Ab urbe condita

Make up your minds to do what your fathers and grandfathers —those who seceded to the Sacred Mount and those who afterwards took possession of the Aventine —could not make up their minds to do!

Wait till your wives and mothers come out from the City with dishevelled hair to meet you as they once came to meet Coriolanus! Then the Volscian legions refrained from attacking us because they had a Roman for their general; will not you, an army of Romans, desist from an impious war? Titus Quinctius!

by whatever means you were placed in your present position, whether willingly or unwillingly, if there is to be a conflict, retire, I beg you to the rearmost line; it will be more honourable for you to flee from a fellow-citizen than to fight against your country.

But if there is to be peace you will take your place with honour amongst the foremost and play the part of a beneficent mediator in this conference. Demand what is just and you shall receive it, though we should acquiesce even in what is unjust rather than embrue impious hands in one another's blood.”

T. Quinctius, bathed in tears, turned to his men and said: “If, soldiers, I am of any use at all you will find that I am a better leader in peace than in war. The words you have heard are not those of a Volscian or a Samnite but of a Roman.

They were spoken by your consul, your commander, soldiers, whose auspices you have found by experience to be favourable for you; do not desire to learn by experience what they may be when directed against you.

The senate had at its disposal other generals more ready to fight against you; it has selected the one man who has showed most consideration for his soldiers, in whom you have placed most confidence as your commander.

Even those who have victory in their power wish for peace, what ought we to wish for?

Why do we not lay aside all resentment and ambitious hopes —those treacherous advisers — and trust ourselves and all our interests to his tried fidelity?”

There was a universal shout of approval, and T. Quinctius advancing to the front asserted that his men would submit to the authority of the Dictator. He implored Valerius to take up the cause of his unhappy fellow-citizens, and when he had taken it up to maintain it with the same integrity that he had always shown in his public administration.

For himself he demanded no conditions, he would not place his hope in anything but his innocence, but for the soldiers there must be the same guarantee that was given in the days of their fathers to the plebs and afterwards to the legions, namely, that no man should be punished for having taken part in the secession.

The Dictator expressed his approval of what had been said, and after telling them all to hope for the best he galloped back to the City, and after obtaining the consent of the senate, brought a measure before the people who were assembled in the Petilian Grove granting immunity to all who had taken part in the secession.

He then begged the Quirites to grant him one request, which was that no one should ever either in jest or earnest bring that matter up against any one. A military Lex Sacrata [*](See note 15 on p. 358, Vol. I.) was also passed, enacting that no soldier's name should be struck off the muster-roll without his consent.[*]( “They deprecated the power of striking their names off the list of soldiers, partly because it degraded them to an inferior rank, that of the capite censi, who were considered unfit to bear arms, and partly because whilst they were on military service they were protected from being personally attached for debts; and partly, also, because service in Campania bore an agreeable aspect and might furnish a poor man with the means of relieving himself from his embarrassments.”—Arnold, I. p. 123.)