Appius prefaced his decision by observing that the very same law, which the friends of Verginius put forward as the plea of their demand, showed how strongly he himself was in favour of liberty:  that liberty, however, would find secure protection in the law on this condition only, that it varied neither with respect to cases or persons.  For with respect to those individuals who were claimed as free, that point of law was good, because any citizen could proceed by law in such a matter:  but in the case of her who was in the hands of her father, there was no other person in whose favour her master need relinquish his right of possession.[51] That it was his decision, therefore, that her father should be sent for:  that, in the meantime, the claimant should not be deprived of the right, which allowed him to carry off the girl with him, at the same time promising that she should be produced on the arrival of him who was called her father.  When there were many who murmured against the injustice of this decision rather than any one individual who ventured to protest against it, the girl’s great-uncle, Publius Numitorius, and her betrothed, Icilius, appeared on the scene:  and, way being made for them through the crowd, the multitude thinking that Appius could be most effectually resisted by the intervention of Icilius, the lictor declared that he had decided the matter, and attempted to remove Icilius, when he began to raise his voice.  Such a monstrous injustice would have fired even a cool temper.  “By the sword, Appius,” said he, “must I be removed hence, that you may secure silence about that which you wish to be concealed.  This young woman I am about to marry, to have and to hold as my lawful wife.  Wherefore call together all the lictors of your colleagues also; order the rods and axes to be got ready:  the betrothed wife of Icilius shall not pass the night outside her father’s house.  No:  though you have taken from us the aid of our tribunes, and the power of appeal to the commons of Rome, the two bulwarks for the maintenance of our liberty, absolute authority has not therefore been given to your lust over our wives and children.  Vent your fury on our backs and necks; let chastity at least be secure.  If violence shall be offered to her, I shall implore the protection of the citizens here present on behalf of my betrothed, Verginius that of the soldiers on behalf of his only daughter, all of us the protection of gods and men, nor shall you carry that sentence into effect without our blood.  I demand of you, Appius, consider again and again to what lengths you are proceeding.  Verginius, when he comes, will see to it, what conduct he is to pursue with respect to his daughter:  only let him be assured of this, that if he yields to the claims of this man, he will have to look out for another match for his daughter.  As for my part, in vindicating the liberty of my spouse, life shall leave me sooner than honour.”