Scipio Africanus, who had been given this surname in memory of his marvelous exploits, had a beautiful daughter named Cornelia. Many people admired Cornelia and told her how proud she must feel to be the daughter of  Scipio but she always responded that she took the most pride in her children, Tiberius and Cauis Gracchus. Cornelia was a wonderful mother. She raised her own sons and taught them nobility and virtue. One day, a rich woman was visiting her and showing off her finery and jewels. "Where are your jewels?" she asked Cornelia in her haughty way.

            Cornelia then called for her sons who came at once to her side. Turning to the rich woman, she said, "these are my jewels." Cornelia considered these sons of hers very valuable indeed and they grew to do great things for Rome and for the poor people that were so unfairly treated. In the end, though, these Gracchi brothers were cruelly killed by some of their rich enemies and Cornelia lost her "jewels."

            When she died, the people, who had found her to be the loving mother of two great Roman heroes, fulfilled her dearest wish by erecting a statue of her with the inscription "Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi."

by Frodo