nquired into all public crimes or
treasons, either in Rome or other parts of Italy; and adjusted all
disputes among the allied and dependent cities. They exercised a power
not only of interpreting the laws, but of absolving men from the
obligation of them. They could postpone the assemblies of the people,
and prescribe a change of habit to the city, in cases of any imminent
danger or calamity.

But their power was chiefly conspicuous in civil dissension or dangerous
tumults within the city, in which that solemn decree used to be passed;
"That the consuls should take care that the republic should receive no
harm." By which decree an absolute power was granted to them to punish
and put to death whom they pleased without a trial; to raise forces and
carry on war, without the order of the people.

Although the decrees of the Senate had not properly the force of laws,
and took place chiefly in those matters which were not provided for by
the laws, yet they were understood always to have a binding force, and
were therefore obeyed by all orders. The consuls themselves were obliged
to submit to them. They could be annulled or cancelled only by the
Senate itself. In the last ages of the republic, the authority of the
Senate was little regarded by the leading men and their creatures, who
by means of bribery obtained from a corrupted populace what they
desired, in spite of the Senate.

Augustus, when he became master of the empire, retained the forms of the
ancient republic, and the same names of the magistrates; but left
nothing of the ancient virtue and liberty. While he pretended always to
act by the authority of the Senate, he artfully drew everything to
himself.

The Senators were distinguished by an oblong stripe of purple sewed on
the forepart of their Senatorial gown, and black buskins reaching to the
middle of the leg, with the letter C in silver on the top of the foot.

The chief privilege of the Senators was their having a particular place
at the public spectacles, called orchestra. It was next the stage in the
theatre, or next the arena or open space in the amphitheatre.

The messages sent by the emperor to the Senate were called epistolae or
libelli, because they were folded in the form of a letter or little
book. Caesar was said to have first introduced these libelli, which
afterwards were used on almost every occasion.

CHAPTER III.

_Other Divisions of the Roman People._

That the Patricians and