23.3
Next, he
called an assembly of the people and addressed them thus: "You have often
wished, citizens of Capua, that you had the power to execute summary
justice on the unscrupulous and infamous senate. You can do so now safely,
and none can call you to account. You need not risk your lives in desperate
attempts to force the houses of individual senators guarded as they are by
their clients and slaves; take them as they now are, locked up in the
Senate-house, all by themselves, unarmed. Do not be in a hurry, do nothing
rashly. I will put you in a position to pass sentence of life and death so that
each of them in turn may pay the penalty he deserves. But whatever you do
see that you do not go too far in satisfying your feelings of resentment, make
the security and welfare of the State your first consideration. For, as I
understand it, it is these particular senators that you hate, you do not want to
go without a senate altogether; for you must either have a king which is an
abomination, or a senate, which is the only consultative body that can exist
in a free commonwealth. So you have to do two things at once, remove the
old senate and choose a fresh one. I shall order the senators to be summoned
one by one and I shall take your opinion as to their fate, and whatever
decision you arrive at shall be carried out. But before punishment is inflicted
on any one found guilty you must choose a strong and energetic man to take
his place as senator." He then sat down, and after the names of the senators
had been cast into the urn he ordered the man whose name was drawn first
to be brought out of the Senate-house. As soon as they heard the name they
all shouted that he was a worthless scoundrel and richly deserved to be
punished. Then Pacuvius said: "I see clearly what you think of this man, in
place of a worthless scoundrel you must choose a worthy and honest man as
senator. For a few minutes there was silence as they were unable to suggest
a better man. Then one of them, laying aside his diffidence, ventured to
suggest a name, and a greater clamour than ever arose. Some said they had
never heard of him, others imputed to him shameful vices and humble birth,
sordid poverty, and a low class of occupation or trade. A still more violent
demonstration awaited the second and third senators who were summoned,
and it was obvious that while they intensely disliked the man, they had no
one to put in his place. It was no use mentioning the same names again and
again, for it only led to everything that was bad being said about them and
the succeeding names were those of people much more low born and
unknown than those which were first suggested. So the crowd dispersed
saying to one another that the evils they were best acquainted with were the
easiest to bear.
