us. Those chosen were Lucius Papirius and Lucius
Sempronius. The reason for their election was that the consuls were
unable, on account of the number of the people, to supervise them all;
the duties now assigned to the censors had until that time been
performed by the consuls as a part of their prerogatives. Two was the
original number of the censors and they were taken from the
patricians. They held office at first and at the last for five-year
periods, but during the intervening time for three half-years; and
they came to be greater than the consuls, though they had taken over
only a part of their functions. They had the right to let the public
revenues, to supervise roads and public buildings, to make complete
records of each man's wealth, and to note and investigate the lives of
the citizens, enrolling those deserving of praise in the tribes, in
the equestrian order, or in the senate (as seemed to fit the case of
each one), and similarly erasing from any class the names of those who
were not right livers: this power was greater than all those now left
to the consuls. They made declarations attested by oath, in regard to
every one of their acts, that no such act was prompted by favor or by
enmity but that their considerations and performances were both the
result of an unbiased opinion of what was advantageous for the
commonwealth. They convened the people when laws were to be introduced
and for other purposes, and employed all the insignia of the greater
offices save lictors. Such, at its inception, was the office of the
censors. If any persons did not register their property and themselves
in the census lists, the censors sold the property and the consuls the
men. This arrangement held for a certain time, but later it was
determined that a man once enrolled in the senate should be a senator
for life and that his name should not be erased, unless one had been
disgraced by being tried for the commission of a crime or was
convicted of leading an evil life: the names of such persons were
erased and others inscribed in their stead.

In the case of those who gave satisfaction in office principal honors
were bestowed upon dictators, honors of the second rank upon censors,
and third place was awarded to masters of horse. This system was
followed without distinction, whether they were still in office or
whether they had already laid it down. For if one descended from a
greater office to an inferior one, he still kept the di