Mucius

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Mucius Scævola by Louis Pierre Deseine, 1791, Louvre Museum
Mucius Scævola by Louis Pierre Deseine, 1791, Louvre Museum

Gaius Mucius Scaevola was a noble and probably mythical Roman youth, famous for his bravery.

When the Etruscan king Lars Porsenna held Rome under siege, Gaius Mucius famously snuck into the Etruscan camp and attempted to murder Porsenna. His plot failed because he misindentified Porsenna and killed the wrong man. Mucius was captured. He famously declared to Porsenna: "I am Gaius Mucius, a citizen of Rome. I came here as an enemy to kill my enemy, and I am as ready to die as I am to kill. We Romans act bravely and, when adversity strikes, we suffer bravely." (Ab Urbe Condita, II.12)

Porsenna, fearful and angry, ordered Mucius to be cast into the flames. Mucius stoically accepted this punishment, preempting Porsenna by thrusting his hand into that same fire and giving no sign of pain. For his courage, Porsenna freed Mucius.

Because of his maimed right hand, Mucius was forever after known as Scaevola ("lefty" or "left-handed"). (Ab Urbe Condita, II.13)

See Livy, Ab Urbe Condita (II.12-13) for the full story of Scaevola in all its glory.

Gordon Scott portrayed Mucius in the 1964 peplum Hero of Rome, a film loosely based on this story.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../m/u/c/Mucius.html"