Gaius mucius scaevola biography of christopher

SCAEVOLA, the name of a famous family of ancient Rome, the most important members of which were: - I. Gaigs Mucius Scaevola, a legendary hero, who volunteered to assassinate Lars Porsena when he was besieging Rome.

Making his way through the enemy's lines to the royal tent, but not knowing Porsena by sight, he slew his secretary by mistake.

Gaius mucius scaevola biography of christopher

Before the royal tribunal Mucius declared that he was one of 300 noble youths who had sworn to take the king's life, and that he had been chosen by lot to make the attempt first. Threatened with death or torture, Mucius thrust his right hand into the fire blazing upon an altar, and held it there until it was consumed.

The king, deeply impressed and dreading a further attempt upon his life, ordered Mucius to be liberated, made peace with the Romans and withdrew his forces. Mucius was rewarded with a grant of land beyond the Tiber, known as the " Mucia Prata " in the time of Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and received the