§11.56.1ταύτῃ προσθεμένων τῇ γνώμῃ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν παρακληθέντων εἰς τὸ συνέδριον παραλαβὼν τὸν λόγον ὁ Κλαύδιος· οὐκ ἀγνοῶ μέν, ἔφησεν, ἡλίκων κρηπὶς καταβληθήσεται συμφορῶν ἅπασιν ἡμῖν, ἐὰν ἐπιτρέψωμεν τῷ δήμῳ περὶ τοῦ νόμου ψῆφον λαβεῖν·
When the others who had been called to the council had agreed with this opinion, Claudius took the floor and said: "I am not unaware of how great a foundation of misfortunes will be laid for all of us, if we permit the people to cast their votes concerning the law.
οὐκ ἔχων δʼ ὅ τι χρὴ ποιεῖν οὐδὲ δυνάμενος τοσούτοις οὖσιν μόνος ἀντιλέγειν, εἴκω τοῖς βουλήμασι τοῖς ὑμετέροις.
But, not knowing what ought to be done and being unable alone to oppose so many of you, I yield to your wishes.
§11.56.2δίκαιον γὰρ ἀποφαίνεσθαι μὲν ἕκαστον ἃ δοκεῖ τῷ κοινῷ συνοίσειν, πείθεσθαι δὲ τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν πλειόνων κριθεῖσιν.
For it is right that each one should declare what he believes will be of benefit to the public, but that he should yield to what has been decided by the majority.
ἐκεῖνο μέντοι παραινεῖν ὑμῖν ὡς ἐν χαλεποῖς καὶ ἀβουλήτοις πράγμασιν ἔχω, τῆς μὲν ὑπατείας μήτε νῦν μήθʼ ὕστερον παραχωρεῖν μηδενὶ πλὴν τῶν πατρικίων, οἷς μόνοις ὅσιόν τε καὶ §11.56.3θεμιτόν ἐστι τυγχάνειν·
However, I can advise you of this, as in difficult and unwanted circumstances: to concede the consulship neither now nor hereafter to anyone except the patricians, for whom alone it is sacred and lawful to obtain it.
ὅταν δʼ εἰς ἀνάγκην κατακλεισθῆτε ὥσπερ νῦν μεταδιδόναι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις πολίταις τῆς μεγίστης ἐξουσίας τε καὶ ἀρχῆς, χιλιάρχους τε ἀντὶ τῶν ὑπάτων ἀποδείκνυτε, ἀριθμὸν αὐτῶν ὁρίσαντες ὅσον δή τινα — ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ ὀκτὼ ἢ ἓξ ἀποχρῆς δοκεῖ — ἔν τε τούτοις τοῖς ἀνδράσι μὴ ἐλάττονες ἀριθμὸν ἔστωσαν οἱ πατρίκιοι τῶν δημοτικῶν.
But when you are forced by necessity, as you are now, to share the greatest power and office with the other citizens, appoint military tribunes instead of consuls, after defining their number to some extent—for to me eight or six seem to be sufficient—and among these men let the patricians be not fewer in number than the plebeians.
ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντες οὔτε τὴν τῶν ὑπάτων ἀρχὴν εἰς ταπεινοὺς καὶ ἀναξίους καταβαλεῖτε οὔτε δυναστείας ἀδίκους ἑαυτοῖς κατασκευάζεσθαι δόξετε μηδεμιᾶς ἀρχῆς μεταδιδόντες τοῖς δημοτικοῖς. §11.56.4ἐπαινεσάντων δʼ ἁπάντων τὴν γνώμην καὶ οὐδενὸς τἀναντία λέγοντος· ἀκούσατʼ, ἔφη, ἃ καὶ τοῖς ὑπάτοις ὑμῖν ἔχω παραινεῖν.
For by doing this, you will neither degrade the office of the consuls to base and unworthy men, nor will you seem to be establishing an unjust domination for yourselves by sharing no office with the plebeians." When everyone had praised this opinion and no one spoke to the contrary, he said: "Listen to what I have to advise you, who are consuls.
ἡμέραν προειπόντες, ἐν ᾗ τὸ προβούλευμα ἐπικυρώσετε καὶ τὰ κριθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς βουλῆς, λόγον ἀπόδοτε τοῖς ἀπολογουμένοις ὑπὲρ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῖς κατηγοροῦσι·
Having announced in advance a day on which you will ratify the preliminary decree and the decisions of the senate, grant a hearing to those who speak in defense of the law and to those who accuse it.
ῥηθέντων δὲ τῶν λόγων, ὅταν καθήκῃ τὰς γνώμας ἐρωτᾶν, μήτʼ ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ ἄρξησθε μήτʼ ἀπὸ κοιντίου τουδὶ μήτʼ ἀπʼ ἄλλου τῶν πρεσβυτέρων μηδενός, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ φιλοδημοτάτου τῶν βουλευτῶν Λευκίου Οὐαλερίου, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον ἀξιοῦτε Ὁράτιον εἴ τι βούλεται λέγειν.
And when the speeches have been made and the time has come to ask for opinions, begin neither with me, nor with Quinctius here, nor with any other of the older men, but with Lucius Valerius, the most popular of the senators, and after him ask Horatius if he wishes to say anything.
ὅταν δὲ τὰς παρʼ ἐκείνων γνώμας ἐξετάσητε, τότε τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἡμᾶς κελεύετε λέγειν.
And when you have examined their opinions, then command us, the older men, to speak.
§11.56.5ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τὴν ἐναντιουμένην γνώμην τοῖς δημάρχοις ἀποδείξομαι πάσῃ τῇ παρρησίᾳ χρώμενος — τουτὶ γὰρ τῷ κοινῷ συμφέρει — τὸ δὲ περὶ τῶν χιλιάρχων πολίτευμα, εἰ βουλομένοις ἐστίν, εἰσηγείσθω Τίτος Γενύκιος οὗτος·
Now I, for my part, will declare the opinion opposing the tribunes, using all freedom of speech—for this is of benefit to the commonwealth—but let this Titus Genucius introduce the policy concerning the military tribunes, if it is your wish.
πρεπωδεστάτη γὰρ ἡ γνώμη καὶ ὑποψίαν ἥκιστα παρέξουσα γένοιτʼ ἄν, ἐὰν οὗτος αὐτὴν ὁ §11.56.6σὸς ἀδελφός, ὦ Μάρκε Γενύκιε, λέγῃ. ἐδόκει καὶ ταῦτα ὀρθῶς ὑποτίθεσθαι, καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀπῄεσαν ἐκ τοῦ συλλόγου, τοῖς δὲ δημάρχοις δέος ἐνέπιπτε πρὸς τὴν ἀπόρρητον τῶν ἀνδρῶν συνουσίαν ὡς ἐπὶ κακῷ τινι τοῦ δήμου μεγάλῳ γενομένην, ἐπειδὴ κατʼ οἰκίαν τε συνήδρευσαν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ, καὶ οὐδένα τῶν προεστηκότων τοῦ δήμου κοινωνὸν τῶν βουλευμάτων παρέλαβον, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο συνέδριον αὐτοὶ πάλιν ἐκ τῶν φιλοδημοτάτων συναγαγόντες ἀλεξήματα καὶ φυλακὰς ἀντεμηχανῶντο πρὸς τὰς ἐπιβουλάς, ἃς ἐκ τῶν πατρικίων ἔσεσθαι σφίσιν ὑπώπτευον.
For the proposal would be most fitting and would cause the least suspicion, if he, your brother, Marcus Genucius, should speak." These suggestions also seemed to be rightly advised, and they departed from the assembly. But a fear fell upon the tribunes concerning the secret gathering of the men, as having taken place for some great evil to the people, since they had met in private houses and not in public, and had admitted none of the leaders of the people as a partner in their deliberations. And after this, having themselves in turn assembled a council of the most popular citizens, they devised defensive measures and guards against the plots which they suspected would come from the patricians.