by
changed? the children surely go with the father. Nor is there any thing
which we seek from intermarriage with you, except that we may be held in
the number of human beings and fellow citizens; nor is there any reason
why ye contest the point, except that it delights you to strive for
insult and ignominy to us.

5. "In a word, whether is the supreme power belonging to the Roman
people, or is it yours? Whether by the expulsion of kings has dominion
been acquired for you or equal liberty for all? It is fitting that the
Roman people should be allowed to enact a law, if it please. Or will ye
decree a levy by way of punishment, according as each bill shall be
proposed? and as soon as I, as tribune, shall begin to call the tribes
to give their votes, will you, forthwith, as consul, force the younger
men to take the military oath, and lead them out to camp? and will you
threaten the commons? will you threaten the tribune? What, if you had
not already twice experienced how little those threats availed against
the united sense of the people? Of course it was because you wished to
consult for our interest, that you abstained from force. Or was there no
contest for this reason, that the party which was the stronger was also
the more moderate? Nor will there be any contest now, Romans: they will
try your spirit; your strength they will not make trial of. Wherefore,
consuls, the commons are prepared to accompany you to these wars,
whether real or fictitious, if, by restoring the right of intermarriage,
you at length make this one state; if they can coalesce, be united and
mixed with you by private ties; if the hope, if the access to honours
be granted to men of ability and energy; if it is lawful to be in a
partnership and share of the government; if, what is the result of equal
freedom, it be allowed in the distribution of the annual offices to obey
and to govern in their turns. If any one shall obstruct these measures,
talk about wars, multiply them by report; no one will give in his name,
no one will take up arms, no one will fight for haughty masters, with
whom there is no participation of honours in public, nor of
intermarriage in private."

6. When both the consuls came forward into the assembly, and the matter
had changed from a long series of harangues to altercation, the tribune,
on asking why it was not right that a plebeian should be made a consul,
an answer was returned truly perhaps, though by no means expediently fo