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Ti. Gracchus vs. Octavius


DDickey

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The whole motion was illegal, the people assemblies had no power to remove a magistrate that they elected. I think that Octavius understand that any veto would disregard by the assembly. Plutarchus hint this in the speech of Gracchus:

 

"A tribune, he said, was sacred and inviolable, because he was consecrated to the people and was a champion of the people. "If, then," said Tiberius, "he should change about, wrong the people, maim its power, and rob it of the privilege of voting, he has by his own acts deprived himself of his honourable office by not fulfilling the conditions on which he received it; 3 for otherwise there would be no interference with a tribune even though he should try to demolish the Capitol or set fire to the naval arsenal. If a tribune does these things, he is a bad tribune; but if he annuls the power of the people, he is no tribune at all." (Life of Tiberius Gracchus, 15.2)

 

As you could see by Gracchus view Octavius has lost the tribunical authority and protection by vetoing his agrarian law.

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The issue here is the state of mind of the assembly . Octavius knew that his life were in danger - "... but the menacing attitude of the peasantry who had flocked in to back Gracchus may explaine why Octavius did not dare to veto the motion for his own deposition" (Studies in Ancient Society By Moses I. Finley) . Simple as that...

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