levee while he lived, before the commons had first
ratified the laws proposed by him and his colleagues;" and he instantly
summoned them to an assembly.

2. Both the consuls incited the senate against the tribune, and the
tribune the people against the consuls at one and the same time. The
consuls denied "that tribunitian frenzies could any longer be endured;
that they were now come to a crisis; that more hostilities were being
stirred up at home than abroad. That this happened not more through the
fault of the commons than of the patricians; nor more through that of
the tribunes than of the consuls. That the matter for which there was a
reward in the state thrived always with the greatest proficiency; that
thus it was that men became meritorious in peace, thus in war. That at
Rome the highest reward was for sedition; that had ever been the source
of honour both to individuals and to collective bodies. They should
remember in what condition they had received the majesty of the senate
from their forefathers, in what condition they were about to transmit it
to their children; that, like the commons, they should have it in their
power to boast that it was improved in degree and in splendour. That
there was no end, nor would there be, so long as the promoters of
sedition were rewarded with honour in proportion as sedition was
successful. What and how important schemes Caius Canuleius had set on
foot! that he was introducing confounding of family rank, a disturbance
of the auspices both public and private, that nothing may remain pure,
nothing uncontaminated; that, all distinction being abolished, no one
might know either himself or those he belonged to. For what other
tendency had those promiscuous intermarriages, except that intercourse
between commons and patricians might be made common after the manner of
wild beasts; so that of the offspring each may be ignorant of what blood
he may be, of what form of religion he was; that he may belong half to
the patricians, half to the commons, not being homogeneous even with
himself? That it appeared not enough, that all things divine and human
should be confounded; that those disturbers of the common people were
now preparing to (seize) the consulship; and first that they sounded
people's sentiments in mere conversation on the project of having one
consul appointed from the commons; that now the proposition was brought
forward, that the people may appoint the consuls, whether they