nd insult. He first attempted to seduce the young man by impure
discourses, considering the bloom of his youth his own adventitious
gain; but finding that his ears were shocked at their infamous tendency,
he then endeavoured to terrify him by threats, and reminded him
frequently of his situation. At last, convinced of his resolution to act
conformably to his honourable birth, rather than to his present
condition, he ordered him to be stripped and scourged. When with the
marks of the rods imprinted in his flesh the youth rushed out into the
public street, loudly complaining of the depravedness and inhumanity of
the usurer; a vast number of people, moved by compassion for his early
age, and indignation at his barbarous treatment, reflecting at the same
time on their own lot and that of their children, flocked together into
the forum, and from thence in a body to the senate-house. When the
consuls were obliged by the sudden tumult to call a meeting of the
senate, the people, falling at the feet of each of the senators, as they
were going into the senate-house, presented to their view the lacerated
back of the youth. On that day, in consequence of the outrageous conduct
of an individual, the strongest bonds of credit were broken; and the
consuls were commanded to propose to the people, that no person should
be held in fetters or stocks, except convicted of a crime, and in order
to punishment; but that, for money due, the goods of the debtor, not his
person, should be answerable. Thus the confined debtors were released;
and provision made, for the time to come, that they should not be liable
to confinement.

29. In the course of this year, while the war with the Samnites was
sufficient in itself to give full employment to the senate, besides the
sudden defection of the Lucanians, and the Tarentines, the promoters of
the defection, [another source of uneasiness] was added in a union
formed by the state of the Vestinians with the Samnites. Which event,
though it continued, during the present year, to be the general subject
of conversation, without coming under any public discussion, appeared so
important to the consuls of the year following, Lucius Furius Camillus a
second time, and Junius Brutus Scaeva, that it was the first business
which they proposed to the consideration of the state. And though the
matter was still recent, still great perplexity seized the senate, as
they dreaded equally the consequences, either of passing