d the Roman people been dissatisfied
with any one of them. The consulate still remained for the attainment of
the plebeians; that it was the bulwark, the prop of their liberty. If
they should attain that, then that the Roman people would consider that
kings were really expelled from the city, and their liberty firmly
established. For from that day that every thing in which the patricians
surpassed them, would flow in on the commons, power and honour, military
glory, birth, nobility, valuable at present for their own enjoyment,
sure to be left still more valuable to their children." When they saw
such discourses favourably listened to, they publish a new proposition;
that instead of two commissioners for performing religious rites, ten
should be appointed; so that one half should be elected out of the
commons, the other half from the patricians; and they deferred the
meeting [for the discussion] of all those propositions, till the coming
of that army which was besieging Velitrae.

38. The year was completed before the legions were brought back from
Velitrae. Thus the question regarding the laws was suspended and deferred
for the new military tribunes; for the commons re-elected the same two
plebeian tribunes, because they were the proposers of the laws. Titus
Quinctius, Servius Cornelius, Servius Sulpicius, Spurius Servilius,
Lucius Papirius, Lucius Valerius, were elected military tribunes.
Immediately at the commencement of the year the question about the laws
was pushed to the extreme of contention; and when the tribes were
called, nor did the protest of their colleagues prevent the proposers of
the laws, the patricians being alarmed have recourse to their two last
aids, to the highest authority and the highest citizen. It is resolved
that a dictator be appointed: Marcus Furius Camillus is appointed, who
nominates Lucius AEmilius his master of the horse. To meet so powerful a
measure of their opponents, the proposers of the laws also set forth the
people's cause with great determination of mind, and having convened an
assembly of the people, they summon the tribes to vote. When the
dictator took his seat, accompanied by a band of patricians, full of
anger and of threats, and the business was going on at first with the
usual contention of the plebeian tribunes, some proposing the law and
others protesting against it, and though the protest was more powerful
by right, still it was overpowered by the popularity of the laws