42. Nam postquam Tiberius et G. Gracchus, quorum majores Punico atque aliis bellis multum rei publicae addiderant, vindicare plebem in libertatem et paucorum scelera patefacere coepere, nobilitas noxia atque eo perculsa, modo per socios ac nomen Latinum, interdum per equites Romanos, quos spes societatis a plebe dimoverat, Gracchorum actionibus obviam ierat, et primo Tiberium, dein paucos post annos eadem ingredientem Gaium, tribunum alterum, alterum triumvirum coloniis deducendis, cum M. Fulvio Flacco ferro necaverat.[246] Et sane Gracchis cupidine victoriae haud satis moderatus animus fuit: sed bono vinci satius est quam malo more injuriam vincere.[247] Igitur ea victoria nobilitas ex libidine sua usa multos mortales ferro aut fuga extinxit, plusque in reliquum sibi timoris quam potentiae addidit. Quae res plerumque magnas civitates pessumdedit, dum alteri alteros vincere quovis modo et victos acerbius[248] ulcisci volunt. Sed de studiis partium et omnis civitatis moribus si singulatim aut pro magnitudine parem disserere, tempus quam res maturius me deseret.[249] Quamobrem ad inceptum redeo. [246] Tib. Gracchus was slain in B.C. 133, and his brother, G. Gracchus, in B.C. 121. Sallust here states that the faction of the optimates threw obstacles in the way of the two brothers, sometimes by means of the _socii_ (in Italy), and sometimes by means of the Roman equites, who had been drawn into the senate by the popular party. This refers, in the first place, to the opposition made, through the instrumentality of the Latins, to the scheme of the Gracchi to settle poor Roman citizens in Latin colonies; and secondly, to the ingratitude of the equites, to whom G. Gracchus had transferred the administration of justice, after having taken it from the senate. Respecting _modo--interdum_, instead of _modo--modo_, see Zumpt, S 723. [247] Sallust admits that the Gracchi went somewhat too far, but blames the violence with which the faction of the optimates took vengeance upon them; 'for,' says he, 'a good man prefers being conquered, to taking revenge for injury done to him in a violent manner'--intimating that the optimates ought to have borne the injury done to them by the Gracchi, rather than avenge it with murder and assassination. [248] _Acerbius_; that is, _nimis acerbe_, or _acerbius quam par est_. [249] _Omnis civitatis_ for _totius civitatis_, in opposition to the patres. _Parem_; that is, _velim_, which is followed in the apodosis by the same subjunctive present, or the future indicative. See Zumpt, S 524, note 1. _Res_, the same as _materia_, _argumentum_, 'subject.'