e Senate was much
irritated, considering that it, rather than its candidate Marcius, had
been insulted, while he was much enraged, and could not bear his
disgrace with any temper or patience, being accustomed always to yield
to the more violent and ferocious emotions as being the more spirited
course, without any mixture of gravity and self-restraint, virtues so
necessary for political life. He had never learned how essential it is
for one who undertakes to deal with men, and engage in public business,
to avoid above all things that self-will which, as Plato says, is of the
family of solitude, and to become longsuffering and patient, qualities
which some foolish people hold very cheap. Marcius, plain and
straightforward, thinking it to be the duty of a brave man to bear down
all opposition, and not reflecting that it is rather a sign of weakness
and feebleness of mind to be unable to restrain one's passion, flung
away in a rage, bitterly irritated against the people. The young
aristocracy of Rome, who had ever been his fast friends, now did him an
ill service by encouraging and exasperating his anger by their
expressions of sympathy; for he was their favourite leader and a most
kind instructor in the art of war when on a campaign, as he taught them
to delight in deeds of prowess without envying and grudging one another
their proper meed of praise.

XVI. While this was the state of affairs at Rome, a large amount of corn
arrived there, some of which had been bought in Italy, but most of it
sent as a present from Sicily by Gelon the despot; which gave most men
hopes that the famine would come to an end, and that the quarrel between
the patricians and plebeians would, under these improved circumstances,
be made up. The Senate at once assembled, and the people eagerly waited
outside the doors of the senate house, expecting and hoping that prices
would be lowered, and that the present of corn would be distributed
gratis among them; and indeed some of the senators advised the adoption
of that course. Marcius, however, rose and bitterly inveighed against
those who favoured the people, calling them demagogues and betrayers of
their own order, alleging that by such gratification they did but
cherish that spirit of boldness and arrogance which had been spread
among the people against the patricians, which they would have done well
to crush upon its first appearance, and not suffer the plebeians to grow
so strong by giving so much