Either
accept all, or I propose nothing; which of you, Romans, would bear it?
Will ye never look at facts rather than persons? but always listen with
partial ears to every thing which that officer will say, and with
prejudiced ears to what may be said by any of us? But, by Jove, their
language is by no means becoming members of a republic. What! what sort
is the measure, which they are indignant at its having been rejected by
you? very like their language, Romans. I ask, he says, that it may not
be lawful for you to elect, as consuls, such persons as ye may wish.
Does he require any thing else, who orders that one consul at least be
elected from the commons; nor does he grant you the power of electing
two patricians? If there were wars at the present day, such as the
Etrurian for instance, when Porsenna took the Janiculum, such as the
Gallic war lately, when, except the Capitol and citadel, all these
places were in possession of the enemy; and should Lucius Sextius stand
candidate for the consulate with Marcus Furius or any other of the
patricians: could ye endure that Sextius should be consul without any
risk; that Camillus should run the risk of a repulse? Is this allowing a
community of honours, that it should be lawful that two plebeians, and
not lawful that two patricians, be made consuls, and that it should be
necessary that one be elected from among the commons, and lawful to pass
by both of the patricians? what fellowship, what confederacy is that? Is
it not sufficient, if you come in for a share of that in which you had
no share hitherto, unless whilst suing for a part you seize on the
whole? I fear, he says, lest, if it be lawful that two patricians are to
be elected, ye will elect no plebeian. What else is this but saying,
Because ye will not of your own choice elect unworthy persons, I will
impose on you the necessity of electing persons whom you do not wish?
What follows, but that if one plebeian stand candidate with two
patricians, he owes no obligation to the people, and may say that he was
appointed by the law, not by suffrages?

41. "How they may extort, not how they may sue for honours, is what they
seek: and they are anxious to attain the highest honour, so that they
may not owe the obligations incurred even for the lowest; and they
prefer to sue for honours rather through favourable conjunctures than
by merit. Is there any one who can feel it an affront to have himself
inspected and estimated; who th