hall
briefly describe. The Romans used to fix in the ground two poles
(upright wooden beams, of course, with a space between them) and
across them they would lay another transverse beam; through the frame
thus formed they led the captives naked. This conferred great
distinction upon the side that conducted the operation but vast
dishonor upon the side that endured it, so that some preferred to die
rather than submit to any such treatment. Cincinnatus also captured a
city of theirs called Corvinum[11] and returned: he removed Minucius
from his praetorship because of his defeat, and himself resigned his
office.

[Footnote 10: Zonaras spells _Cicinatus_.]

[Footnote 11: The town is called _Corbio_ by Livy (II, 39, 4).]

VII, 18.--The Romans, however, now got another war on their hands at
home, in which their adversaries were composed of slaves and some
exiles who moved unexpectedly by night and secured possession of the
Capitol. This time, too, the multitude did not arm themselves for the
fray till they had wrung some further concessions from the patricians.
Then they assailed the revolutionists and overcame them, but lost many
of their own men.

For these reasons, accordingly, and because of certain portents the
Romans became sobered and dismissed their mutual grievances and voted
to establish the rights of citizenship on a fairer basis. And they
sent three men to Greece with an eye to the laws and the customs of
the people there. Upon the return of the commission they abolished all
the political offices, including that of the tribunes, and chose
instead eight of the foremost men, and [Sidenote: B.C. 451 (_a.u._
303)] designated Appius Claudius and Titus Genucius praetors with
dictatorial powers for that one year. They empowered them to compile
laws and further voted that no case could be appealed from them,--a
latitude granted previously to none of the magistrates save the
dictators. These men held sway each for a day, assuming by turns the
dignity of rulership. They compiled laws and exposed the same to view
in the Forum. These statutes being found pleasing to all were put
before the people, and after receiving their ratification were
inscribed on ten tablets; for all records that were deemed worthy of
safekeeping used to be preserved on tablets.

[Sidenote: B.C. 450 (_a.u._ 304)] The above mentioned magistrates at
the expiration of the year surrendered their office, but ten more
chosen anew (for the overthrow of