Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-09
for expressions double those complained
of against even CanSarl

| the sign: let us dcnOunce this infamous
Emperor in yonder palace, and Rome
shall once again be free" ."'' .s f.t..,,
Just as PlantaniuS took his seat, and
Aurilius Victor rose to speak, Maximin
entered; which, Plantanius perceiving,
he pluckcd Victor's toga, and told him to
call upon Maximin to proclaim to the
Senate what conspiracics had been formed
against him.
"Senators, the noble centurion, Maxi
min, hath come, and more can tell us what
impends than do know; / pray you
hear him plead" .f .....-.- =. '........
Another mnrmur, something like ap.
plause, again was heard, which Maxi
min correctly constituting into pleas
ure at Victor's suggestion, he ascended
the tribune. 1t was not customary for
the Senate ever to hear others than Sena-
tors, unless they were prisoners of State,
but the times were now momentous, and
twas apparently ready to hear anything
condcmnatorya of Carracalla and his de-
sign. Maximin gazed for moment over
the assembly, and thus spake: '
'Senators of Rome, and conscript fa-
theirs: am no orator, as you all we'll do
know, and can therefore only speak to
you one blunt tale. You called me to
Rome to protect you, and to be near you;
| came attentive to your bidding. While
in Thrace, took the beautiful daughter
Of Ormerous, that illustrious chief,-Vol-
untina, to wife; and hither brought her
with me to Rome. came to the Senate,
ere | had eaten or drunk in Rome, and
received your salutations ere had even
then drunk or eaten within the eity's
walls, myself and one whom you know
detected treason in your midst, and a plot
against his life. AuriIius Victor there,
had fallen that night by Galba's hand,
had been 0ut Of Rome twas my hand
that saved him; twas my hand that
planted Galba's head before the imperial
palace. Then one traitor died. I
"Myself, fathers, was to fall by Mace
MUS dagger, for so the Emperor had APP
pointed; and [ heard the Infamous word
spoken beneath the pillars of the royal
porch. Plantanius there, yon noble Sem
ator, heard it likewise. ..j ' .
Then was ! invited to banquet at Ma
Genius palace, and my wife, with her
father, and an aged man of Thrace, my
friend from early youth. Thither we
went, and to me, in his own calyx, did
Carracalla send poison in the vine; and
that too, while he sat by and smiled upon
the brow of my wife. His draught I re-
turned to him, when suspicious and dis
appointed looks passed between him and
his captain, N1acenius; and ere an hour
my faithful old Homedus came to ME
with terror in his eyes, and checks all
blanched with the plot he had heard
made, to have me stabbed by ruff
fans as [ passed out homewards, near
the i'"rlurSi""- Their dagsers escaped
think you, Senator's that the infamous
Emperor was not, after my assassination
to convey my wife to his palace for his
use and pleasures ..,. -....
Fathers, with all these things upon
my soul, Plantanius and myself conceived
the Senate should be called together. To
Papinian and Aurilius Victor then We
went, who heard our story, and gave us
their VOICES, and we all went away, they
to fetch you hither, but 1 to meet you as
you came.
But. fathers, do you question why ]
met you not sooner Then look upon
this bloody hand. this deep-dyed arm
and, too, this stained toga. which an hour
since was white as any wool"
Here Maximin raised his right hand and
arm, extending them towards the Sena
tors, lifting at the same time the skirt
of his toga, which was ctotted with
blood; for so intent had been all tht
Senate upon his words hitherto, that hi.
bloody hand had escaped attention. Ther
drawing forth his dagger from the breast
folds of his garments, he raised that wea
pom also up, before the eyes of the Senate
\ shudder passed through the capitol.
"This dagger, fathers, is wet with tn,
blood of the vile traitor Nfacenius, who from
the banquet of his own hall followed INT
hither to murder me, and had cen likenet
to do so too, but that he stumbled as he
seemed about to strike me in the back as
| was passing by some rich patrician'
dwelling. turned upon him, and stabbed
!, him often: thus, and thus, and thus, deeI
in every wound, each one of which
{ deemed would kill him."
Maximin "suited the action to the
word" as he spake, thus. and thus, anG
thus" raising and plunging his dagger
through the lighted atmosphere of the
hall terrifically, with his bloody, brawny
right arm.
Now. fathers, my story, roughly told
you all have heard. 'Tis who have JUS
cause against the life of the Emperor; ant
!; if he have friend here, let him rise VI
in his place and speak for that tyrant.
wait to hear him." ~
! Here Maximin paused; no one arose
and he continued.
No one fills up my pause-wc are al
| of nS anrnod uibn,, Gotlo. I..,A.,., q,