past."

To these words two tribunes of the Commons, having been among the
sureties, made objection, saying, "Ye cannot set the Roman people free
by giving up the sureties, but only by restoring all things as they were
at Caudium. Neither do we deserve punishment because we saved the army;
and seeing that we are sacred we may not be surrendered to the enemy."

To this Postumius made answer, "If this be so, men of Rome, give up us
that are common persons; and as for these sacred tribunes, touch them
not till their time of office be ended. Only, if ye will listen to
me, afterwards, before ye give them up, beat them with rods in the
market-place, and so take usury for the delay of payment. That the Roman
people are bound by this peace I deny. Think ye that they had been bound
if we had promised to surrender their city, their temples, their land,
their rivers, so that all that now belongs to the Romans should belong
to the Samnites? And if ye ask me why I made such a peace having no
authority, I answer this only. Nothing at Caudium was done wisely, but
all things foolishly. The Gods smote not us only, but also the enemy
with madness. We went blindly into the peril, and they cast away the
victory which they had won. For why did they not send ambassadors to
Rome, seeing that it was but a three days' journey, that peace might be
made in due form? Surely neither Fathers nor Commons are bound to that
in which they had no part. We that were sureties are bound, and we will
give ourselves up that they may work their will on us."

Even the tribunes of the Commons were persuaded by these words, so that
they abdicated their office, and were given to the heralds to be led to
Caudium together with the consuls and the other sureties. Thereupon the
heralds, going before, when they came to the gate, commanded that their
garments should be stripped from them that had been sureties for the
peace, and that their hands should be bound behind their backs. And when
the lictor, for reverence' sake, would have tied the cord loosely about
the hands of Postumius, Postumius said, "Nay, but bind tight the cord
that the matter may be done rightly." Afterwards, when they were come to
the judgment-seat of Pontius, the herald thus spake: "Forasmuch as these
men here present without bidding of the Roman people gave themselves
as sureties that a treaty should be made, and so did great wrong, I now
give up these men to you, that the Roman people may be set