Ab urbe condita

But if your hearts are at last touched by any yearning for independence; if a treaty, an alliance, an equality of rights really exists; if we are at liberty to boast of the fact that the Romans are of the same stock as ourselves, though once we were ashamed of it; if our army, which when united with theirs doubles their strength, and which the consuls will not dispense with when conducting wars which concern them alone —if,

I say, that army is really an army of their allies, then why are we not on an equal footing in all respects?

Why is not one consul elected from the Latins? Those who possess half the strength, do they possess half the government?