History of Rome

​While these things were being transacted with ugly struggles—for the patricians had drawn a part of the tribunes of the plebs to their own opinion—

​nothing else compelled the plebeians to restrain their hands, except that, whenever a clamor arose for the sake of starting a quarrel, the leading men of the senate were the first to offer themselves to the crowd, bidding them to target, strike, and kill them.

​While they abstained from violating the age, dignity, and honors of these men, shame also checked their anger against other similar attempts. Camillus, making speeches repeatedly in all places, said:

​Indeed, it was not surprising that the state was in a frenzy, which, having been bound by its vow, had a greater care for all other things than for releasing itself from its religious obligation.

​He said nothing of the contribution of small alms, but rather spoke of the tithe, since in the former case each person had bound himself privately, and the people as a whole were free.

​But indeed his conscience did not allow him to remain silent about the fact that the tithe was designated only from that booty which consisted of movable property, while no mention was made of the captured city and land, which themselves were also included in the vow.

​When this dispute, seeming doubtful to the senate, was referred to the pontiffs, with Camillus present, it was decided by the college that of whatever had belonged to the Veientes before the vow was made, and had come into the power of the Roman people after the vow, a tenth part of it should be sacred to Apollo. Thus the city and the land were brought into valuation.

​Money was brought out from the treasury, and the task was given to the military tribunes with consular power to buy up gold with it. Since there was not a sufficient supply of it, the matrons, having held meetings to consult on this matter, promised gold to the military tribunes by a common decree, and brought all their ornaments into the treasury.

​This act was pleasing to the senate as much as anything ever was; and they say that an honor was granted to the matrons for this munificence, that they should use a four-wheeled carriage for sacred rites and games, and a two-wheeled carriage on holy and ordinary days.

​When the weight of gold from each had been received and valued, so that the money should be paid to them, it was resolved that a golden bowl should be made, which was to be carried to Delphi as a gift to Apollo.

​As soon as they relaxed their minds from religious awe, the tribunes of the plebs renewed the sedition; the multitude was incited against all the leading men, and before others against Camillus:

​saying that he had reduced the Veientine booty to nothing by making it public property and consecrating it. They fiercely rebuked those who were absent; but for those who were present, although they offered themselves voluntarily to the angry crowd, ​they had respect. At the same time, when they saw that the business was being dragged out beyond that year, they re-elected the same tribunes of the plebs, the proposers of the law, for the next year; and the patricians strived for this same thing regarding the intercessors of the law. Thus, the tribunes of the plebs were for the most part re-elected as the same men.