§4.8.1hunc annum — seu tribunos modo seu tribunis suffectos consules quoque habuit — sequitur annus haud dubiis consulibus M. Geganio Macerino iterum, §4.8.2T. Quinctio Capitolino quintum.
This year—whether it had only military tribunes or also consuls elected in their place—is followed by a year with undoubtedly certain consuls: Marcus Geganius Macerinus for the second time, and Titus Quinctius Capitolinus for the fifth time.
idem hic annus censurae initium fuit, rei a parva origine ortae, quae deinde tanto incremento aucta est, ut morum disciplinaeque Romanae penes eam regimen, in senatu equitumque centuriis decoris dedecorisque discrimen sub dicione eius magistratus, ius publicorum privatorumque locorum, vectigalia populi Romani sub nutu atque arbitrio essent.
This same year was the beginning of the censorship, an institution that arose from a small origin, which afterwards increased with so great a growth that the regulation of Roman morals and discipline was in its power, the distinction of honor and dishonor in the senate and the centuries of knights was under the control of that magistracy, and the right to public and private places and the revenues of the Roman people were subject to its nod and decision.
§4.8.3ortum autem initium est rei, quod in populo per multos annos incenso neque differri census poterat neque consulibus, cum tot populorum bella imminerent, operae erat id negotium agere.
Now the origin of the institution arose because, since the people had remained unassessed for many years, the census could neither be deferred any longer, nor did the consuls, with wars from so many nations threatening, have the leisure to attend to that business.
§4.8.4mentio inlata apud senatum est rem operosam ac minime consularem suo proprio magistratu egere, cui scribarum ministerium custodiaeque tabularum cura, cui arbitrium formulae censendi subiceretur.
Mention was introduced in the senate that a business so laborious and by no means consular stood in need of its own proper magistracy, to which the service of scribes and the custody of the tablets, and the determination of the formula for assessing, should be subjected.
§4.8.5et patres quamquam rem parvam, tamen, quo plures patricii magistratus in re publica essent, laeti accepere id, quod evenit, futurum, credo, etiam rati, ut mox opes eorum, qui praeessent, ipsi honori ius maiestatemque adicerent;
And the patricians, although it was a small matter, nevertheless gladly accepted it so that there might be more patrician magistrates in the commonwealth; I believe they also thought that what actually happened would come to pass, namely, that soon the influence of those who presided would add authority and majesty to the office itself.
§4.8.6et tribuni, id quod tunc erat, magis necessarii quam speciosi ministerii procurationem intuentes, ne in parvis quoque rebus incommode adversarentur, haud sane tetendere.
And the tribunes, looking upon the administration of what was then indeed a necessary rather than an illustrious service, did not contend strongly at all, so that they might not awkwardly oppose even in small matters.
§4.8.7cum a primoribus civitatis spretus honor esset, Papirium Semproniumque, quorum de consulatu dubitatur, ut eo magistratu parum solidum consulatum explerent, censui agendo populus suffragiis praefecit.
Since the office had been disdained by the leading men of the state, the people by their votes appointed Papirius and Sempronius—about whose consulship there is doubt—to conduct the census, so that by that magistracy they might fill out their less than solid consulship.
censores ab re appellati sunt.
They were called "censors" from the business itself.