CINCINNATUS, LUCIUS QUINCTIUS A statue of Cincinnatus in Cincinnati, Ohio "With one hand he returns the fasces, symbol of power as appointed dictator of Rome. His other hand holds the plow, as he resumes the life of a citizen and farmer." Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (519 BC) was a Roman consul in 460 BC and dictator twice, in 458 BC and 439 BC. He was one of the heroes of early Rome and a model of old Roman virtue and simplicity. As a persistent opponent of the plebeians, he resisted the proposal of Terentilius Arsa to draw up a code of written laws applicable equally to patricians and plebeians. He lived in humble circumstances, working on his own small farm. His career has become so tied up in legend that extracting actual events is nearly impossible. Dictatorship Cincinnatus' first term as dictator began when the Aequi tribe from the east and the Volscians from the southeast began to menace Rome. The Roman Senate pleaded with Cincinnatus to assume the mantle of dictator in order to save the town. According to analysts, Cincinnatus had settled into a life of farming and knew that his departure might mean starvation for his family if the crops went unsown in his absence. He assented to the request anyway and within sixteen days had defeated the Aequi and the Volscians. His immediate resignation of his absolute authority with the end of the crisis has often been cited as an example of good leadership, service to the public good, and the virtue of modesty. He came out of retirement again during his second term as dictator (439 BC) to put down a revolt by the plebians. Legacy Named in his honor are the town of Cincinnato, Italy and the American Society of the Cincinnati (for which the city of Cincinnati, Ohio was named). George Washington, General of the American Revolution and the first President of the United States, was considered a latter-day Cincinnatus; he did not seek political power after winning the Revolutionary War in 1783, and even after being elected President, he retired permanently after two terms of office. (b. C. 519 B.c.), one of the heroes of early Rome, a model of old Roman virtue and simplicity. A persistent opponent of the pleheians, he resisted the proposal of Terentilius Arsa (or Harsa) to draw up a code of written laws applicable equally to patricians and plebeians. He was in humble circumstances, and lived and worked on his own small farm. The story that he became impoverished by paying a fine incurred by his son Caeso is an attempt to explain the needy position of so distinguished a man. Twice he was called from the plough to the dictatorship of Rome in 458 and 439. In 458 he defeated the Aequians in a single day, and after entering Rome in triumph with large spoils returned to his farm. The story of his success, related five times under five different years, possibly rests on an historical basis, but the account given in Livy of the achievements of the Roman army is obviously incredible. See Livy iii. 26-29; Dion. Halic. x. 23-25; Florus i. 11. For a critical examination of the story see Schwegler, Romische Geschichte, bk. xxviii. I2; Sir G. Cornewall Lewis, Credibility of early Roman History, ch. xii. 40; W. thne, History of Rome, i.; E. Pais, Storia di Roma, i. ch. 4 (1898).