38.57
It is
generally understood that the younger of his two daughters was married to
this same Gracchus, and the elder one was certainly disposed of by her father
to P. Cornelius Nasica, but whether it was after her father's death is
uncertain. It is equally uncertain whether the current belief in the following
story is well founded. The story goes that when Gracchus saw that L. Scipio
was on the point of being carried off to prison and that none of his
fellow-tribunes interfered on his behalf, he swore that though his enmity
towards the Scipios was as strong as ever, and he would do nothing to win
his favour, yet he would not look on whilst the brother of Africanus was
being taken to a dungeon into which he had seen Africanus himself taking
kings and commanders. The senate happened to be dining that day in the
Capitol, and rising in a body they begged Scipio to betroth his daughter to
Gracchus there and then. The betrothal having been formally completed in
the presence of the whole gathering, Scipio went home. On meeting his wife,
he told her that he had betrothed their youngest daughter. She was naturally
hurt and indignant at not having been consulted in the disposal of their child,
and observed that even if he were giving her to Tiberius Gracchus, her
mother ought to have had a voice in the matter. Scipio was delighted to find
that they were of one accord, and told her that it was to that man that she
was betrothed. It is right that in the case of so great a man the various
opinions and the different historical statements as to these details should be
noted.