3.41
Whilst a division was
being taken and the younger senators were carrying
this proposition, Valerius and Horatius rose again
in great excitement and loudly demanded leave to
discuss the political situation. If, they said, the
faction in the senate prevented them, they would
bring it before the people, for private citizens had
no power to silence them either in the Senate-house
or in the Assembly, and they were not going to give
way before the fasces of a mock authority. Appius
felt that unless he met their violence with equal
audacity, his authority was practically at an end.
"It will be better," he said, "not to speak on any
subject but the one we are now considering," and as
Valerius insisted that he should not keep silent for
a private citizen, Appius ordered a lictor to go to
him. Valerius ran to the doors of the Senate-house
and invoked "the protection of the Quirites." L.
Cornelius put an end to the scene by throwing his
arms round Appius as though to protect Valerius, but
really to protect Appius from further mischief. He
obtained permission for Valerius to say what he
wanted, and as this liberty did not go beyond words,
the decemvirs achieved their purpose. The consulars
and senior senators felt that the tribunitian
authority, which they still regarded with
detestation, was much more eagerly desired by the
plebs than the restoration of the consular
authority, and they would almost rather have had the
decemvirs voluntarily resigning office at a
subsequent period than that the plebs should recover
power through their unpopularity. If matters could
be quietly arranged and the consuls restored without
any popular disturbance, they thought that either
the preoccupation of war or the moderate exercise of
power on the part of the consuls would make the
plebs forget all about their tribunes. The levy was
proclaimed without any protest from the senate. The
men of age for active service answered to their
names, as there was no appeal from the authority of
the decemvirs. When the legions were enrolled, the
decemvirs arranged among themselves their respective
commands. The prominent men amongst them were Q.
Fabius and Appius Claudius. The war at home
threatened to be more serious than the one abroad,
and the violent disposition of Appius was deemed
more fitted to repress commotions in the City,
whilst Fabius was looked upon as more inclined to
evil practices than to be any permanent good to
them. This man, at one time so distinguished both at
home and in the field, had been so changed by office
and the influence of his colleagues that he
preferred to take Appius as his model rather than be
true to himself. He was entrusted with the Sabine
war, and Manlius Rabuleius and Q. Poetilius were
associated with him in its conduct. M. Cornelius was
sent to Algidus, together with L. Minucius, T.
Antonius, Kaeso Duillius, and M. Sergius. It was
decreed that Sp. Oppius should assist Ap. Claudius
in the defence of the City, with an authority
co-ordinate with that of the other decemvirs.