3.20
The consul's speech
produced an impression on the plebs; the patricians
were encouraged and regarded the State as
re-established. The other consul, who showed more
courage in supporting than in proposing, was quite
content for his colleague to take the first step in
a matter of such importance but in carrying it out
he claimed his full responsibility as consul. The
tribunes laughed at what they considered idle words;
and constantly asked, "By what method were the
consuls going to take out an army, when no one would
allow one to be levied?" "We do not," said
Quinctius, "require to make a levy. At the time when
P. Valerius supplied the people with arms for the
recovery of the Capitol, they all took the oath to
muster at the consul's orders, and not to disband
without his orders. We, therefore, issue an order
that all of you who took that oath appear under
arms, tomorrow, at Lake Regillus." Thereupon the
tribunes wanted to release the people from their
oath by raising a quibble. They argued that
Quinctius was not consul when the oath was taken.
But the neglect of the gods, which prevails in this
age, had not yet appeared, nor did every man
interpret oaths and laws in just the sense which
suited him best; he preferred to shape his own
conduct by their requirements. The tribunes, finding
any attempt at obstruction hopeless, set themselves
to delay the departure of the army. They were the
more anxious to do this as a report had got abroad
that the augurs had received instructions to repair
to Lake Regillus and set apart with the usual
augural formalities a spot where business could be
transacted by a properly constituted Assembly. This
would enable every measure which had been carried by
the violent exercise of the tribunitian authority to
be repealed by the regular Assembly of the Tribes.
All would vote as the consuls wished, for the right
of appeal did not extend beyond a mile from the
City, and the tribunes themselves, if they went with
the army, would be subject to the authority of the
consuls. These rumours were alarming; but what
filled them with the greatest alarm were the
repeated assertions of Quinctius that he should not
hold an election of consuls; the diseases of the
State were such that none of the usual remedies
could check them; the commonwealth needed a
Dictator, in order that any one who took steps to
disturb the existing constitution might learn that
from a Dictator there lay no appeal.