Ab urbe condita

But in spite of the excitement amongst the plebeians owing to the numerous commotions through the year, they did not create more than three tribunes with consular powers; amongst them L. Quinctius the son of the Cincinnatus who as Dictator incurred such odium that it was made the pretext for disturbances.

Mam. Aemilius polled the highest number of votes, L. Julius came in third.

During[*](The Revolt of Fidenae.) their magistracy Fidenae, where a body of Romans were settled, revolted to Lars Tolumnius, king of the Veientines.

The revolt was made worse by a crime. C. Fulcinius, Cloelius Tullus, Sp. Antius, and L. Roscius, who were sent as envoys to ascertain the reasons for this change of policy, were murdered by order of Tolumnius.

Some try to exculpate the king by alleging that whilst playing at dice he made a lucky throw and used an ambiguous expression which might be taken to be an order for death, and that the Fidenates took it so, and this was the reason of the death of the envoys.

This is incredible; it is impossible to believe that when the Fidenates, his new allies, came to consult him as to committing a murder in defiance of the law of nations, he should

not have turned his thoughts from the game, or should afterwards have imputed the crime to a misunderstanding.