trary proceedings of the
Senate in the distribution of the provinces. Hitherto the Senate had
assigned the provinces to the Consuls after their election, and thus had
had it in their power to grant wealthy governments to their partisans,
or unprofitable ones to those opposed to them. It was now enacted that,
before the election of the Consuls, the Senate should determine the two
provinces which the Consuls should have; and that they should,
immediately after election, settle between themselves, by lot or
otherwise, which province each should take.

These laws raised the popularity of Caius still higher, and he became
for a time the absolute ruler of Rome. He was re-elected Tribune for the
following year (B.C. 122), though he did not offer himself as a
candidate. M. Fulvius Flaccus, who had been Consul in B.C. 125, was also
chosen as one of his colleagues. Flaccus, it will be recollected, had
proposed in his consulship to give the Roman franchise to the Italian
allies, and it was now determined to bring forward a similar measure.
Caius therefore brought in a bill conferring the citizenship upon all
the Latin colonies, and making the Italian allies occupy the position
which the Latins had previously held. This wise measure was equally
disliked in the forum and the Senate. Neither the influence nor the
eloquence of Gracchus could induce the people to view with satisfaction
the admission of the Italian allies to equal rights and privileges with
themselves. The Senate, perceiving that the popularity of Gracchus had
been somewhat shaken by this measure, employed his colleague, M. Living
Drusus--who was noble, well-educated, wealthy, and eloquent--to
undermine his influence with the people. With the sanction of the
Senate, Drusus now endeavored to outbid Gracchus. He played the part of
a demagogue in order to supplant the true friend of the people. He gave
to the Senate the credit of every popular law which he proposed, and
gradually impressed the people with the belief that the Nobles were
their best friends. Gracchus proposed to found two colonies at Tarentum
and Capua, and named among the founders some of the most respectable
citizens. Drusus introduced a law for establishing no fewer than twelve
colonies, and for settling 3000 poor citizens in each. Gracchus, in the
distribution of the public land, reserved a rent payable to the public
treasury. Drusus abolished even this payment. He also gained the
confidence of the peopl