4.56
At Rome, whilst the plebs
had been so far victorious as to secure the election
which they preferred, the result of that election
was a victory for the senate. Contrary to all
expectation, three patricians were elected consular
tribunes, viz., C. Julius Julus, P. Cornelius
Cossus, and C. Servilius Ahala. It was stated that
the patricians had recourse to a trick; the Icilii
actually accused them of it at the time. They were
charged with having introduced a crowd of unsuitable
candidates amongst those who were worthy of being
elected, and the disgust felt at the notoriously low
character of some of these candidates alienated the
people from the plebeian candidates as a body. After
this a report was received that the Volscians and
Aequi were devoting their utmost energies to getting
ready for war. Either the fact that they had kept
possession of the citadel of Carventum had raised
their hopes, or the loss of the detachment at
Verrugo had roused their ire. The Antiates were
stated to be the prime movers; their ambassadors had
gone the round of the cities of both nations
reproaching them with cowardice in having skulked
behind their walls the year before and allowing the
Romans to harry their fields in all directions and
the garrison at Verrugo to be destroyed. Not only
were armies despatched, but even colonists were
being settled in their territories. Not only had the
Romans distributed their property amongst
themselves, but they had even made a present to the
Hernici of Ferentinum, after they had taken it.
These reproaches kindled the war spirit in each city
as they came to it, and a large number of fighting
men were enrolled. A force gathered from all the
States was concentrated at Antium; there they fixed
their camp and awaited the enemy. These proceedings
were reported at Rome, and created greater
excitement than the facts warranted, and the senate
at once ordered a Dictator to be nominated -the
last resource in imminent danger. It is stated that
Julius and Cornelius were extremely angry at thus
step, and matters proceeded amidst much bitterness
on both sides. The leaders of the senate censured
the consular tribunes for not recognising the
authority of the senate, and finding their protests
useless, actually appealed at last to the tribunes
of the plebs and reminded them how on a similar
occasion their authority had acted as a check on the
consuls. The tribunes, delighted at the dissension
amongst the senators, said that they could render no
assistance to those in whose eyes they were not
regarded as citizens or even as men. If the honours
of the State were ever open to both orders, and they
had their share in the government, then they would
take measures to prevent the decisions of the senate
from being nullified by the arrogance of any
magistrate; till then the patricians, devoid as they
were of any respect for magistrates or laws, might
deal with the consular tribunes by themselves