er not knowing the
matter. That laugh, however, gave a sting to the female mind, sensitive
as it is to mere trifles. From the number of persons attending on her,
and asking her commands, her sister's match, I suppose, appeared to her
to be a fortunate one, and she repined at her own, according to that
erroneous feeling, by which every one is most annoyed at being
outstripped by those nearest to him. When her father happened to see her
disappointed after the recent mortification, by kindly inquiring he
prevailed on her, who was dissembling the cause of her annoyance, (as
being neither affectionate with respect to her sister, nor respectful
towards her husband,) to confess, that the cause of her chagrin was,
that she had been united to an inferior, and married into a house which
neither honour nor influence could enter. Ambustus then, consoling his
daughter, bid her keep up good spirits; that she should soon see the
same honours at her own house, which she now sees at her sister's. Upon
this he began to draw up his plans with his son-in-law, having attached
to himself Lucius Sextius, an enterprising young man, and one to whose
hope nothing was wanting but patrician descent.

35. There appeared a favourable opportunity for making innovations on
account of the immense load of debt, no alleviation of which evil the
commons could hope for unless their own party were placed in the highest
authority. To [bring about] that object [they saw] that they should
exert themselves. That the plebeians, by endeavouring and persevering,
had already gained a step towards it, whence, if they struggled forward,
they might reach the summit, and be on a level with the patricians, in
honour as well as in merit. For the present it was resolved that
plebeian tribunes should be created, in which office they might open for
themselves a way to other honours. And Caius Licinius and Lucius
Sextius, being elected tribunes, proposed laws all against the power of
the patricians, and for the interests of the commons: one regarding the
debt, that, whatever had been paid in interest being deduced from the
principal, the remainder should be paid off in three years by equal
instalments; the other concerning the limitation of land, that no one
should possess more than five hundred acres of land; a third, that there
should be no election of military tribunes, and that one at least of the
consuls should be elected from the commons; all matters of great
importanc