Who was the guy who was supposedly the weakest man in Rome. Then he stuck his hand in a fire and burnt it to a stub. I just want more info. I learned about it, but i forgot everything.
2007-12-08 12:38:50 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
It's Caius Mucius Scaevola.
A legendary hero from Rome's earliest history. When Porsinna and his Etruscans besieged the city, Mucius entered the enemy camp and attempted to kill Porsinna. He was unsuccessful, however, and was arrested by the guards. When he was brought before Porsinna, Mucius showed no fear and spoke in such a manly way to his enemy that Porsinna was impressed. To show his contempt for pain and torture, Mucius voluntarily placed his right hand in a fire and let it burn without showing the slightest trace of weakness. Even more impressed with this feat, Porsinna released Mucius. From that moment on, Mucius was nicknamed Scaevola ('left hand').
Livy tells of the recognition of this Roman hero: "Caius Muscius was rewarded by the Senate with a grant of land west of the river; it was known subsequently as the Muscian Meadows ( P.120 Livy, The Early History of Rome)."
2007-12-11 07:41:58 · answer #1 · answered by martox45 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you mean Caius Mucius Scaevola. He was a Roman national hero and appears as a character in Livy's Ab Urbe Condita, in the context of the war with Prosena (II, 12-13).
You can read the full story here: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0026;query=chapter%3D%2372;layout=;loc=2.13
2007-12-08 13:29:46 · answer #2 · answered by Little Miss Latin Helper 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To me it sound's like it's something to do with Vulcan, but he was a God, and it was his foot, that was affected, not his hand.
2007-12-08 12:51:44 · answer #3 · answered by Steve C 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋