Thus far the contest had been lawful, but at this juncture Graechns, irritated by continued opposition, invited Octavius to propose his (Graechus's) ejection from the office of tribune, and on his refusal, pleading the utter uselessness of two men so different holding the same office, he put the question to the tribes, that Octavius be ejected. When the first seventeen out of the thirty.&ve tribes had voted for it, Gracchus again implored him to resign, and on his entreaty proving unsuccessful, polled another tribe, coustituting a majority, and sent his officers to drag Oetavius down from the tribune's chair. The Agrarian law was forthwith passed, and Gracchus himself, his brother Caius, and his father-in-law Appius Claudius, were appointed the commissioners ; but the senate, to show their opiuion of the whole proceeding, withheld from him the usual allowance of a public officer, giving him only about one shilling a day. While things were iu this state, Attains, king of Pergamus, bequeathed his dominions and treasure to the Roman people ; and to enhance his own popularity, Gracebusproposed to divide the treasure among the recipients of land under the new law, to enable them to stock their farms, aud to commit the mauagernent of the kingdom of Pergamus to the popular assembly.
This brought matters to a greater pitch of distrust than ever. Gracchus was accused by one senator of aspiring to tyranny, and by another of having violated the sanctity of the tribune's office in deposing Octavius. On this point Gracchus strove to justify himself
before tee people, but his opponent seems to have gained an Advantage so great as to induce him to postpone the assembly. When at last he did make his defence, it rested, if Plutarch is correct, on false nnalogies, and ou blinking the questiou of the inviolability of a public officer.
At this juncture Graechus seems to have trembled for that popu larity which alone preserved him front impeachment; and, lest it should fail, endeavoured to secure his own re-electiou to the office of tribune. The other party had demurred as to his eligibility to the office two years in successiou, and on the day of electiou this point occupied the assembly till nightfall. Next morning, accompanied by a crowd of partisans, he went to the capitol ; aud ou hearing that the senate bad determined to oppose him by force, armed his followers with staves, and prepared to clear the capitol At this juncture, Scipio Nasica, having in vain called on the consul to take measures for the safety of the state, issued from the Temple of Faith, where the senate had assembled, followed by the whole nobility of Rome, awed the mob into flight, seized their weapons, and attacked all who fell in their way. About three hundred fell, and among the slain was Gracchus, who was killed by repeated blows on the head, n.e. 133.