544 CAIUS GRACCHUS. had acted the part of a man ; but he much disobliged the tribunes, his colleagues, who regarded it as a piece of vio- lent and presumptuous interference. This was thought to be the chief reason that he failed of being a third time elected tribune ; not but that he had the most votes, but because his colleagues out of revenge caused false returns to be made. But as to this matter there was a controversy. Certain it is, he very much resented this repulse, and behaved with unusual arrogance towards some of his adversaries who were joy- ful at his defeat, telling them, that all this was but a false, sardonic mirth* as they little knew how much his actions threw them into obscurity. As soon as Opimius also was chosen consul, they pres- ently cancelled several of Caius's laws, and especially called in question his proceedings at Carthage, omitting nothing that was likely to irritate him, that from some effect of his passion they might find out a colorable pre- tence to put him to death. Caius at first bore these things very patiently ; but afterwards, at the instigation of his friends, especially Fulvius, he resolved to put him- self at the head of a body of supporters, to oppose the consul by force. They say also that on this occasion his mother, Cornelia, joined in the sedition, and assisted him by sending privately several strangers into Rome, under pretence as if they came to be hired there for harvest- men ; for that intimations of this are given in her letters to him. However, it is confidently affirmed by others, that Cornelia did not in the least approve of these ac- tions.
- The Sardonic, or Sardonian forced, unnatural laugh, such as
laugh, is an expression as old as would be occasioned by tasting a the Odyssey, the origin of which bitter herb, which grew, it is said, is not precisely known, and the in Sardinia, is the usual explana- meaning not always very clear. A tion.
