3.38
The fifteenth of May
arrived, the decemvirs' term of office expired, but
no new magistrates were appointed. Though now only
private citizens, the decemvirs came forward as
determined as ever to enforce their authority and
retain all the emblems of power. It was now in truth
undisguised monarchy. Liberty was looked upon as for
ever lost, none stood forth to vindicate it, nor did
it seem likely that any one would do so. Not only
had the people sunk into despondency themselves but
they were beginning to be despised by their
neighbours, who scorned the idea of sovereign power
existing where there was no liberty. The Sabines
made an incursion into Roman territory in great
force, and carrying their ravages far and wide,
drove away an immense quantity of men and cattle to
Eretum, where they collected their scattered forces
and encamped in the hope that the distracted state
of Rome would prevent an army from being raised. Not
only the messengers who brought the information but
the country people who were flying into the City
created a panic. The decemvirs, hated alike by the
senate and the plebs, were left without any support,
and whilst they were consulting as to the necessary
measures, Fortune added a fresh cause of alarm. The
Aequi, advancing in a different direction, had
entrenched themselves on Algidus, and from there
were making predatory incursions into the territory
of Tusculum. The news was brought by envoys from
Tusculum who implored assistance. The panic created
unnerved the decemvirs, and seeing the City
encompassed by two separate wars they were driven to
consult the senate. They gave orders for the
senators to be summoned, quite realising what a
storm of indignant resentment was awaiting them, and
that they would be held solely responsible for the
wasted territory and the threatening dangers. This,
they expected, would lead to an attempt to deprive
them of office, unless they offered a unanimous
resistance, and by a sharp exercise of authority on
a few of the most daring spirits repress the
attempts of the others.
When the voice of the crier was heard in the
Forum calling the patricians to the Senate-house to
meet the decemvirs, the novelty of it, after so long
a suspension of the meetings of the senate, filled
the plebeians with astonishment. "What," they asked,
"has happened to revive a practice so long disused?
We ought to be grateful to the enemy who are
menacing us with war, for causing anything to happen
which belongs to the usage of a free State." They
looked in every part of the Forum for a senator, but
seldom was one recognised; then they contemplated
the Senate-house and the solitude round the
decemvirs. The latter put it down to the universal
hatred felt for their authority, the plebeians
explained it by saying that the senators did not
meet because private citizens had not the right to
summon them. If the plebs made common cause with the
senate, those who were bent on recovering their
liberty would have men to lead them, and as the
senators when summoned would not assemble, so the
plebs must refuse to be enrolled for service. Thus
the plebeians expressed their opinions. As to the
senators, there was hardly a single member of the
order in the Forum, and very few in the City.
Disgusted with the state of matters they had retired
to their country homes and were attending to their
own affairs, having lost all interest in those of
the State. They felt that the more they kept away
from any meeting and intercourse with their
tyrannical masters the safer would it be for them.
As, on being summoned, they did not come, the ushers
were despatched to their houses to exact the
penalties for non-attendance and to ascertain
whether they absented themselves of set purpose.
They took back word that the senate was in the
country. This was less unpleasant for the decemvirs
than if they had been in the City and had refused to
recognise their authority. Orders were issued for
all to be summoned for the following day. They
assembled in greater numbers than they themselves
expected. This led the plebeians to think that their
liberty had been betrayed by the senate, since they
had obeyed men whose term of office had expired and
who, apart from the force at their disposal, were
only private citizens; thus recognising their right
to convene the senate.