aged there under the auspices of the
two consuls, as some have stated; or whether the lands of the
Tarquinians were laid waste by the consul Sulpicius about the same time
that Valerius led the troops against the Tiburtians. The consuls had a
more arduous contest at home with the commons and tribunes. As two
patricians had received the consulship, they considered that not only
their resolution, but their honour also, was involved in their
consigning it to two patricians. For if the consulship were made a
plebeian magistracy, they must either yield it up entirely, or possess
it entire, which possession they had received from their fathers
unimpaired. The commons on the other hand loudly remonstrate; "Why did
they live; why were they reckoned in the number of citizens; if they
collectively cannot maintain that which was acquired by the firmness of
two men, Lucius Sextius and Caius Licinius? That either kings, or
decemvirs, or, if there be any denomination of power more offensive,
would be submitted to rather than see both the consuls patricians, or
rather than not obey and rule in turn; but the one half, located in
perpetual power, thinks the commons born for no other purpose than to be
subservient." The tribunes are not remiss in encouraging the
disturbances; but amid the excited state of all scarcely any are
distinguished as leaders. When they had several times gone down to the
Campus Martius to no purpose, and when many days of meeting had been
spent in seditious movements; at length the resentment of the commons,
overcome by the perseverance of the consuls, broke out to such a degree,
that the commons followed in sorrow the tribunes, exclaiming, that there
was an end of liberty; that not only the Campus should be relinquished,
but the city also as being held captive and oppressed by the tyranny of
the patricians. The consuls, deserted by a part of the people, finish
the election nevertheless with the small number [who attended]. Both the
consuls elected were patricians, Marcus Fabius Ambustus a third time,
Titus Quinctius. In some annals I find Marcus Popilius mentioned as
consul instead of Titus Quinctius.

19. Two wars were conducted with success on that year: and they forced
the Tiburtians by force of arms to a surrender. The city of Sassula was
taken from them; and the other towns would have shared the same fate,
had not the entire nation laid down their arms, and put themselves under
the protection of the consul.