Minutius, an active and prudent man, immediately sent his agents
into the neighbouring countries to buy corn; but little, however was
procured, as Maelius had been beforehand with him. (Liv. l. iv. c. 13,
14.)
[5] The guilt of Mae'lius was never proved, and no arms were found when
his house was searched. The charge of aiming at royalty is more than
absurd; it is morally impossible. He seems to have aimed at opening
the higher offices of state to the plebeians, and to have looked upon
the consulship with too eager desire. He fell a sacrifice, to deter
the plebeians from aiming at breaking up a patrician monopoly of
power. It is painful to see Cincinna'tus, at the close of a long and
illustrious life, countenancing, if not suggesting this wanton murder.
But, as Niebuhr remarks, "no where have characters been more cruel, no
where has the voice of conscience against the views of faction been so
defied, as in the aristocratic republics, and not those of antiquity
only. Men, otherwise of spotless conduct, have frequently shed the
purest and noblest blood, influenced by fanaticism, and often without
any resentment, in the service of party.
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