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When Lysanias was archon in Athens, the Romans again chose ten men as lawmakers: Appius Clodius, Marcus Cornelius, Lucius Minucius, Gaius Sergius, Quintus Publius, Manius Rabuleius, and Spurius Veturius.2 [2] These men, however, were not able to complete the codification of the laws. One3 of them had conceived a passion for a maiden who was penniless but of good family, and at first he tried to seduce the girl4 by means of money; and when she would have nothing to do with him, he sent an agent to her home with orders to lead her into slavery. [3] The agent, claiming that she was his own slave, brought her, serving in that capacity, before the magistrate, in whose court Appius charged her with being his slave. And when the magistrates had listened to the charge and handed the girl over to him, the agent led her off as his own slave. [4]

The maiden's father, who had been present at the scene and had complained bitterly of the injustice he had suffered, since no attention had been paid to him, passed, as it happened, a butcher's shop, and snatching up the cleaver lying on the block, he struck his daughter with it and killed her, to prevent her experiencing the violation which awaited her; then he rushed out of the city and made his way to the army which was encamped at the time on Mount Algidus, as it is called. [5] There he laid his case before the common soldiers, denounced with tears the misfortune that had befallen him, and won their complete pity and great sympathy. The entire body sallied forth to bring help to the unfortunates and burst into Rome during the night fully armed. There they seized the hill known as the Aventine.

1 443 B.C.

2 These are only seven names, and the last, Spurius Veturius, is not found in other lists; Clodius should be Claudius.

3 Appius Claudius (Livy 3 44).

4 Verginia. The following story ranks among the most famous of Roman tradition. The classic account is in Livy 3.44 ff.

Diodorus Siculus. Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes with an English Translation by C. H. Oldfather. Vol. 4-8. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989.

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