[53.1] When Marcus Genucius and Gaius Quintius had assumed office, the political quarrels were renewed, the plebeians demanding that it be permitted to all Romans to hold the consulship; for hitherto the patricians alone had stood for that office and been chosen in the centuriate assembly. And a law concerning the consular elections was drawn up and introduced by the tribunes of that year, all the others but one, Gaius Furnius, having agreed upon that course; in this law they empowered the populace to decide each year whether they wished patricians or plebeians to stand for the consulship.
[2] ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἠγανάκτουν οἱ τοῦ βουλευτικοῦ μετέχοντες συνεδρίου καταλυομένην τὴν ἑαυτῶν δυναστείαν ὁρῶντες καὶ πάντα ὑπομένειν ᾤοντο δεῖν πρότερον ἢ τὸν νόμον κύριον ἐᾶσαι γενέσθαι: ὀργαί τε καὶ κατηγορίαι καὶ ἀντιπράξεις ἐγίνοντο συνεχεῖς ἐν ἰδίοις τε συλλόγοις καὶ κατὰ τὰς κοινὰς συνόδους, ἁπάντων τῶν πατρικίων πρὸς ἅπαντας ἠλλοτριωμένων τοὺς δημοτικούς.
[2] At this the members of the senate were offended, seeing in it the overthrow of their own domination, and they thought they ought to endure anything rather than permit the law to pass; and outbursts of anger, recriminations and obstructions continually occurred both in private gatherings and in their general sessions, all the patricians having become to all the plebeians.
[3] καὶ λόγοι πολλοὶ μὲν ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ, πολλοὶ δὲ κατὰ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ὑπὸ τῶν προϊσταμένων τῆς ἀριστοκρατίας ἐλέχθησαν, ἐπιεικέστεροι μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν οἰομένων ἀγνοίᾳ τοῦ συμφέροντος ἁμαρτάνειν τοὺς δημοτικούς, τραχύτεροι δ᾽ ὑπὸ τῶν νομιζόντων ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς καὶ φθόνου τοῦ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸ πρᾶγμα συγκεῖσθαι.
[3] Many speeches also were made in the senate and many in the meetings of the popular assembly by the leading men of the aristocracy, the more moderate by men who believed that the plebeians were misled through ignorance of their true interests and the harsher by men who thought that the measure was concocted as the result of a plot and of envy toward themselves.
[1] ἑλκομένου δὲ τοῦ χρόνου διακενῆς ἧκον εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀπὸ τῶν συμμάχων ἄγγελοι λέγοντες, ὅτι πολλῇ στρατιᾷ μέλλουσιν ἐλαύνειν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς Αἰκανοί τε καὶ Οὐολοῦσκοι, δεόμενοι βοήθειαν ἀποστεῖλαι σφίσι διὰ ταχέων ὡς ἐν τρίβῳ τοῦ πολέμου κειμένοις.
[54.1] While the time was dragging along with no result, messengers from the allies arrived in the city reporting that both the Aequians and the Volscians were about to march against them with a large army and begging that assistance might be sent them promptly, as they lay in the path of the war.
[2] ἐλέγοντο δὲ καὶ Τυρρηνῶν οἱ καλούμενοι Οὐιεντανοὶ παρασκευάζεσθαι πρὸς ἀπόστασιν, Ἀρδεᾶται τ᾽ αὐτῶν οὐκέτι ἦσαν ὑπήκοοι τῆς ἀμφιλόγου χώρας ὀργὴν ἔχοντες, ἣν ὁ Ῥωμαίων δῆμος αἱρεθεὶς δικαστὴς αὑτῷ προσεδίκασεν ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι ἐνιαυτῷ.
[2] Those Tyrrhenians also who were called Veientes were said to be preparing for a revolt; and the Ardeates no longer gave allegiance to the Romans, being angry over the matter of the disputed territory which the Roman people, when chosen arbiters, had awarded to themselves the year before.
[3] ταῦτα ἡ βουλὴ μαθοῦσα ψηφίζεται στρατιὰν καταγράφειν [p. 200] καὶ τοὺς ὑπάτους ἀμφοτέρους ἐξάγειν δυνάμεις. ἀντέπραττον δὲ τοῖς γνωσθεῖσιν ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν οἱ τὸν νόμον εἰσφέροντες ἔχουσι δ᾽ ἐξουσίαν ἐναντιοῦσθαι δήμαρχοι τοῖς ὑπάτοις ἀφαιρούμενοί τε τοὺς ἀγομένους ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸν στρατιωτικὸν ὅρκον, καὶ τιμωρίαν οὐδεμίαν ἐῶντες λαμβάνειν παρὰ τῶν ἀπειθούντων.
[3] The senate, upon being informed of all this, voted to enrol an army and that both consuls should take the field. But those who were trying to introduce the law kept opposing the execution of their decisions (tribunes have authority to oppose the consuls) by liberating such of the citizens as the consuls were leading off to make them take the military oath and by not permitting the consuls to inflict any punishment on the disobedient.
[4] πολλὰ δὲ τῆς βουλῆς ἀξιούσης ἐν μὲν τῷ παρόντι χρόνῳ τὴν φιλονεικίαν καταβαλεῖν, ὅταν δὲ τέλος οἱ πόλεμοι λάβωσι, τότε προτιθέναι τὸν περὶ τῶν ἀρχαιρεσιῶν νόμον, οἵδε τοσούτου ἐδέησαν εἶξαι τοῖς καιροῖς, ὥστε καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐναντιώσεσθαι τοῖς δόγμασι τῆς βουλῆς ἔλεγον, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐάσειν δόγμα περὶ οὐδενὸς κυρωθῆναι πράγματος, ἐὰν μὴ τὸν ὑπ᾽
[4] And when the senate earnestly entreated them to put aside their contentiousness for the time being and only when the wars were at an end to propose the law concerning the consular elections, these men, far from yielding to the emergency, declared that they would oppose the decrees of the senate on any subject to be ratified unless the senate should approve by a preliminary decree the law they themselves were introducing.
[5] αὐτῶν εἰσφερόμενον προβουλεύσῃ νόμον. καὶ οὐ μόνον ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπάτους ταῦτ᾽ ἀπειλῆσαι προήχθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὅρκους, οἵπερ εἰσὶ μέγιστοι παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς, κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν πίστεως διομοσάμενοι, ἵνα μηδέ τι τῶν ἐγνωσμένων αὐτοῖς πεισθεῖσιν ἐξῇ καταλύειν.
[5] And they were so far carried away that they thus threatened the consuls not only in the senate, nature in the assembly of the people, swearing the oath which to them is the most binding, namely by their good fortune, to the end that they might not be at liberty to revoke any of their decisions even if convinced of their error.
[1] πρὸς δὴ τὰς ἀπειλὰς ταύτας ἐσκόπουν, ὅ τι χρὴ ποιεῖν, οἱ πρεσβύτατοί τε καὶ κορυφαιότατοι τῶν προεστηκότων τῆς ἀριστοκρατίας, συναχθέντες [p. 201] εἰς τὸν ἰδιωτικὸν σύλλογον ὑπὸ τῶν ὑπάτων αὐτοὶ καθ᾽
[55.1] In view of these threats the oldest and most prominent of the leaders of the aristocracy were assembled by the consuls in a private meeting apart by themselves and there considered what they ought to do.
[2] ἑαυτούς. Γάϊος μὲν οὖν Κλαύδιος ἥκιστα δημοτικὸς ὢν καὶ ταύτην διαδεδεγμένος ἐκ προγόνων τὴν αἵρεσιν τῆς πολιτείας αὐθαδεστέραν γνώμην εἰσέφερε, μήτε ὑπατείας μήτ᾽ ἄλλης ἀρχῆς τῷ δήμῳ παραχωρεῖν μηδεμιᾶς: τοὺς δὲ τἀναντία πράττειν ἐπιχειροῦντας ὅπλοις κωλύειν, ἐὰν μὴ πείθωνται τοῖς λόγοις, φειδὼ μηδεμίαν ποιουμένους μήτ᾽ ἰδιώτου μήτ᾽ ἄρχοντος. ἅπαντας γὰρ τοὺς ἐπιχειρ�
�ῦντας τὰ πάτρια κινεῖν ἔθη καὶ τὸν κόσμον τοῦ πολιτεύματος τὸν ἀρχαῖον διαφθείρειν ἀλλοτρίους καὶ πολεμίους εἶναι τῆς πόλεως.
[2] Gaius Claudius, who by no means favoured the plebeians and had inherited this political creed from his ancestors, offered a rather arrogant motion not to yield to the people either the consulship or any other magistracy whatever, and, in the case of those who should attempt to do otherwise, to prevent them by force of arms, if they would not be convinced by arguments, giving no quarter to either private person or magistrate. For all who attempted to disturb the established customs and to corrupt their ancient form of government, he said, were aliens and enemies of the commonwealth.
[3] Τίτος δὲ Κοίντιος οὐκ εἴα τῇ βίᾳ κατείργειν τὸ ἀντίπαλον, οὐδὲ δι᾽ ὅπλων καὶ δι᾽ αἵματος ἐμφυλίου χωρεῖν πρὸς τὸ δημοτικόν, ἄλλως τε καὶ δημάρχων σφίσιν ἐναντιωσομένων, οὓς ἱεροὺς εἶναι καὶ παναγεῖς ἐψηφίσαντο οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν θεοὺς καὶ δαίμονας ἐγγυητὰς ποιησάμενοι τῶν ὁμολογιῶν, καὶ τοὺς μεγίστους ὅρκους κατ᾽ ἐξωλείας αὐτῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἐγγόνων, ἐάν τι παραβαίνωσι τῶν συγκειμένων, κατομοσάμενοι.
[3] On the other hand, Titus Quintius opposed restraining their adversaries by violence or proceeding against the plebeians with arms and civil bloodshed, particularly since they would be opposed by the tribunes, “whose persons our fathers had decreed to be sacred and sacrosanct, making the gods and lesser divinities sureties for the performance of their compact and swearing the most solemn oaths in which they invoked utter destruction upon both themselves and their posterity if they transgressed a single article of that covenant.”
[1] ταύτῃ προσθεμένων τῇ γνώμῃ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν παρακληθέντων εἰς τὸ συνέδριον παραλαβὼν τὸν λόγον ὁ Κλαύδιος: οὐκ ἀγνοῶ μέν, ἔφησεν, ἡλίκων κρηπὶς καταβληθήσεται συμφορῶν ἅπασιν ἡμῖν, ἐὰν ἐπιτρέψωμεν τῷ δήμῳ περὶ τοῦ νόμου ψῆφον λαβεῖν: οὐκ ἔχων δ᾽ ὅ τι χρὴ ποιεῖν οὐδὲ δυνάμενος [p. 202] τοσούτοις οὖσιν μόνος ἀντιλέγειν, εἴκω τοῖς βουλήμασι τοῖς ὑμετέροις.
[56.1] This advice being approved of by all the others who had been invited to the meeting, Claudius resumed his remarks and said: “I am not unaware of how great calamities to us all a foundation will be laid if we permit the people to give their votes concerning this law. But being at a loss what to do and unable alone to oppose so many, I yield to your wishes.
[2] δίκαιον γὰρ ἀποφαίνεσθαι μὲν ἕκαστον ἃ δοκεῖ τῷ κοινῷ συνοίσειν, πείθεσθαι δὲ τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν πλειόνων κριθεῖσιν. ἐκεῖνο μέντοι παραινεῖν ὑμῖν ὡς ἐν χαλεποῖς καὶ ἀβουλήτοις πράγμασιν ἔχω, τῆς μὲν ὑπατείας μήτε νῦν μήθ᾽ ὕστερον παραχωρεῖν μηδενὶ πλὴν τῶν πατρικίων, οἷς μόνοις ὅσιόν τε καὶ
[2] For it is right that every man should declare what he thinks will be of advantage to the commonwealth and then submit to the decision of the majority. However, this advice I have to give you, seeing that you are involved in a difficult and disagreeable business, — not to yield the consulship either now or hereafter to any but patricians, who alone are qualified for it by both religion and law.
[3] θεμιτόν ἐστι τυγχάνειν: ὅταν δ᾽ εἰς ἀνάγκην κατακλεισθῆτε ὥσπερ νῦν μεταδιδόναι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις πολίταις τῆς μεγίστης ἐξουσίας τε καὶ ἀρχῆς, χιλιάρχους τε ἀντὶ τῶν ὑπάτων ἀποδείκνυτε, ἀριθμὸν αὐτῶν ὁρίσαντες ὅσον δή τινα — ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ ὀκτὼ ἢ ἓξ ἀποχρῆς δοκεῖ — ἔν τε τούτοις τοῖς ἀνδράσι μὴ ἐλάττονες ἀριθμὸν ἔστωσαν οἱ πατρίκιοι τῶν δημοτικῶν. ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντες οὔτε τὴν τῶν ὑπάτων ἀρχὴν εἰς ταπεινοὺς καὶ ἀναξίους καταβαλεῖτε οὔτε δυναστείας ἀδίκους ἑαυτοῖς κατασκευάζεσθαι δόξετε μηδεμιᾶς ἀρχῆς μεταδιδόντες τοῖς δημοτικοῖς.
[3] But whenever you are reduced, as at present, to the necessity of sharing the highest power and magistracy with the other citizens, appoint military tribunes instead of consuls, fixing their number as you shall think proper — in my opinion six or eight suffice — and of these men let the patricians not be fewer than the plebeians. For in doing this you will neither debase the consular office by conferring it upon mean and unworthy men nor will you appears to be devising for yourselves unjust positions of power by sharing no magistracy whatever with the plebeians.”
[4] ἐπαινεσάντων δ᾽ ἁπάντων τὴν γνώμην καὶ οὐδενὸς τἀναντία λέγοντος: ἀκούσατ᾽, ἔφη, ἃ καὶ τοῖς ὑπάτοις ὑμῖν ἔχω παραινεῖν. ἡμέραν προειπόντες, ἐν ᾗ τὸ προβούλευμα ἐπικυρώσετε καὶ τὰ κριθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς βουλῆς, λόγον ἀπόδοτε τοῖς ἀπολογουμένοις ὑπὲρ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῖς κατηγοροῦσι: ῥηθέντων δὲ τῶν λόγων, ὅταν καθήκῃ τὰς [p. 203] γνώμας ἐρωτᾶν, μήτ᾽ ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἄρξησθε μήτ᾽ ἀπὸ κοιντίου τουδὶ μήτ᾽ ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου τῶν πρεσβυτέρων μηδενός, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τοῦ φιλοδημοτάτου τῶν βουλευτῶν Λευκίου Οὐαλερίου, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον ἀξιοῦτε Ὁράτιον εἴ τι βούλεται λέγειν. ὅταν δὲ τὰς παρ᾽ ἐκείνων γνώμας ἐξετάσητε, τότε τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἡμᾶς κελεύετε λέγειν.
[4] When all approved this opinion and none spoke in opposition, he said: “Hear now the advice I have for you consuls also. After you have appointed a day for passing the preliminary decree and the resolutions of the senate, give the floor to all who desire to say anything either in favour of the law or in opposition to it, and after they have spoken and it is time to ask for the expression of opinions, begin neither with me nor with Quintius here nor with anyone else of the older men, but rather with Lucius Valerius, who of all the senators is the greatest friend of the populace, and after him ask Horatius to speak, if he wishes to say anything. And when you have found out their opinions, then bid us older men to speak.
[5] ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τὴν ἐναντιουμένην γνώμην τοῖς δημάρχοις ἀποδείξομαι πάσῃ τῇ παρρησίᾳ χρώμενος — τουτὶ γὰρ τῷ κοινῷ συμφέρει — τὸ δὲ περὶ τῶν χιλιάρχων πολίτευμα, εἰ βουλομένοις ἐστίν, εἰσηγείσθω Τίτος Γενύκιος οὗτος: πρεπωδεστάτη γὰρ ἡ γνώμη καὶ ὑποψίαν ἥκιστα παρέξουσα γένοιτ᾽ ἄν, ἐὰν οὗτος αὐτὴν ὁ
[5] For my part, I shall deliver an opinion contrary to that of the tribunes, using all possible frankness, since this tends to the advantage of the commonwealth. As for the measure concerning the military tribunes, if it is agreeable, let Titus Genucius here propose it; for this motion will be the most fitting and will create the least suspicion, Marcus Genucius, if introduced
by your brother here.”
[6] σὸς ἀδελφός, ὦ Μάρκε Γενύκιε, λέγῃ. ἐδόκει καὶ ταῦτα ὀρθῶς ὑποτίθεσθαι, καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀπῄεσαν ἐκ τοῦ συλλόγου, τοῖς δὲ δημάρχοις δέος ἐνέπιπτε πρὸς τὴν ἀπόρρητον τῶν ἀνδρῶν συνουσίαν ὡς ἐπὶ κακῷ τινι τοῦ δήμου μεγάλῳ γενομένην, ἐπειδὴ κατ᾽ οἰκίαν τε συνήδρευσαν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ, καὶ οὐδένα τῶν προεστηκότων τοῦ δήμου κοινωνὸν τῶν βουλευμάτων παρέλαβον, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο συνέδριον αὐτοὶ πάλιν ἐκ τῶν φιλοδημοτάτων συναγαγόντες ἀλεξήματα καὶ φυλακὰς ἀντεμηχανῶντο πρὸς τὰς ἐπιβουλάς, ἃς ἐκ τῶν πατρικίων ἔσεσθαι σφίσιν ὑπώπτευον.
[6] This suggestion was also approved, after which they departed from the meeting. But as for the tribunes, fear fell upon them because of the secret conference of these men; for they suspected that it was calculated to bring some great mischief upon the populace, since the men had met in a private house and not in public and had admitted none of the people’s champions to share in their counsels. Thereupon they in turn held a meeting of such persons as were most friendly to the populace and they set about contriving defences and safeguards against the insidious designs which they suspected the patricians would employ against them.
Delphi Complete Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 79) Page 699
