The towns were attacked, but not invested; Anxur, however, in the Volscian territory, and situated on high ground, defied all assaults, and after direct attack had proved fruitless, a regular investment by rampart and fosse was commenced.
The conduct of the Volscian campaign had fallen to Valerius Potitus. Whilst military affairs were in this position, internal troubles were more difficult to manage than the foreign wars. Owing to the tribunes, the war-tax could not be collected, nor the necessary funds remitted to the commanders; the soldiers clamoured for their pay, and it seemed as though the camp would be polluted by the contagion of the seditious spirit which prevailed in the City.
Taking advantage of the exasperation of the plebs against the senate, the tribunes told them that the long wished for time had come for securing their liberties and transferring the highest office in the State from people like Sergius and Verginius to strong and energetic plebeians.
They did not, however, get further in the exercise of their rights than to secure the election of one member of the plebs as consular tribune, viz.,
P. Licinius Calvus —the rest were patricians —P. Manlius, L. Titinus, P. Maelius, L. Furius Medullinus, and L. Popilius Volscus.
The plebeians were no less surprised at such a success than the tribune-elect himself; he had not previously filled any high office of State, and was only a senator of long standing, and now advanced in years.
Our authorities are not agreed as to the reason why he was selected
first and foremost to taste the sweets of this new dignity. Some believe
that he was thrust forward to so high a position through the popularity
of his brother, Cnaeus Cornelius, who had been consular tribune the
previous year, and had given triple pay to the “knights.”
In their exultation over this electoral victory, the tribunes of the plebs gave way over the war-tax, and so removed the greatest political difficulty. It was paid in without a murmur and remitted to the army.