The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-14
HEROINE OVERLOOKED

From women and Public Affairs Under
 the Roman Republic" by Frank Frost
 Abbott, in Scribners Magazine.
 TT is strange that no writer of fiction
 has ever thought of making Fulvia his \ heroine. Ambitious. jealous. cruel, avaricious, and vengeful, she made herself mistress of Rome, and ruled Italy with a capricious tyranny, which surpassed even that of the triumvirs. She mar ried in succession C1odius, Cupio and An tony. To recount their careers is to re- cite the widest political excesses of the period of revolution. It was C1odius who for nearly two years held Rome firmly in the grip of his armed bands of desper- adoes. overawing the courts and the as- sembies and at times even scoffing at the triumvirs an dtheir legions. His career came to an end In a manner befitting such a man. He was killed in street brawl in 52 B. c. by the faction of Milo a rival leader.
 Fulvia married her second husband, Curio, therefore, just before the out break of the war between Caesar and Pompey, when his wild career was at it's height. This most accomplished rake' as velleius Paterculus styles him, trans ferred his political allegiance so many times that 1t is a bewildering task to follow him. His sympathies were first with the bourgeoisie, later he was con- servative, finally a democrat and in each of his affiliations joined the extreme fac- ton of his party. Shortly after he mar ried Fulyia, Caesar purchased his serv- ices for 100. 900 sesterces, as current gossip reported. It was money well spent. For six months duringgthe critical year oo D. C.. Curio single-handed, held the senate at bay. and by his clever parliamentary tactics and his appeals to the popalace prevented Pompey and the conservatiVes from carrying through any one or theii noeasures against Caesar. It was @uiio who. according to the current opinion oi the times. finally '1ighted the torch or war" as velleius puts 1t. by inducing C.asor to cross the Rubicon and advance mon Rome. He was one of the first vic- ti,ns of the war. but FulVia iounu
 worthy successor to him in Ma1h Ar thony. What part she had In spur" ood,,. and Cur,o on to their audaclous
 ..s VI. cannot say, but her course oI cotton after her marriage to her 'hiio hrsband is a matter of history
 ,r,po,, Caesar was struck down, no party
 laader seemed capable of action' ,,, oonsnirators had looked no Iur'hei than Caesars death. and were "''Noa nlans octavianus, Caesars heir' "as n' Enirus. and Antony, the counsui'
 recting further designs on the part oi 'ne ..,.o+ors and not knowing tneir
 1n.,, made no move. But this situa- se +,,rnoil and confusion was tne .r.otb of life to Fulvia. At her instances ois - took nossession of Caesars pa sorgaa documents to suit his own nurnose. reorganiaed the Jacooln ciuos, n,b;cb had served Clodius so we'll stirred inc nopulace to indignation at Caesar p,urder. and began the hasty recruiting ..ans If was these measures whicn eoroad Rrutus, Cassius and their leho~ ,,,sr,rators to leave Rome and to apah- , I+.,v to Antony and Fulvia. Her po- ,,.,, ooreer reaches it's most dramatic
 .,,t during the month of proscr'ption a fter the formation oi eno ,,,rate. and after the battle or rhiiipp' | ,, 40 B. c. She rioted in the carnage anu .onescation which followed the return
 - .ha +r,umvirs to Rome in 42 B. O., and ., tba head of Cicero was placed m her hands she pierced with golden needle the tongue which had scored her arst husband, Clodius, and branded An- tony in the Philippics. After AZ B. c. che was practically in control of Italy. She had elevated her brother-in-law. Lucius l to the consulship, and with his help cowed octavianus. sowed dissension throughout | Italy, and brought the country to the verge of an armed conflict. Only the prompt action of Octavianus' general. Agrippa, in shutting up her adherents in Perusia and reducing that city by a siege, saved Italy from the horrors of