§10.7.1certatum tamen suadenda dissuadendaque lege inter Ap. Claudium maxime ferunt et inter P. Decium Murem.
Nevertheless, they say that a contest took place, chiefly between Appius Claudius and Publius Decius Mus, over proposing and opposing the law.
§10.7.2qui cum eadem ferme de iure patrum ac plebis, quae pro lege Licinia quondam contraque eam dicta erant, cum plebeis consulatus rogabatur, disseruissent, rettulisse dicitur Decius parentis sui speciem, qualem eum multi, §10.7.3qui in contione erant, viderant, incinctum Gabino cultu super telum stantem, quo se habitu pro populo ac legionibus Romanis devovisset: §10.7.4tum P. Decium consulem purum piumque deis inmortalibus visum, aeque ac si T. Manlius collega eius devoveretur; §10.7.5eundem P. Decium, qui sacra publica populi Romani faceret, legi rite non potuisse? id esse periculum, ne suas preces minus audirent di quam Ap.
When they had discussed nearly the same arguments concerning the right of the patricians and the plebeians that had once been uttered for and against the Licinian law when the consulship was proposed for the plebeians, Decius is said to have recalled the image of his father—an image such as many of those who were in the assembly had seen him, girded in the Gabine fashion, standing upon a weapon—in which attire he had devoted himself for the Roman people and legions: that then Publius Decius the consul appeared pure and pious to the immortal gods, just as if his colleague Titus Manlius were being devoted; could that same Publius Decius not be duly chosen to perform the public sacrifices of the Roman people? Was there any danger lest the gods should hear his prayers less than those of Appius Claudius?
Claudi? castius eum sacra privata facere et religiosius deos colere quam se?
Did the latter perform private sacrifices more purely and worship the gods more religiously than he himself?
§10.7.6quem paenitere votorum, quae pro re publica nuncupaverint tot consules plebei, tot dictatores, aut ad exercitus euntes aut inter ipsa bella? numerarentur duces eorum annorum,
Who (of the gods) regretted the vows which so many plebeian consuls and so many dictators had pronounced for the commonwealth, either when going to the armies or in the midst of the wars themselves?
§10.7.7quibus plebeiorum ductu et auspicio res geri coeptae sint; numerarentur triumphi: iam ne nobilitatis quidem suae plebeios paenitere.
Let the leaders of those years be counted, let the triumphs be counted; now the plebeians were not even ashamed of their own nobility.
§10.7.8pro certo habere, si quod repens bellum oriatur, non plus spei fore senatui populoque Romano in patriciis quam in plebeis ducibus.
He held it for certain that, if any sudden war should arise, there would be no more hope for the senate and the Roman people in patrician than in plebeian leaders.
“quod cum ita se habeat, §10.7.9cui deorum hominumve indignum videri potest” inquit “eos viros, quos vos sellis curulibus, toga praetexta, tunica palmata et toga picta et corona triumphali laureaque honoraritis, quorum domos spoliis hostium adfixis insignes inter alias feceritis, pontificalia atque auguralia insignia adicere?
"Since this is so, to whom of gods or men can it seem unworthy," he said, "that those men, whom you have honored with curule chairs, the toga praetexta, the tunica palmata and toga picta, and the triumphal crown and laurel, whose houses you have made distinguished among others by fixing the spoils of enemies, should add the pontifical and augural insignia?
§10.7.10qui Iovis optimi maximi ornatu decoratus curru aurato per urbem vectus in Capitolium ascenderit, is non conspicietur cum capide ac lituo, non capite velato victimam caedet auguriumve ex arce capiet?
Shall he who, adorned with the garb of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, was carried in a golden chariot through the city and ascended the Capitol, not be seen with the sacrificial bowl and the augur's staff, or not slay the victim with covered head and take the augury from the citadel?
§10.7.11in cuius imaginis titulo consulatus censuraque et triumphus aequo animo legetur, si auguratum aut pontificatum adieceritis, non sustinebunt legentium oculi?
In the inscription of whose bust the consulship, censorship, and triumph will be read with equanimity, if you add the augurship or the pontificate, will the eyes of the readers not endure it?
§10.7.12equidem — pace dixerim deum — eos nos iam populi Romani beneficio esse spero, qui sacerdotiis non minus reddamus dignatione nostra honoris, quam acceperimus, et deorum magis quam nostra causa expetamus, ut, quos privatim colimus, publice colamus.
For my part—may I say it with the peace of the gods—I hope that by the favor of the Roman people we are now such men that we return no less honor to the priesthoods by our own dignity than we receive from them, and that we desire, more for the sake of the gods than for our own, that we may worship publicly those whom we worship privately."