Then Valerius and Horatius, having been sent to bring back the people on such terms as might seem fit, and to adjust all differences, were directed to make provision also to protect the decemvirs from the resentment and violence of the multitude.  They set forth and were received into the camp amid the great joy of the people, as their undoubted liberators, both at the beginning of the disturbance and at the termination of the matter.  In consideration of these things, thanks were returned to them on their arrival.  Icilius delivered a speech in the name of the people.  When the terms came to be considered, on the ambassadors inquiring what the demands of the people were, he also, having already concerted the plan before the arrival of the ambassadors, made such demands, that it became evident that more hope was placed in the justice of their case than in arms.  For they demanded the restoration of the tribunician office and the right of appeal, which, before the appointment of decemvirs, had been the supports of the people, and that it should be without detriment to any one to have instigated the soldiers or the commons to seek to recover their liberty by a secession.  Concerning the punishment only of the decemvirs was their demand immoderate:  for they thought it but just that they should be delivered up to them, and threatened to burn them alive.  The ambassadors replied:  “Your demands which have been the result of deliberation are so reasonable, that they should be voluntarily offered to you:  for you demand therein safeguards for your liberty, not a means of arbitrary power to assail others.  Your resentment we must rather pardon than indulge, seeing that from your hatred of cruelty you rush into cruelty, and almost before you are free yourselves, already wish to lord it over your opponents.  Shall our state never enjoy rest from punishments, inflicted either by the patricians on the Roman commons, or by the commons on the patricians?  You need a shield rather than a sword.  He is sufficiently and abundantly humbled who lives in the state on an equal footing with his fellow-citizens, neither inflicting nor suffering injury.  Should you, however, at any time wish to render yourselves formidable, when, after you have recovered your magistrates and laws, decisions on our lives and fortunes shall be in your hands, then you shall determine according to the merits of each case:  for the present it is sufficient that your liberty be recovered.”

All assenting that they should act just as they thought proper, the ambassadors assured them that they would speedily return, having brought everything to a satisfactory termination.  When they had gone and laid before the patricians the message of the commons—­while the other decemvirs, since, contrary to their own expectation, no mention was made of their punishment—­raised no objection, Appius, being of a truculent disposition and the chief object of detestation, measuring the rancour of others toward him by his own toward them,