to the majesty of the people.  This custom the consuls observe to this day.  By these acts he did not really humble himself as he appeared to the Romans to be doing, but he so completely destroyed any illwill which had been felt against him that by giving up the semblance of power he really gained the reality, as the people were eager to serve him and obey him.  For this reason they surnamed him Poplicola, which means “lover of the people,” and this name so took the place of his former one that we shall use it during the remainder of this account of his life.

XI.  He permitted any one to become a candidate for the consulship; and while he was sole consul he used his power to effect the greatest of his reforms, because he did not know who his new colleague might be, and whether he would not thwart him through ignorance or illwill.  First of all he brought up the senate to its proper number, for many senators had perished, some at Tarquin’s hands in former years, and some in the late battle.  It is said that he elected no less than a hundred and sixty-four new senators.  After this, he enacted laws which greatly added to the power of the people, the first one of which gave accused persons a power of appeal from the decision of the consuls to the people.  The second appointed the penalty of death to those who entered upon any public office without the consent of the people.  The third was to assist the poor, as it relieved them from taxes and enabled them all to apply themselves with greater assiduity to trade.  The law, too, which he enacted about disobedience to the consuls is no less popular in its spirit, and favours the people more than the great nobles.  He assessed the fine for disobedience at the price of five oxen and two sheep.  Now the value of a sheep was ten obols, and that of an ox a hundred, for at this period the Romans did not make much use of coined money, but possessed abundance of cattle.  For this reason at this day they call property peculia, from pecus, a sheep, and on their oldest coins they marked the figure of an ox, a sheep, or a pig.  Their children, too, were distinguished by the names of Suillii, Bubulci, Caprarii and Porcii, for capra means a goat, and porcus a pig.

XII.  Though Poplicola favoured the people so much in these laws, and showed such great moderation, yet in one instance he appointed a terrible penalty.  One of his laws enacted that any citizen was at liberty to put to death anyone who tried to make himself king, without any form of trial.  No penalty was to be enforced, if the man could bring forward proofs of the other’s intention.  His reason for this was that it was impossible for any one to attempt to make himself king, unperceived by some of his countrymen, but quite possible for him, although detected, to become too powerful to be brought to trial.  So, before he made his attempt on the crown, any one was at liberty to exact from him that penalty, which he would be unable to do after his success.