§6.40.1adversus tam obstinatam orationem tribunorum cum prae indignitate rerum stupor silentiumque inde ceteros patrum defixisset, §6.40.2Ap. Claudius Crassus, nepos decemviri, dicitur odio magis iraque quam spe ad dissuadendum processisse et locutus in hanc fere sententiam esse: §6.40.3“neque novum neque inopinatum mihi sit, Quirites, si, quod unum familiae nostrae semper obiectum est ab seditiosis tribunis, id nunc ego quoque audiam, Claudiae genti iam inde ab initio nihil antiquius in re publica patrum maiestate fuisse, semper plebis commodis adversatos esse.
When, in the face of such an obstinate speech of the tribunes, astonishment and silence, on account of the indignity of the situation, had fixed the rest of the patricians in their places, Appius Claudius Crassus, the grandson of the decemvir, is said to have come forward to speak against it, more from hatred and anger than from hope, and to have spoken to this effect: "It would be neither new nor unexpected to me, Quirites, if what has always been the single charge cast against our family by seditious tribunes, I also should now hear: namely, that to the Claudian house, from the very beginning, nothing in the commonwealth has been more sacred than the majesty of the patricians, and that they have always opposed the interests of the plebs.
§6.40.4quorum alterum neque nego neque infitias eo, nos, ex quo adsciti sumus simul in civitatem et patres, enixe operam dedisse, ut per nos aucta potius quam inminuta maiestas earum gentium, inter quas nos esse voluistis, dici vere posset; §6.40.5illud alterum pro me maioribusque meis contendere ausim, Quirites, nisi, quae pro universa re publica fiant, ea plebi tamquam aliam incolenti urbem adversa quis putet, nihil nos neque privatos neque in magistratibus, quod incommodum plebi esset, scientes fecisse, nec ullum factum dictumve nostrum contra utilitatem vestram, etsi quaedam contra voluntatem fuerint, vere referri posse.
Of these two charges, I neither deny nor disavow the one: that we, from the time we were received at once into the citizenship and the patriciate, have earnestly striven so that the majesty of those families, among whom you wished us to be, could truly be said to have been increased rather than diminished through us; but as to the other charge, Quirites, I would dare to maintain on behalf of myself and my ancestors—unless someone thinks that things done for the whole commonwealth are opposed to the plebs, as if they inhabited another city—that we, neither as private citizens nor in office, have knowingly done anything that would be disadvantageous to the plebs, and that no deed or word of ours can truly be reported as contrary to your interest, even if some have been contrary to your will.
§6.40.6an hoc, si Claudiae familiae non sim nec ex patricio sanguine ortus, sed unus Quiritium quilibet, qui modo me duobus ingenuis ortum et vivere in libera civitate sciam, §6.40.7reticere possim, L. illum Sextium et C. Licinium, perpetuos si dis placet tribunos, tantum licentiae novem annis, quibus regnant, sumpsisse, ut vobis negent potestatem liberam suffragii non in comitiis, non in legibus iubendis se permissuros esse?
Or could I, even if I were not of the Claudian family nor sprung from patrician blood, but any single one of the Quirites, who only knows that he was born of two free-born parents and lives in a free state, keep silent about this: that that Lucius Sextius and Gaius Licinius, perpetual tribunes (if it please the gods!), have assumed so much license during the nine years in which they have been reigning, that they deny they will permit you free power of voting either in the elections or in passing laws?
§6.40.8“sub condicione” inquit “nos reficietis decimum tribunos. ” quid est aliud dicere “quod petunt alii, nos adeo fastidimus, ut sine mercede magna non accipiamus?” sed quae tandem ista merces est,
'On condition,' he says, 'you shall re-elect us tribunes for the tenth time.' What else is this than to say, 'What others seek, we so despise that we will not accept it without a great reward?' But what, pray, is that reward of yours, by which we may always have you as tribunes of the plebs?
§6.40.9qua vos semper tribunos plebis habeamus? “ut rogationes” inquit “nostras, seu placent seu displicent, seu utiles seu inutiles sunt, omnes coniunctim accipiatis. ” §6.40.10obsecro vos, Tarquinii tribuni plebis, putate me ex media contione unum civem succlamare: “bona venia vestra liceat ex his rogationibus legere, quas salubres nobis censemus esse, §6.40.11antiquare alias; ” “non” inquit “licebit, ut de faenore atque agris, quod ad vos omnes pertinet, iubeas, et hoc portenti non fiat in urbe Romana, uti L. Sextium atque hunc C. Licinium consules, quod indignaris, quod abominaris, videas; aut omnia accipe, aut nihil fero. ” §6.40.12ut si quis ei, quem urgeat fames, venenum ponat cum cibo et aut abstinere eo, quod vitale sit, iubeat aut mortiferum vitali admisceat.
'That you accept our bills,' he says, 'whether they please or displease, whether they are useful or useless, all together.' I beseech you, tribunes of the plebs who behave like Tarquins, imagine that I, a single citizen from the midst of the assembly, cry out: 'With your kind permission, let us be allowed to choose from these bills those which we think are healthy for us, and to reject the others.' 'It shall not be allowed,' he says, 'for you to vote on interest and lands, which concerns you all, and for this monstrosity not to happen in the city of Rome, namely that you see Lucius Sextius and this Gaius Licinius as consuls, which you resent, which you abominate; either accept all, or I bring nothing.' Just as if someone should set poison with food before one who is pressed by hunger, and command him either to abstain from that which is vital or mix the deadly with the vital.
ergo si esset libera haec civitas, non tibi frequentes succlamassent: “abi hinc cum tribunatibus ac rogationibus tuis!” quid? si tu non tuleris, quod commodum est populo accipere, nemo erit, qui ferat?
Therefore, if this state were free, would not crowds of you have shouted at him: 'Go away from here with your tribuneships and your bills!' What? If you do not bring what is advantageous for the people to accept, will there be no one who will bring it?
§6.40.13illud si quis patricius, si quis — quod illi volunt invidiosius esse Claudius diceret: “aut omnia accipite, aut nihil fero,” quis vestrum, Quirites, ferret?
If any patrician, if any—what they wish to be more hateful—Claudius should say that: 'Either accept all, or I bring nothing,' which of you, Quirites, would bear it?
§6.40.14numquamne vos res potius quam auctores spectabitis, sed omnia semper, quae magistratus ille dicet, secundis auribus, quae ab nostrum quo dicentur, adversis accipietis?
Will you never look at the matters rather than the authors, but always receive everything that that magistrate says with favorable ears, and what is said by any of us with hostile ones?
§6.40.15at hercule sermo est minime civilis;
But indeed their speech is least of all civil; what?
quid? rogatio qualis est, quam a vobis antiquatam indignantur? sermoni, Quirites, simillima.
What kind of bill is it, at the rejection of which by you they are indignant? Quirites, it is very similar to their speech.
“consules” inquit, “rogo, ne vobis, quos velitis, facere liceat. ” §6.40.16an aliter rogat, qui utique alterum ex plebe fieri consulem iubet nec duos patricios creandi potestatem vobis permittit?
'I propose,' he says, 'that it may not be allowed to you to make consuls whom you wish.' Or does he propose otherwise, who commands that at all events one of the consuls be made from the plebs, and does not permit you the power of electing two patricians?
§6.40.17si hodie bella sint, quale Etruscum fuit, cum Porsinna Ianiculum insedit, quale Gallicum modo, cum praeter Capitolium atque arcem omnia haec hostium erant, et consulatum cum hoc M. Furio et quolibet alio ex patribus L. ille Sextius peteret, possetisne ferre Sextium haud pro dubio consule esse, Camillum de repulsa dimicare? hocine est in commune honores vocare,
If today there were wars, such as the Etruscan war was, when Porsinna occupied the Janiculum, or such as the Gallic war was recently, when, except for the Capitol and the citadel, all these things belonged to the enemy, and that Lucius Sextius were seeking the consulship along with this Marcus Furius and any other of the patricians, could you bear that Sextius should be consul without a doubt, while Camillus fought against rejection? Is this calling honors into common, so that it is allowed for two plebeians to be made consuls, but not allowed for two patricians?
§6.40.18ut duos plebeios fieri consules liceat, duos patricios non liceat? et alterum ex plebe creari necesse sit, utrumque ex patribus praeterire liceat? quaenam ista societas, quaenam consortio est? parum est, si, cuius pars tua nulla adhuc fuit, in partem eius venis, nisi partem petendo totum traxeris?
And that it is necessary for one to be created from the plebs, but allowed for both of the patricians to be passed over? What kind of partnership, what kind of association is that? Is it not enough if you come into a share of that in which you had no part before, unless in seeking a part you drag away the whole?
§6.40.19“timeo” inquit, “ne, si duos licebit creari patricios, neminem creetis plebeium. ” quid est dicere aliud “quia indignos vestra voluntate creaturi non estis, necessitatem vobis creandi, quos non vultis, inponam?” quid sequitur, §6.40.20nisi ut ne beneficium quidem debeat populo, si cum duobus patriciis unus petierit plebeius et lege se, non suffragio, creatum dicat?
'I fear,' he says, 'lest, if it is allowed for two patricians to be created, you will create no plebeian.' What else is this to say than 'Since you are not going to create unworthy men of your own free will, I will impose upon you the necessity of creating those whom you do not want?' What follows, except that he would not even owe any gratitude to the people, if, when one plebeian seeks office with two patricians, he should say that he was created by law, not by vote?"