Ab urbe condita

[*](Internal Disturbances — Peace concluded with the Aequi.) When this war had been brought to a close, the fears of the patricians were aroused by a

war which the tribunes commenced at home. They exclaimed that the army was being detained abroad from dishonest motives; it was intended to frustrate the passing of the Law; all the same they would

carry through the task they had begun. L. Lucretius, the prefect of the City, succeeded, however, in inducing the tribunes to defer action till the arrival of the consuls. A fresh cause of trouble arose. A. Cornelius and Q. Servilius, the quaestors, [*](quaestors —There were two sets of officers bearing this title, the commissioners of the treasure, and the “trackers of murder” —as their title may be literally translated —whose duty was to search for and bring up for prosecution those who had been guilty of capital crimes. These latter are those mentioned in the present passage.) indicted M. Volscius on the ground

that he had given what was undoubtedly false evidence against Caeso. It had become known from many sources that after the brother of Volscius first became ill, he had not only never been seen in public, but had not even left his bed, and