§5.20.1dictator cum iam in manibus videret victoriam esse, urbem opulentissimam capi tantumque praedae fore, quantum non omnibus in unum conlatis ante bellis fuisset, §5.20.2ne quam inde aut militum iram ex malignitate praedae partitae aut invidiam apud patres ex prodiga largitione caperet, litteras ad senatum misit: deum inmortalium benignitate, §5.20.3suis consiliis, patientia militum Veios iam fore in potestate populi Romani; quid de praeda faciendum censerent?
When the dictator saw that victory was now in his hands, that a most wealthy city was about to be captured, and that there would be more booty than had been in all previous wars combined into one, lest he should incur either the anger of the soldiers from a stingy division of the spoil, or the resentment of the patricians from a lavish distribution, he sent a letter to the senate, stating that by the favor of the immortal gods, by his own counsels, and by the endurance of the soldiers, Veii would soon be in the power of the Roman people; what did they think should be done about the booty?
§5.20.4duae senatum distinebant sententiae, senis P. Licini, quem primum dixisse a filio interrogatum ferunt, edici palam placere populo, ut, qui particeps esse praedae vellet, §5.20.5in castra Veios iret, altera Ap. Claudi, qui largitionem novam, prodigam, inaequalem, inconsultam arguens, si semel nefas ducerent captam ex hostibus in aerario exhausto bellis pecuniam esse, auctor erat stipendii ex ea pecunia militi numerandi, ut eo minus tributi plebes conferret; §5.20.6eius enim doni societatem sensuras aequaliter omnium domos, non avidas in direptiones manus otiosorum urbanorum praerepturas fortium bellatorum praemia esse, cum ita ferme eveniat, ut segnior sit praedator, ut quisque laboris periculique praecipuam petere partem soleat.
Two opinions divided the senate: one, that of the elder Publius Licinius, who is said to have spoken first, having been asked by his son, which favored a public announcement to the people that whoever wished to share in the booty should go to the camp at Veii; the other, that of Appius Claudius, who, criticizing this novel, lavish, unequal, and ill-advised distribution, argued that if they once deemed it a crime to put money taken from the enemy into the treasury exhausted by wars, he was in favor of paying the soldiers' wages from that money, so that the plebeians might contribute so much less tribute; for the benefit of that gift would be felt equally by all homes, nor would the hands of idle city-dwellers, greedy for pillage, snatch away the rewards of brave warriors, since it usually happens that the plunderer is more sluggish, whereas each man is accustomed to seek the chief share of labor and danger.
Licinius contra suspectam §5.20.7et invisam semper eam pecuniam fore aiebat causasque criminum ad plebem, seditionum inde ac legum novarum praebituram; §5.20.8satius igitur esse reconciliari eo dono plebis animos, exhaustis atque exinanitis tributo tot annorum succurri et sentire praedae fructum ex eo bello, in quo prope consenuerint.
Licinius, on the contrary, argued that that money would always be suspected and hated, and would provide causes for accusations before the plebs, and consequently for seditions and new laws; it was therefore better to conciliate the minds of the plebeians with that gift, to relieve those who were exhausted and drained by the tribute of so many years, and to let them feel the fruit of the booty from that war in which they had almost grown old.
gratius id fore laetiusque, quod quisque sua manu ex hoste captum domum rettulerit, quam si multiplex alterius arbitrio accipiat.
This would be more pleasing and joyful, that each should carry home what he had captured from the enemy with his own hand, than if he should receive many times more at the pleasure of another.
§5.20.9ipsum dictatorem fugere invidiam ex eo criminaque; eo delegasse ad senatum; senatum quoque debere reiectam rem ad se permittere plebi ac pati habere, quod cuique fors belli dederit.
The dictator himself was trying to escape the resentment and accusations arising from it; for that reason he had referred it to the senate; the senate also ought to leave the matter thrown back upon them to the plebs and allow them to keep what the fortune of war should give to each.
haec tutior visa sententia est, §5.20.10quae popularem senatum faceret.
This opinion seemed safer, as it would make the senate popular.
edictum itaque est, ad praedam Veientem, quibus videretur, in castra ad dictatorem proficiscerentur.
Accordingly, an edict was issued that those who wished should set out for the camp to the dictator for the booty of Veii.