ls; more carefully enforced by additional sanctions. This was the
third time, since the expulsion of the kings, of this law being
introduced, and always by the same family. The reason for renewing it
so often was, I believe, no other, than that the influence of a few
was apt to prove too powerful for the liberty of the commons. However,
the Porcian law seems intended, solely, for the security of the
persons of the citizens; as it visited with a severe penalty any one
for beating with stripes or putting to death a Roman citizen. The
Valerian law, after forbidding a person, who had appealed, to be
beaten with rods and beheaded, added, in case of any one acting
contrary thereto, that it shall yet be only deemed a wicked act. This,
I suppose, was judged of sufficient strength to enforce obedience to
the law in those days; so powerful was then men's sense of shame; at
present one would scarcely make use of such a threat seriously. The
Aequans rebelling, the same consul conducted the war against them; in
which no memorable event occurred; for, except ferocity, they retained
nothing of their ancient condition. The other consul, Appuleius,
invested the town of Nequinum in Umbria. The ground, the same whereon
Narnia now stands, was steep (on one side even perpendicular); this
rendered the town impregnable either by assault or works. That
business, therefore, came unfinished into the hands of the succeeding
consuls, Marcus Fulvius Paetinus and Titus Manlius Torquatus. When all
the centuries named Quintus Fabius consul for that year though not a
candidate, Macer Licinius and Tubero state that he himself recommended
them to postpone the conferring the consulship on him until a year
wherein there might be more employment for their arms; adding, that,
during the present year, he might be more useful to the state in the
management of a city magistracy; and thus, neither dissembling what he
preferred, nor yet making direct application for it, he was appointed
curule aedile with Lucius Papirius Cursor. Piso, a more ancient writer
of annals, prevents me from averring this as certain; he asserts that
the curule aediles of that year were Caius Domitius Calvinus, son of
Cneius, and Spurius Carvilius Maximus, son of Caius. I am of opinion,
that this latter surname caused a mistake concerning the aediles; and
that thence followed a story conformable to this mistake, patched up
out of the two elections, of the aediles, and of the consuls. The
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