Then, after the groundless alarm was removed, they were admitted into the city and descended in a body into the forum.  There Publius Valerius, having left his colleague with the guards of the gates, was now drawing up his forces in order of battle.  The great influence of the man produced an effect on the people, when he declared that, when the Capitol was recovered, and the city restored to peace, if they allowed themselves to be convinced what hidden guile was contained in the law proposed by the tribunes, he, mindful of his ancestors, mindful of his surname, and remembering that the duty of protecting the people had been handed down to him as hereditary by his ancestors, would offer no obstruction to the meeting of the people.  Following him, as their leader, in spite of the fruitless opposition of the tribunes, they marched up the ascent of the Capitoline Hill.  The Tusculan troops also joined them.  Allies and citizens vied with each other as to which of them should appropriate to themselves the honour of recovering the citadel.  Each leader encouraged his own men.  Then the enemy began to be alarmed, and placed no dependence on anything but their position.  While they were in this state of alarm, the Romans and allies advanced to attack them.  They had already burst into the porch of the temple, when Publius Valerius was slain while cheering on the fight at the head of his men.  Publius Volumnius, a man of consular rank, saw him falling.  Having directed his men to cover the body, he himself rushed forward to take the place and duty of the consul.  Owing to their excitement and impetuosity, this great misfortune passed unnoticed by the soldiers, they conquered before they perceived that they were fighting without a leader.  Many of the exiles defiled the temple with their blood; many were taken prisoners:  Herdonius was slain.  Thus the Capitol was recovered.  With respect to the prisoners, punishment was inflicted on each according to his station, as he was a freeman or a slave.  The Tusculans received the thanks of the Romans:  the Capitol was cleansed and purified.  The commons are stated to have thrown every man a farthing into the consul’s house, that he might be buried with more splendid obsequies.

Order being thus established, the tribunes then urged the patricians to fulfill the Promise given by Publius Valerius; they pressed on Claudius to free the shade of his colleague from breach of faith, and to allow the matter of the law to proceed.  The consul asserted that he would not suffer the discussion of the law to proceed, until he had appointed a colleague to assist him.  These disputes lasted until the time of the elections for the substitution of a consul.  In the month of December, by the most strenuous exertions of the patricians, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, Caeso’s father, was elected consul, to enter upon office without delay.  The commons were dismayed at being about to have for consul a man incensed against them, powerful