chosen, with consular authority;
three from the senate, and three from the people; and that, when the
time of their magistracy should be expired, it would be seen whether
they would have the same office continued, or whether the consulship
should be established upon its former footing. 11. This project was
eagerly embraced by the people; yet so fickle were the multitude,
that, though many of the plebeians stood candidates, the choice wholly
fell upon the patricians who had offered themselves.

[Sidenote: U.C. 310.]

12. These new magistrates were called Military Tribunes; they were, at
first, but three: afterwards they were increased to four, and at
length to six; and they had the power and ensigns of consuls: yet,
that power being divided among a number, each singly was of less
authority. 13. The first that were chosen continued in office only
about three months, the augurs having found something amiss in the
ceremonies of their election.

14. The military tribunes being deposed, the consuls once more came
into office; and in order to lighten the weight of business which they
were obliged to sustain, a new office was created; namely, that of
Censors, who were to be chosen every fifth, year.[3] 15. Their
business was to take an estimate of the number and estates of the
people, and to distribute them into their proper classes: to inspect
into the lives and manners of their fellow citizens; to degrade
senators for misconduct; to dismount knights, and to remove plebeians
from their tribes into an inferior class, in case of misdemeanor. 16.
The first censors were Papir'ius and Sempro'nius, both patricians; and
from this order censors continued to be elected for nearly a hundred
years.

17. This new creation served to restore peace for some time among the
orders; and a triumph gained over the Vol'scians, by Gega'nius the
consul, added to the universal satisfaction that reigned among the
people.

[Sidenote: U.C. 313.]

18. This calm, however, was but of short continuance; for, some time
after, a famine pressing hard upon the poor, the usual complaints
against the rich were renewed; and these, as before, proving
ineffectual, produced new seditions. 19. The consuls were accused of
neglect, in not having laid in proper quantities of corn: they,
however, disregarded the murmurs of the populace, content with using
every exertion to supply the pressing necessity.[4] 20. But, though
they did all that could be expected from