Etru'ria to Rome, under a pretence of reclaiming the
estates of the exiles; but, in reality, with a design to give spirit
to his faction. 6. The conspiracy was discovered by a slave who had
accidentally hid himself in the room where the conspirators used to
assemble. 7. Few situations could have been more terribly affecting
than that of Bru'tus: a father placed as a judge upon the life and
death of his own children, impelled by justice to condemn, and by
nature to spare them. 8. The young men pleaded nothing for themselves;
but, with conscious guilt, awaited their sentence in silence and
agony. 9. The other judges who were present felt all the pangs of
nature; Collati'nus wept, and Vale'rius could not repress his
sentiments of pity. Brutus, alone, seemed to have lost all the
softness of humanity; and, with a stern countenance and a tone of
voice that marked his gloomy resolution, demanded of his sons if they
could make any defence, to the crimes with which they had been
charged. This demand he made three several times; but receiving no
answer, he at length turned himself to the executioner: "Now," cried
he, "it is your part to perform the rest." 10. Thus saying, he again
resumed his seat with an air of determined majesty; nor could all the
sentiments of paternal pity, the imploring looks of the people, nor
yet the tea