from anxiety, whether legal magistrates were at the
head of affairs, they now at length sowed the seeds
of civil discord, when the enemy were nearly at the
gates, except it were that in a state of confusion
they thought that their object would be less clearly
seen through. For the rest, it was unfair that
any one should prejudge a matter of such importance,
while their minds were occupied with a more momentous
concern. It was his opinion that, in regard to
what Valerius and Horatius alleged—that
the decemvirs had gone out of office before the ides
of May—the matter should be discussed in
the senate and left to them to decide, when the wars
which were now impending were over, and the commonwealth
restored to tranquility, and that Appius Claudius
was even now preparing to take notice that an account
had to be rendered by him of the election which he
himself as decemvir held for electing decemvirs, whether
they were elected for one year, or until the laws,
which were wanting, were ratified. It was his
opinion that all other matters should be disregarded
for the present, except the war; and if they thought
that the reports regarding it were propagated without
foundation, and that not only the messengers but also
the ambassadors of the Tusculans had stated what was
false, he thought that scouts should be dispatched
to bring back more certain information; but if credit
were given both to the messengers and the ambassadors,
that the levy should be held at the very earliest
opportunity; that the decemvirs should lead the armies,
whither each thought proper: and that no other
matter should take precedence.
The junior patricians almost succeeded in getting
this resolution passed on a division. Accordingly,
Valerius and Horatius, rising again with greater vehemence,
loudly demanded that it should be allowed them to
express their sentiments concerning the republic; that
they would address a meeting of the people, if owing
to party efforts they were not allowed to do so in
the senate: for that private individuals, whether
in the senate or in a general assembly, could not prevent
them: nor would they yield to their imaginary
fasces. Appius, now considering that the crisis
was already nigh at hand, when their authority would
be overpowered, unless the violence of these were
resisted with equal boldness, said, “It will
be better for you not to utter a word on any subject,
except the subject of discussion”; and against
Valerius, when he refused to be silent for a private
individual, he commanded a lictor to proceed.
When Valerius, from the threshold of the senate-house,
now craved the protection of the citizens, Lucius
Cornelius, embracing Appius, put an end to the struggle,
not in reality consulting the interest of him whose
interest he pretended to consult;[50] and after permission
to say what he pleased had been obtained for Valerius
by means of Cornelius, when this liberty did not extend
beyond words, the decemvirs attained their object.