§7.15.1οἱ δʼ ὕπατοι τῇ κατόπιν ἡμέρᾳ συνεκάλουν τὴν βουλὴν περίφοβοι ὄντες ἐπὶ τοῖς καινοτομουμένοις καὶ τὴν τοῦ Βρούτου δημοκοπίαν εἰς μέγα τι κακὸν ἀποσκήψειν οἰόμενοι.
The consuls on the following day called a meeting of the senate, being in great fear at these innovations and thinking that the demagoguery of Brutus would end in some great calamity.
πολλοὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ παντοδαποὶ ὑπό τʼ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων ἐρρήθησαν ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ λόγοι καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων πρεσβυτέρων, τῶν μὲν οἰομένων δεῖν θεραπεύειν τὸν δῆμον ἁπάσῃ εὐπροσηγορίᾳ λόγων καὶ ὑποσχέσει ἔργων καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας αὐτοῦ μετριωτέρους παρασκευάζειν, τιθέντας εἰς μέσον τὰ πράγματα καὶ μετὰ σφῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ κοινῇ συμφέροντος παρακαλοῦντας σκοπεῖν.
Many and diverse speeches indeed were delivered in the chamber, both by those men themselves and by the other elders, some thinking that they ought to conciliate the people with all courtesy of speech and promise of deeds, and to render their leaders more moderate, laying the state of affairs before them and inviting them to consider with them for the common interest.
§7.15.2τῶν δὲ μηθὲν ἐνδιδόναι μαλακὸν συμβουλευόντων πρὸς ὄχλον αὐθάδη καὶ ἀμαθῆ ἢ θρασεῖάν τε καὶ ἀνύποιστον δημοκόπων ἀνθρώπων μανίαν, ἀλλʼ ἀπολογεῖσθαι μέν, ὡς οὐδὲν εἴη τῶν γεγονότων παρὰ τῶν πατρικίων αἴτιον, καὶ ὑπισχνεῖσθαι πρόνοιαν ἕξειν τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν δυνατήν, τοῖς δὲ ταράττουσι τὸν δῆμον ἐπιτιμᾶν καὶ προαγορεύειν, ὡς εἰ μὴ παύσονται τὴν στάσιν ἀναρριπίζοντες ἀξίας τίσουσι δίκας.
Others advised yielding nothing soft to a headstrong and ignorant multitude, or to the bold and intolerable madness of demagogues, but on the one hand, defending themselves by showing that the patricians were not to blame for any of the events that had occurred, and promising to take what care of the evil they could, and on the other, rebuking those who were disturbing the people and warning them that if they did not cease fanning the flames of sedition, they would pay the penalty they deserved.
§7.15.3ταύτης ἡγεῖτο τῆς γνώμης Ἄππιος, καὶ ἦν ἡ νικῶσα αὕτη πολλῆς ἐμπεσούσης πάνυ τοῖς συνέδροις φιλονεικίας· ὥστε καὶ τὸν δῆμον ὑπὸ τῆς βοῆς αὐτῶν ἐξακουομένης ἐπὶ πολὺ ταραχθέντα συνδραμεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ βουλευτήριον, καὶ πᾶσαν ὀρθὴν ἐπὶ τῇ προσδοκίᾳ §7.15.4γενέσθαι τὴν πόλιν.
Appius led this opinion, and this was the one that prevailed, after a very great contention had arisen among the senators; so that even the people, being greatly disturbed by their shouting which was heard far off, ran together to the senate house, and the whole city was with expectation on tiptoe.
μετὰ δὲ τοῦθʼ οἱ μὲν ὕπατοι προελθόντες συνεκάλουν τὸν δῆμον εἰς ἐκκλησίαν· ἦν δʼ οὐ πολὺ τῆς ἡμέρας ἔτι τὸ λειπόμενον· καὶ παρελθόντες ἐπειρῶντο τὰ δόξαντα σφίσιν ἐν τῇ βουλῇ λέγειν.
After this the consuls went forth and called the people to an assembly; there was not much of the day still remaining; and coming forward they attempted to declare what had been resolved upon by them in the senate.
ἐνίσταντο δʼ αὐτοῖς οἱ δήμαρχοι, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν μέρει οὐδʼ ἐν κόσμῳ γινόμενος παρʼ ἀμφοῖν ὁ λόγος.
But the tribunes opposed them, and the speaking on both sides was carried on neither in turn nor in order.
ἐβόων γὰρ ἅμα καὶ ἐξέκλειον ἀλλήλους, ὥστε μὴ ῥᾴδιον εἶναι τοῖς παροῦσι τὰς διανοίας αὐτῶν συνιδεῖν.
For they shouted at the same time and drowned out one another, so that it was not easy for those present to understand their meaning.