When, however, he rose to speak, the mob were awed to silence,
while the nobility, and those who had gained by the peace, made no
secret of their good will towards him, and of their intention to vote in
his favour. Under these circumstances, Tullus was unwilling to let him
speak, for he was a brilliant orator, and his former services far
outweighed his last offence. Indeed, the whole indictment was a proof of
how much they owed him, for they never could have thought themselves
wronged by not taking Rome, if Marcius had not brought them so near to
taking it. Tullus, therefore, thought that it would not do to wait, or
to trust to the mob, but he and the boldest of his accomplices, crying
out that the Volscians could not listen to the traitor, nor endure him
to play the despot over them by not laying down his command, rushed upon
him in a body and killed him, without any of the bystanders interfering
in his behalf. However, the most part of the nation was displeased at
this act, as was soon proved by the numbers who came from every city to
see his dead body, by the splendid funeral with which he was honoured,
and by the arms and trophies which were hung over his tomb, as that of a
brave man and a consummate general.
The Romans, when they heard of his death, made no sign of either honour
or anger towards him, except that they gave permission to the women, at
their request, to wear mourning for him for ten months, as if they were
each mourning for her father, her brother, or her son.
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