at the Volscians and
AEquans had proceeded beyond their frontiers into the Latin and Hernican
territory to commit depredations. For which war when the consuls
commence to hold a levy in pursuance of a decree of the senate, the
tribunes then strenuously opposed them, affirming that such a fortunate
opportunity was presented to them and to the commons. There were three,
and all very active men, and of respectable families, considering they
were plebeians. Two of them choose each a consul, to be watched by them
with unremitting assiduity; to one is assigned the charge sometimes of
restraining, sometimes of exciting, the commons by his harangues.
Neither the consuls effected the levy, nor the tribunes the election
which they desired. Then fortune inclining to the cause of the people,
expresses arrive that the AEquans had attacked the citadel of Carventa,
the soldiers who were in garrison having straggled away in quest of
plunder, and had put to death the few left to guard it; that others were
slain as they were returning to the citadel, and others who were
dispersed through the country. This circumstance, prejudicial to the
state, added force to the project of the tribunes. For, assailed by
every argument to no purpose that they would then at length desist from
obstructing the war, when they yielded neither to the public storm, nor
to the odium themselves, they succeed so far as to have a decree of the
senate passed for the election of military tribunes; with an express
stipulation, however, that no candidate should be considered, who was
tribune of the people that year, and that no one should be re-elected
plebeian tribune for the year following; the senate undoubtedly pointing
at the Icilians, whom they suspected of aiming at the consular
tribuneship as the reward of their turbulent tribuneship of the commons.
Then the levy began to proceed, and preparations for war began to be
made with the concurrence of all ranks. The diversity of the statements
of writers leaves it uncertain whether both the consuls set out for the
citadel of Carventa, or whether one remained behind to hold the
elections; those facts in which they do not disagree are to be received
as certain, that they retired from the citadel of Carventa, after having
carried on the attack for a long time to no purpose: that Verrugo in the
Volscian country was taken by the same army, and that great devastation
had been made, and considerable booty captured both amongs