Curiosities & wonders > Titus Livius' Roman history

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TITUS LIVIUS’
Book ITT. | t
** like tiiis would not only render the consular, but the
" tribunitian power, odious and insupportable, which
" having only of late been ma le familiar, and recon-
ciled to the minds of the patricians, would again be-
“ come their abhorrence.”
“ I am not, (says he,) to insist, that you should give
“ up your propositionand addressing himself to his I
colleagues, “ It is you whom we conjure, first of all to
** consider, that the original design of the tribunitian
" power was for the protection of individuals, and not
" for the destruction of the whole community. You
** were made the tribunes of the people, not the perse-
cutors of the senate. Should the majesty'of the Re-
“ public in the absence of its magistrates be violated, it
“ would be painful to us ;—to you it would be an invi-
“ dious affair. A tittle of your power you will not lose,
“ but you will avoid much hatred. Use your interest
“ with your colleague, to suffer the matter to rest as it
“ is, till the return of the supreme magistrates. The
“ very jEqui and Volsci had the humanity to desist from
« a cruel and destructive war against us last year, when
“ the plague had deprived us of both our consuls.” His
colleagues interposed, and Terentillus complied ; and the
bill being in appearance put off, though in reality it was
withdrawn, the consuls were immediately recalled;
CHAP. X.
Lucretius is appointed a triumph. Prodigies.
Tribwntian contests. _
T AJCRET1US returned toUtome with prodigious booty,
but still greater glory. On his arrival, he exposed the ;
whole spoils in the Campus Martius, for three days toge- ;
ther, that individuals might know, and carry away their
own property, which considerably enhanced his repu¬
tation. What nobody appeared to. claim, was sold. A
triumph was unanimously decreed him, but it was sus¬
pended ; the tribune still insisting on his bill, which in
course came in before the decree relating to the consul.
Tor some days it w’as warmly debated in the senate, and
before the people ; but the tribune at length yielded to
the consuls’ authority, and withdrew7 his bill.