Story 3: The story of Gaius Mucius Scaevola

Gaius Mucius was a young aristocrat during the time when the Etruscans had surrounded the city of Rome to attack it. Mucius volunteered himself to the Senate and sneaked out of the city in and attempt to assassinate the Etruscan king, Porsena. Porsena’s men captured Mucius and brought him to their king, who ordered a fire to be lit and threatened Mucius that he would be burned to death if he did not reveal Roman secrets. Mucius responded: “See how cheap men hold their bodies when they care only for honor!” and thrust his own right hand into the fire, and stared at the king as it burned. Porsena was so impressed that he freed Mucius, who would be forever known as Scaevola, Latin for “Left-Handed Man”