Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-08-18
WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME.
Matrons Who Were Not to BE Triae,

Antrons Who Were Not to BE Trified
with-A Case OF Wholesale Poisoning.
The Roman recosds shoy that Il was
not safe to trihe with the feelings OF Ro-
mar women. They were. like Roman
men. possessed of great decision of
character, and when provoked could do
the most dasing deeds, reckless of the
consequences. II they were treated
kindly and ON equal terms they were the
best of wives, and am convinced that
Their goodness and t.1nness were the
most effectua causes Of the freedom
wAch they attained But if husbands
put into force their traditional power
and claimed supreme domination over
them they were exactly the women to
resist. And the history OF Rome throws
lurid light on this aspect OF their char
acter; for occasionally they took stern
and wild vengeance when husbands went
too far in their despotic actions. | viii
adduce one or two instances of this
In the year S3l b. T. many Of the
2oman citizens, and especially many Of
the Roman mobiles, were attacked by an
unknown disease, which showed the same
symptoms in all, and nearly all perished.
The cause was wrapt in obscurity, but
at length maid servant went 10 curule
edile and said she could explain the
origin of the disease, hut would not do
50 unless security were given her that
she would suffer no harm in consequence.
The curule edile brought the matter be-
fore the consuls, the consuls consulted
the senate, and a resolution was passed
guaranteeing safety TO tire maid servant.
Whereupon she declared that the deaths
arose from poison; that the natrons were
in the habit Of compouuding drr,s, and
she could take the officials TO 4 house in
which they would come upon the matrons
while engaged in the operation.
The officials accep' ID her offer, fol-
lowed her and founl, rs she had said.
the mauons compougling drugs About
twenty of them were conveyed to the
Forum, and were subjected to an ex-
animation on their ncings Two of them,
of noble family am with pauician names
Cornela and Ser IA. affirmed that the
drugs were peri city wholesome. That
could ,easily be tested, and the rwo
ruIhfulness b. drinking the MKT
ure. The two matrons begged for
few moments Of private talk
with the rest of their associates, but
within sight Of the people Permis-
sion was granted, few words were es-
changed, and then all Of the twenty
matrons came back, boldly quaifed the
liquor, and died in consequence Then
a search was made for all the marrons
who had been engaged in this conspiracy
and 40 we're found guilty. The men
explained the occurrence by asserting
that the women were infatuated but
probably they knew well why recourse
was had 10 such violent measures, and
that Roman matrons were not likely to
be subjected to tyranny without making
an effort in one way or another to put
an end to it.
An occurrence Of a similar nature took
place in ls0 B, C. In this case there can
scarcely be a doubt that a real plague
ragged, for it lasted for three years and
decimated Italy. But the women were
enraged with the men for the harsh
measures which had been taken against
them in connection with the Baccha-
nalian mysteries, and they seem 10 have
regarded the plague as atfording a favor
able opportunity for the use Of poison.
In $50 Z, (. the pretor. the consul and
many other il!ustrious men died A
judge was appointed to inquire into
these deaths, and especially TO examine if
poison had been employed The hi5tori-
ans do not relate the results Of this inves-
tigation, but we are told thai the wife of
the consul was tried aud condemned 70
death.
Thirty-six years after this two men Of
consular rank were poisoned by their
wives In subsequent times the use Of
poison became frequent; and particu-
larly in the early days Of the empire the
matrons about the court were accused of
having constant recourse TO it TO get cut
of the way men whom they did not like,
husbands and sons and others connected
with them, as well "a strangers. And
one writer remarks that wherever there
were irregularities there were poisonings.
Some historians have rejected these tales
Of poisoning as the inventions of credu-
lous annalists, think, without good rca-
son. But whether the stories are true
or false the Romans believed them, and
they embody the Roman belief in regard
to what women could do. And it seems
TO ne that we must regard them as indi-
eating that the Roman matrons felt
sometimes that they were badly treated.
that they ought not TO endure the bad
treatment, and that they ought to take
the only means that they possessed Of
expressing their feelings and wrealSing
their vengeance by employing poison. -
Principal Donaldson, IL D., in Contem-
porary Review.