2.57
With difficulty Quinctius
succeeded in quieting the plebeians; the senators
had much greater difficulty in pacifying Appius. At
length the Assembly was dismissed and the consuls
held a meeting of the senate. Very divergent
opinions were expressed according as the emotions of
fear or anger predominated, but the longer the
interval during which they were called away from
impulsive action to calm deliberation, the more
averse did they become to a prolongation of the
conflict; so much so, indeed, that they passed a
vote of thanks to Quinctius for having through his
exertions allayed the disturbance. Appius was called
upon to consent to the consular authority being so
far limited as to be compatible with a harmonious
commonwealth. It was urged that whilst the tribunes
and the consuls each tried to bring everything under
their respective authority, there was no basis for
common action; the State was torn in two, and the
one thing aimed at was, who should be its rulers,
not how could its security be preserved. Appius, on
the other hand, called gods and men to witness that
the State was being betrayed and abandoned through
fear; it was not the consul who was failing the
senate, the senate was failing the consul; worse
conditions were being submitted to than those which
had been accepted on the Sacred Hill. However, he
was overborne by the unanimous feeling of the senate
and became quiet. The Law was passed in silence.
Then for the first time the tribunes were elected by
the Assembly of the Tribes. According to Piso three
were added, as though there had only been two
before. He gives their names as Cn. Siccius, L.
Numitorius, M. Duellius, Sp. Icilius, and L.
Mecilius.