Publicola was elected consul for the next year (508) with Titus Lucretius. The Tarquins had enlisted on their side Lars Porsena, the king of Clusium. He proceeded to besiege Rome. (508-7). Publicola was elected consul for the third time (507). Lars Porsena was won over by the bravery of Gaius Mucius, who was caught in an attempt to assassinate him, and lifted the siege. Publicola offered to submit Rome's dispute with the Tarquins to Lars Porsena's arbitration, confident that the Tarquins would refuse to do likewise.
As a sign of good faith, the Romans gave ten boys and ten girls (one of whom was Publicola's daughter, Valeria) to Lars Porsena as hostages. The girls escaped and managed to get back to Rome, but when Publicola found out he had them returned to Lars Porsena. On the way, they were captured by Tarquin's forces, but Valeria escaped. The other girls were rescued by Lars Porsena.
Publicola was elected consul again for the next year (506). Some of the Sabines started arguing for peace with Rome. Although they were not successful in getting this policy adopted, Publicola did manage to persuade one of its leading proponents, Attius Clausus, who was very rich and powerful, to come over to Rome (505). He did so together with five thousand Sabine families, and adopted the more Roman-sounding name of Appius Claudius.
The next year (504), Publicola died. He left so little in his will that it was not even enough to pay for his burial so he was given a state funeral.
Publicola Sources
Primary Sources
Plutarch's Life of Publicola
Plutarch's Comparison of Publicola and Solon
Book 1 of Livy's History of Rome ends with the rape of Lucretia and the fall of the monarchy (sections 1.57 to 1.60).
The story continues in Book 2, which covers the early years of the Republic down to the death of Valerius (sections 2.1 to 2.16) and beyond.
Secondary Source
Jona Lendering has an excellent discussion of what facts may lay behind the patriotic stories presented by Livy and Plutarch.
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