9.30
The
consuls for the following year were C. Junius Bubulcus (for the third time)
and Q. Aemilius Barbula (for the second time). At the beginning of their year
of office they laid a complaint before the Assembly touching the
unscrupulous way in which vacancies in the senate had been filled up, men
having been passed over who were far superior to some who had been
selected, whereby the whole senatorial order had been sullied and disgraced.
They declared that the selection had been made solely with a view to
popularity and out of sheer caprice, and that no regard whatever had been
paid to the good or bad characters of those chosen. They then gave out that
they should ignore them altogether, and at once proceeded to call over the
names of the senators as they appeared on the roll before Appius Claudius
and C. Plautius were made censors. Two official posts were for the first time
this year placed at the disposal of the people, both of a military character.
One was the office of military tribune; sixteen were henceforth appointed by
the people for the four legions; these had hitherto been selected by the
Dictators and consuls, very few places being left to the popular vote. L.
Atilius and C. Marcius, tribunes of the plebs, were responsible for that
measure. The other was the post of naval commissioner; the people were to
appoint two to superintend the equipment and refitting of the fleet. This
provision was due to M. Decius, a tribune of the plebs. An incident of a
somewhat trifling character occurred this year which I should have passed
over did it not appear to be connected with religious customs. The guild of
flute-players had been forbidden by the censors to hold their annual banquet
in the temple of Jupiter, a privilege they had enjoyed from ancient times.
Hugely disgusted, they went off in a body to Tibur, and not one was left in
the City to perform at the sacrificial rites. The senate were alarmed at the
prospect of the various religious ceremonies being thus shorn of their due
ritual, and they sent envoys to Tibur, who were to make it their business to
see that the Romans got these men back again. The Tiburtines promised to
do their best, and invited the musicians into the Senate-house, where they
were strongly urged to return to Rome. As they could not be persuaded to
do so, the Tiburtines adopted a ruse quite appropriate to the character of the
men they were dealing with. It was a feast day and they were invited to
various houses, ostensibly to supply music at the banquets. Like the rest of
their class, they were fond of wine, and they were plied with it till they drank
themselves into a state of torpor. In this condition they were thrown into
wagons and carried off to Rome. They were left in the wagons all night in
the Forum, and did not recover their senses till daylight surprised them still
suffering from the effect of their debauch. The people crowded round them
and succeeded in inducing them to stay, and they were granted the privilege
of going about the City for three days every year in their long dresses and
masks with singing and mirth; a custom which is still observed. Those
members of the guild who played on solemn occasions in the temple of
Jupiter had the right restored to them of holding their banquets there. These
incidents occurred while the public attention was fixed on two most serious
wars.