terms, the military services performed by himself, by one in one place, by another in another.  They called upon them with menaces, rather than entreaties, to assemble the senate, and stood round the senate-house in a body, determined themselves to be witnesses and directors of the public resolves.  Very few of the senators, whom chance had thrown in the way, were got together by the consuls; fear kept the rest away not only from the senate-house, but even from the forum, and no business could be transacted owing to their small attendance.  Then indeed the people began to think they were being tricked, and put off:  and that such of the senators as absented themselves did so not through accident or fear, but with the express purpose of obstructing business:  that the consuls themselves were shuffling, that their miseries were without doubt held up to ridicule.  Matters had now almost come to such a pass that not even the majesty of the consuls could restrain the violence of the people.  Wherefore, uncertain whether they would incur greater danger by staying at home, or venturing abroad, they at length came into the senate; but, though the house was now by this time full, not only were the senators unable to agree, but even the consuls themselves.  Appius, a man of violent temperament, thought the matter ought to be settled by the authority of the consuls, and that, if one or two were seized, the rest would keep quiet.  Servilius, more inclined to moderate remedies, thought that, while their minds were in this state of excitement, they could be bent with greater ease and safety than they could be broken.

Meanwhile an alarm of a more serious nature presented itself.  Some Latin horse came full speed to Rome, with the alarming news that the Volscians were marching with a hostile army to besiege the city.  This announcement—­so completely had discord split the state into two—­affected the senators and people in a far different manner.  The people exulted with joy, and said that the gods were coming to take vengeance on the tyranny of the patricians.  They encouraged one another not to give in their names,[27] declaring that it was better that all should perish together than that they should perish alone.  Let the patricians serve as soldiers; let the patricians take up arms, so that those who reaped the advantages of war should also undergo its dangers.  But the senate, dejected and confounded by the double alarm they felt, inspired both by their own countryman and by the enemy, entreated the consul Servilius, whose disposition was more inclined to favour the people, that he would extricate the commonwealth, beset as it was with so great terrors.  Then the consul, having dismissed the senate, came forward into the assembly.  There he declared that the senate were solicitous that the interests of the people should be consulted:  but that alarm for the safety of the whole commonwealth had interrupted their deliberation regarding that portion of the state, which, though