the badges of his miseries on him.
His clothes were all over squalid, the figure of his body still more
shocking, being pale and emaciated. In addition, a long beard and hair
had impressed a savage wildness on his countenance; in such wretchedness
he was known notwithstanding, and they said that he had been a
centurion, and compassionating him they mentioned openly other
distinctions (obtained) in the service: he himself exhibited scars on
his breast, testimonies of honourable battles in several places. To
persons repeatedly inquiring, whence that garb, whence that ghastly
appearance of body, (the multitude having now assembled around him
almost like a popular assembly,) he says, "that whilst serving in the
Sabine war, because he had not only been deprived of the produce of his
land in consequence of the depredations of the enemy, but also his
residence had been burned down, all his effects pillaged, his cattle
driven off, a tax imposed on him at a time very distressing to him, he
had incurred debt; that this debt, aggravated by usury, had stripped
him first of his father's and grandfather's farm, then of his other
property; lastly that a pestilence, as it were, had reached his person.
That he was taken by his creditor, not into servitude, but into a house
of correction and a place of execution." He then showed his back
disfigured with the marks of stripes still recent. At the hearing and
seeing of this a great uproar takes place. The tumult is now no longer
confined to the forum, but spreads through the entire city. Those who
were confined for debt, and those who were now at their liberty, hurry
into the streets from all quarters and implore the protection of the
people. In no place is there wanting a voluntary associate of sedition.
They run through all the streets in crowds to the forum with loud
shouts. Such of the senators as happened to be in the forum, fell in
with this mob with great peril to themselves; nor would they have
refrained from violence, had not the consuls, P. Servilius and Ap.
Claudius, hastily interfered to quell the disturbance. The multitude
turning towards them, and showing their chains and other marks of
wretchedness, said that they deserved all this, taunting them (the
consuls) each with the military services performed by himself, one in
one place, and another in another. They require them with menaces,
rather than as suppliants, to assemble the senate, and stand round the
senate-house in a bo