Ab urbe condita

Count up the commanders in all the years since war was for the first time waged under the leadership and auspices of plebeians, you will find as many triumphs as commanders. The plebeians, too, have their nobility and have no cause to be dissatisfied with them.

You may be quite certain that, if a war were suddenly to break out now, the senate and people of Rome would not put more confidence in a general because he was a patrician than in one who happened to be a plebeian.

Now, if this is the case, who in heaven or earth could regard it as an indignity that the men whom you have honoured with curule chairs, with the toga praetexta, the tunica palmata, and the toga picta, [*](for the toga praetexta, see note 2 to Book I. The tunica palmata was an under-garment embroidered with figures of victory and palm branches. Over this was thrown the toga picta, a purple toga embroidered with gold. These were the vestments of the Capitoline Jupiter, and were lent from the Capitol to be worn by the victorious general while he celebrated his triumph. The triumphal crown —stones set in gold —was held over him by an official as he rode in the chariot drawn by four white horses which formed the centre of the procession. The laurel wreath he wore upon his brows.)with the triumphal crown and the laurel wreath, the men upon whose houses you have conferred special distinction by affixing to them the spoils taken from the enemy —that these men, I say, should have in addition to their other marks of rank the insignia of the pontiffs and

the augurs? A triumphing general drives through the City in a gilded chariot, apparelled in the splendid vestments of Jupiter Optimus Maximus After this he goes up to the Capitol; is he not to be seen there with capis and lituus [*](The capis was a dish used in sacrificing, here denoting the priest. The lituus (see Vol. I. p. 22) similarly denoted the augur.)? Is it to be regarded as an indignity, if he with veiled head slay a victim, or from his place on the citadel take

an augury? And if in the inscription on his bust the words “consulship,” “censorship,” “triumph” are read without arousing any indignation, in what mood will the reader regard the words which you are going to add, “augurship”

and “pontificate”? I do indeed hope, please heaven, that, thanks to the good will of the Roman people, we now possess sufficient dignity to be capable of conferring as much honour on the priesthood as we shall receive. For the sake of the gods as much as for ourselves let us insist that as we worship them now as private individuals so we may worship them for the future as officials of the State.”

“But why have I so far been assuming that the question of the patricians and the priesthood is still an open one, and that we are not yet in possession of the highest of all offices?

We see plebeians amongst the ten keepers of the Sacred Books, acting as interpreters of the Sibyl's runes and the Fates of this people; we see them, too, presiding over the sacrifices and other rites connected with Apollo.

No injustice was inflicted on the patricians when an addition was made to the number of the keepers of the Sacred Books on the demand of the plebeians.

None has been inflicted now, when a strong and capable tribune has created five more posts for augurs and four more for priests, which are to be filled by plebeians, not, Appius, with the design of ousting you patricians from your places, but in order that the plebs may assist you in the conduct of divine matters as they do to the utmost of their power in the administration of human affairs.”

“Do not blush, Appius, to have as your colleague in the priesthood a man whom you might have had as colleague in the censorship or in the consulship, who might be Dictator with you as his Master of Horse, just as much as you might be Dictator with him for your Master of the Horse.

A Sabine immigrant, Attius Clausus, or if you prefer it, Appius Claudius, the founder of your noble house, was admitted by those old patricians into their number;

do not think it beneath you to admit us into the number of the priests.

We bring with us many distinctions, all those, in fact, which have made you so proud. L. Sextius was the first plebeian to be elected consul, C. Licinius Stolo was the first plebeian Master of the Horse, C. Marcius Rutilus the first plebeian who was both Dictator and censor, Q. Publilius Philo was the first praetor.

We have always heard the same objection raised —that the auspices were solely in your hands, that you alone enjoy the privileges and prerogatives of noble birth, that you alone can legitimately hold sovereign command and take the auspices either in peace or war.

Have you never heard the remark that it was not men sent down from heaven who were originally created patricians, but those who could cite a father,[*](i.e. to prove one's legitimacy as freeborn. The phrase seems to be an attempt to explain the etymology of patri-cuius —pater=“father,” cieo=“cite,” or “mention by name.” ) which is nothing more than saying that they were

freeborn. I can now cite a consul as my father, and my son will be able to cite him as his grandfather. It simply comes to this, Quirites, that we can get nothing without a struggle. It is only a quarrel that the patricians are seeking, they do not care in the least about the

result. I for my part support this measure, which I believe will be for your good and happiness and a blessing to the State, and I hold that you ought to pass it.”

The Assembly was on the point of ordering the voting to proceed, and it was evident that the measure would be adopted, when, on the intervention of some of the tribunes, all further business was adjourned for the day.

On the morrow, the dissentient tribunes having given way, the law was passed amid great enthusiasm. The co-opted pontiffs were P. Decius Mus, the supporter of the measure, P. Sempronius Sophus, C. Marcius Rutilus, and M. Livius Denter. The five augurs who were also taken from the plebs were C. Genucius, P. Aelius Paetus, M. Minucius Faesus, C. Marcius, and T. Publilius.