4.35
The following year had
for consular tribunes A. Sempronius Atratinus, L.
Quinctius Cincinnatus, L. Furius Medullinus, and L.
Horatius Barbatus. A truce for eighteen years was
granted to the Veientines and one for three years to
the Aequi, though they had asked for a longer one.
There was also a respite from civic disturbances.
The following year, though not marked by either
foreign war or domestic troubles, was rendered
memorable by the celebration of the Games vowed on
the occasion of the war seven years before, which
were carried out with great magnificence by the
consular tribunes, and attended by large numbers
from the surrounding cities. The consular tribunes
were Ap. Claudius Crassus, Spurius Nautius Rutilus,
L. Sergius Fidenas, and Sex. Julius Julus. The
spectacle was made more attractive to the visitors
by the courteous reception which it had been
publicly decided to give them. When the Games were
over, the tribunes of the plebs began to deliver
inflammatory harangues. They reproached the populace
for allowing their stupid admiration of those whom
they really hated to keep them in perpetual
servitude. Not only did they lack the courage to
claim their share in the chance of preferment to the
consulship, but even in the election of consular
tribunes, which was open to both patricians and
plebeians, they never thought of their tribunes or
their party. They need be no longer surprised that
no one interested himself in the welfare of the
plebs. Toil and danger were incurred for those
objects from which profit and honour might be
expected. There was nothing which men would not
attempt if rewards were held out proportionate to
the greatness of the effort. But that any tribune of
the plebs should rush blindly into contests which
involved enormous risks and brought no advantage,
which he might be certain would make the patricians
whom he opposed persecute him with relentless fury,
whilst amongst the plebeians on whose behalf he
fought he would not be in the slightest degree more
honoured, was a thing neither to be expected nor
demanded. Great honours made great men. When the
plebeians began to be respected, every plebeian
would respect himself. Surely they might now try the
experiment in one or two cases, to prove whether any
plebeian is capable of holding high office, or
whether it would be little short of a miracle for
any one sprung from the plebs to be at the same time
a strong and energetic man. After a desperate fight,
they had secured the election of military tribunes
with consular powers, for which plebeians were
eligible. Men of tried ability, both at home and in
the field, became candidates. For the first few
years they were knocked about, rejected, treated
with derision by the patricians; at last they
declined to expose themselves to these affronts.
They saw no reason why a law should not be repealed
which simply legalised what would never happen. They
would have less to be ashamed of in the injustice of
the law than in being passed over in the elections
as though unworthy to hold office.