2. Thus guarded, and conscious of the
superiority of his forces, he insulted Gracchus whereever he met him,
doing all in his power to produce a quarrel, in which he might have a
pretence for despatching his enemy in the fray. 3. Gracchus avoided
all recrimination, and, as if apprised of the consul's designs, would
not even wear any arms for his defence. 4. His friend Ful'vius
Flaccus, however, a zealous tribune, was not so remiss, but resolved
to oppose party against party, and for this purpose brought up several
countrymen to Rome, who came under pretence of desiring
employment. 5. When the day for determining the controversy was
arrived, the two parties, early in the morning, attended at the
Capitol, where, while the consul was sacrificing, according to custom,
one of the lictors taking up the entrails of the beast that was slain
in order to remove them, could not forbear crying out to Flac'cus and
his party, "Make way, ye factious citizens, for honest men." 6. This
insult so provoked, the party to whom it was addressed, that they
instantly fell upon him, and pierced him to death with the instruments
they used in writing, which they then happened to have in their hands.
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