Peter Jones

Livy on Ed Miliband

issue 12 October 2013

What should we make of Ed’s support for his father Ralph against the Daily Mail? Livy’s life of Torquatus suggests two possible responses.

Torquatus was the obtuse, inarticulate son of the vicious and overbearing consul Manlius who, wanting to disown him, sent him off to work in the fields. But in 362 bc Manlius was threatened with a court case by the tribune of the plebs, Pomponianus. When Torquatus heard of this, he begged for a private audience with the tribune. The tribune agreed, expecting the abused Torquatus to support his case. Instead Torquatus threatened to kill him on the spot, unless he signed an oath not to proceed. The terrified tribune agreed. The plebs were disappointed, but at the same time not displeased that the son ‘had dared such a deed on behalf of his father, especially after the harsh treatment he had received’.

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