Ab urbe condita

or in that of concession, and unable to see what the issue would be, C. Claudius, the uncle of the decemvir Appius, made a speech more in the nature of entreaty than of censure.

He implored him by the shade of his father to think rather of the social order under which he had been born than of the nefarious compact made with his colleagues.

It was much more, he said, for the sake of Appius than of the State that he made this appeal, for the State would assert its rights in spite of them, if it could not do so with their consent. But great controversies generally kindle great and bitter passions, and it was what these might lead to that he dreaded.

Though the decemvirs forbade the discussion of any subject save the one they had introduced, their respect for Claudius prevented them from interrupting him, so he concluded with a resolution that no decree should be passed by the senate.

This was universally taken to mean that Claudius adjudged them to be private citizens, and many of the consulars expressed their concurrence.