After several fruitless attempts, "lie suborned a villanous dependant to claim her as his slave, and to swear that she had been born in his house, and adopted by the wife of Virginius, who was childless.

Virginius hastened to Rome, and exposed the falsehood of the claim by indis- putable proof; yet the wicked decemvir gave judgment that his daughter should be delivered up to the new claimant.

The centu- rion, under pretext of taking farewell of his child, was permitted to speak with her privately, and seizing a knife from the shambles near the forum, embraced her, and stabbed her to the heart.

Then, devoting Appius to the infernal gods, he hastened to the army, and excited a general insurrection.

The people left their commanders, and again sullenly took their station on Mount Aventine, whither they had retired forty years before.