4.45
The following year had as
consular tribunes Agrippa Menenius Lanatus, P.
Lucretius Tricipitinus, and Spurius Nautius Rutilus.
Thanks to the good fortune of Rome, the year was
marked by serious danger more than by actual
disaster. The slaves had formed a plot to fire the
City in various spots, and whilst the people were
everywhere intent on saving their houses, to take
armed possession of the Capitol. Jupiter frustrated
their nefarious project; two of their number gave
information, and the actual culprits were arrested
and punished. The informers received a reward of
10,000 "ases " -a large sum in those days -from
the public treasury, and their freedom. After this
the Aequi began to prepare for a renewal of
hostilities, and it was reported on good authority
at Rome that a new enemy, the Labicans, were forming
a coalition with their old foes. The commonwealth
had come to look upon hostilities with the Aequi as
almost an annual occurrence. Envoys were sent to
Labici. The reply they brought back was evasive; it
was evident that whilst there were no immediate
preparations for war, peace would not last long. The
Tusculans were requested to be on the watch for any
fresh movement on the part of the Labicans. The
consular tribunes for the following year were Lucius
Sergius Fidenas, M. Papirius Mugilanus, and C.
Servilius, the son of the Priscus in whose
dictatorship Fidenae had been taken. At the very
beginning of their term of office, envoys came from
Tusculum and reported that the Labicans had taken up
arms and in conjunction with the Aequi had, after
ravaging the Tusculan territory, fixed their camp on
Algidus. War was thereupon proclaimed and the senate
decreed that two tribunes should leave for the war,
and one remain in charge of the City. This at once
led to a quarrel amongst the tribunes. Each urged
his superior claims to command in the war and looked
down upon the charge of the City as distasteful and
inglorious. Whilst the senators were watching with
astonishment this unseemly strife amongst
colleagues, Q. Servilius said, "Since no respect is
shown either to this House or to the State, the
authority of a father shall put an end to this
altercation. My son, without having recourse to
lots, shall take charge of the City. I trust that
those who are so anxious for the command in the war
will conduct it in a more considerate and amicable
spirit than they have shown in their eagerness to
obtain it."