nor had any other persons except the commons possession of that which
had been sold or publicly assigned, a violent contest between the
commons and patricians seemed to be at hand; nor did the military
tribunes discover either in the senate, or in the private meetings of
the nobles, any line of conduct to pursue; when Appius Claudius, the
grandson of him who had been decemvir for compiling the laws, being the
youngest senator of the meeting, is stated to have said; "that he
brought from home an old and a family scheme, for that his
great-grandfather, Appius Claudius, had shown the patricians one method
of baffling tribunitian power by the protests of their colleagues; that
men of low rank were easily led away from their opinions by the
influence of men of distinction, if language were addressed to them
suitable to the times, rather than to the dignity of the speakers. That
their sentiments were regulated by their circumstances. When they should
see that their colleagues, having the start in introducing the measure,
had engrossed to themselves the whole credit of it with the commons, and
that no room was left for them, that they would without reluctance
incline to the interest of the senate, through which they may conciliate
the favour not only of the principal senators, but of the whole body."
All expressing their approbation, and above all, Quintius Servilius
Priscus eulogizing the youth, because he had not degenerated from the
Claudian race, a charge is given, that they should gain over as many of
the college of the tribunes as they could, to enter protests. On the
breaking up of the senate the tribunes are applied to by the leading
patricians: by persuading, admonishing, and assuring them "that it would
be gratefully felt by them individually, and gratefully by the entire
senate, they prevailed on six to give in their protests." And on the
following day, when the proposition was submitted to the senate, as had
been preconcerted, concerning the sedition which Maecilius and Maetilius
were exciting by urging a largess of a most mischievous precedent, such
speeches were delivered by the leading senators, that each declared
"that for his part he had no measure to advise, nor did he see any
other resource in any thing, except in the aid of the tribunes. That to
the protection of that power the republic, embarrassed as it was, fled
for succour, just as a private individual in distress. That it was
highly honourable to themsel