History of Rome

​In the following year, in the consulship of Gaius Marcius and Gnaeus Manlius, a bill concerning the rate of interest of one-twelfth (one ounce) was carried through by the tribunes of the plebs, Marcus Duillius and Lucius Menenius, which was not equally pleasing to the patricians; and the plebeians enacted it with considerably more eagerness.

​To the new wars destined in the previous year, the Faliscans also arose as enemies on a double charge: because both their youth had campaigned together with the Tarquinienses, and they had not returned those who had fled to Falerii when the battle was fought unsuccessfully, upon the demand of the Roman fetials.

​That province fell to Gnaeus Manlius. Marcius led his army into the Privernate territory, untouched because of a long peace, and filled his soldiers with booty. To the abundance of things, he added generosity, because by setting aside nothing for the public treasury, he favored the soldier who was increasing his private property.

​When the Privernates had settled in a well-fortified camp before their own walls, he said, having called the soldiers to an assembly: “I now give you the enemy’s camp and city for plunder, if you promise me that you will perform your duty bravely in the battle line, and that you are not more ready for plunder than for battle.”

​They demanded the signal with a huge shout, and went into battle proud and fierce with no doubtful hope. There, before the standards, Sextus Tullius, of whom mention was made before, cried out: “Look, commander,” he said, “in what manner your army is performing its promises to you!” and having laid down his spear, he made a charge against the enemy with his drawn sword.

​All the front-line soldiers followed Tullius, and routed the enemy with their first charge; then, having pursued them when they were scattered to the town, when they were already applying ladders to the walls, they accepted the city into surrender. A triumph was celebrated over the Privernates. Nothing memorable was done by the other consul, ​except that he proposed a law, by a novel precedent, at Sutrium in the camp, by tribes, concerning the twentieth part of the value of those who should be manumitted. The patricians, because by that law no small tax was added to the impoverished treasury, gave their authorization;

​but the tribunes of the plebs, moved not so much by the law as by the precedent, enacted under pain of death that no one thereafter should call the people apart; for they believed that nothing, however ruinous to the people, could not be carried through, if that were allowed, by soldiers sworn to the words of the consul.

​In the same year, Gaius Licinius Stolo was condemned by Marcus Popilius Laenas to a fine of ten thousand asses under his own law, because he possessed one thousand iugera of land together with his son, and by emancipating his son had committed a fraud against the law.