§4.42.1plebs tribunos plebi absentes Sex. Tempanium, M. Asellium, Ti. Antistium, Ti. Spurillium fecit, quos et pro centurionibus sibi praefecerant Tempanio auctore equites.
The plebeians elected Sextus Tempanius, Marcus Asellius, Tiberius Antistius, and Tiberius Spurillius, who were absent, as tribunes of the plebs, whom the cavalry, on the proposal of Tempanius, had also set over themselves as centurions.
§4.42.2senatus, cum odio Semproni consulare nomen offenderet, tribunos militum consulari potestate creari iussit.
The senate, since the name of consul was offensive due to the hatred of Sempronius, ordered military tribunes with consular power to be created.
creati sunt L. Manlius Capitolinus, Q. Antonius Merenda, L. Papirius Mugillanus.
Lucius Manlius Capitolinus, Quintus Antonius Merenda, and Lucius Papirius Mugillanus were elected.
§4.42.3principio statim anni L. Hortensius tribunus plebis C. Sempronio, consuli anni prioris, diem dixit.
Immediately at the beginning of the year, Lucius Hortensius, tribune of the plebs, indicted Gaius Sempronius, the consul of the previous year.
quem cum quattuor collegae inspectante populo Romano orarent, ne imperatorem suum innoxium, in quo nihil praeter fortunam reprehendi posset,
While the Roman people looked on, his four colleagues entreated him not to harass their guiltless commander, in whom nothing except fortune could be blamed.
§4.42.4vexaret, aegre Hortensius pati, temptationem eam credens esse perseverantiae suae nec precibus tribunorum, quae in speciem modo iactarentur, sed auxilio confidere reum.
Hortensius bore this with impatience, believing that this was a trial of his perseverance and that the defendant was relying not on the prayers of the tribunes, which were put forward only for appearance, but on their assistance.
itaque modo ad eum conversus, §4.42.5ubi illi patricii spiritus, ubi subnixus et fidens innocentiae animus esset, quaerebat: sub tribunicia umbra consularem virum delituisse; §4.42.6modo ad collegas: “vos autem, si reum perago, quid acturi estis? an erepturi ius populo et eversuri tribuniciam potestatem?”
And so, turning at one time to him, he asked where those patrician spirits were, where that mind, relying on and trusting in its innocence, was, and charged that a man of consular rank had hidden under the shadow of the tribunate; at another time to his colleagues: “But you, if I carry through the prosecution of the defendant, what are you going to do?
§4.42.7cum illi et de Sempronio et de omnibus summam populi Romani potestatem esse dicerent nec se iudicium populi tollere aut velle aut posse, sed, si preces suae pro imperatore, qui sibi parentis esset loco, non valuissent, se vestem cum eo mutaturos, §4.42.8tum Hortensius “non videbit” inquit “plebs Romana sordidatos tribunos suos.
Are you going to snatch away their right from the people and overthrow the tribunician power?” When they said that the power of the Roman people was supreme both over Sempronius and over all others, and that they neither wished nor were able to do away with the judgment of the people, but that if their prayers for their commander, who was in the place of a parent to them, did not prevail, they would change their dress along with him, then Hortensius said, “The Roman plebs shall not see their tribunes in mourning.
C. Sempronium nihil moror, quando hoc est in imperio consecutus, §4.42.9ut tam carus esset militibus. ” nec pietas quattuor tribunorum quam Hortensi tam placabile ad iustas preces ingenium pariter plebi patribusque gratius fuit.
I care no further about Gaius Sempronius, since he has achieved this in his command, that he became so dear to his soldiers.” Nor was the devotion of the four tribunes, or the mind of Hortensius, so placable to just prayers, more pleasing to the plebs than to the patricians.
§4.42.10non diutius fortuna Aequis indulsit, qui ambiguam victoriam Volscorum pro sua amplexi fuerant.
No longer did fortune favor the Aequi, who had embraced the ambiguous victory of the Volscians as their own.