Many and various were their fears, the most prominent among which was their dread of the slaves, lest each should harbour an enemy in his own house, one whom it was neither sufficiently safe to trust, nor, by distrusting, to pronounce unworthy of confidence, lest he might prove a more deadly foe.  And it scarcely seemed that the evil could be resisted by harmony:  no one had any fear of tribunes or commons, while other troubles so predominated and threatened to swamp the state:  that fear seemed an evil of a mild nature, and one that always arose during the cessation of other ills, and then appeared to be lulled to rest by external alarm.  Yet at the present time that, almost more than anything else, weighed heavily on their sinking fortunes:  for such madness took possession of the tribunes, that contended that not war, but an empty appearance of war, had taken possession of the Capitol, to divert the people’s minds from attending to the law:  that these friends and clients of the patricians would depart in deeper silence than they had come, if they once perceived that, by the law being passed, they had raised these tumults in vain.  They then held a meeting for passing the law, having called away the people from arms.  In the meantime, the consuls convened the senate, another dread presenting itself by the action of the tribunes, greater than that which the nightly foe had occasioned.

When it was announced that the men were laying aside their arms, and quitting their posts, Publius Valerius, while his colleague still detained the senate, hastened from the senate-house, and went thence into the meeting-place to the tribunes.  “What is all this,” said he, “O tribunes?  Are you determined to overthrow the commonwealth under the guidance and auspices of Appius Herdonius?  Has he been so successful in corrupting you, he who, by his authority, has not even influenced your slaves?  When the enemy is over our heads, is it your pleasure that we should give up our arms, and laws be proposed?” Then, directing his words to the populace:  “If, Quirites, no concern for your city, or for yourselves, moves you, at least revere the gods of your country, now made captive by the enemy.  Jupiter, best and greatest, Queen Juno, and Minerva, and the other gods and goddesses,[25] are being besieged; a camp of slaves now holds possession of the tutelary gods of the state.  Does this seem to you the behavior of a state in its senses?  Such a crowd of enemies is not only within the walls, but in the citadel, commanding the forum an senate-house:  in the meanwhile meetings are being held in the forum, the senate is in the senate-house:  just as when tranquility prevails, the senator gives his opinion, the other Romans their votes.  Does it not behoove all patricians and plebeians, consuls, tribunes, gods, and men of all classes, to bring aid with arms in their hands, to hurry into the Capitol, to liberate and restore to peace that most august residence of Jupiter, best