Claudius Apius Crassus

Claudius, Apius, Crassus, notorious for the hatred which his patrician pride provoked amongst the plebs, was consul and decemvir in 451 B.C. In the latter capacity he appears to have endeavoured to usurp permanent power, but his sudden fall was brought about by a celebrated incident of doubtful historical authenticity, commemorated in Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome. Having become enamoured of Virginia, a plebeian damsel, whose father, Virginius, was on military service, Claudius caused one of his clients to claim her as being really the child of his slave. Claudius, of course, gave judgment in his favour, but Virginius, who had been summoned back from the army to protect his daughter from shame seized a knife from a butcher's stall and stabbed her to the heart. His act was followed by a popular rising, the decemvirs were overthrown, and Appius died in prison.