, together with their offspring, cut off within
the year; so that the name of the Potitii became extinct, while the
censor Appius also was, by the unrelenting wrath of the gods, some
years after, deprived of sight.

30. The consuls of the succeeding year were, Caius Junius Bubulcus a
third time, and Quintus Aemilius Barbula a second. In the commencement
of their office, they complained before the people, that, by the
improper choice of members of the senate, that body had been
disgraced, several having been passed over who were preferable to the
persons chosen in; and they declared, that they would pay no regard to
such election, which had been made without distinction of right or
wrong, merely to gratify interest or humour: they then immediately
called over the list of the senate, in the same order which had
existed before the censorship of Appius Claudius and Caius Plautius.
Two public employments, both relating to military affairs, came this
year into the disposal of the people; one being an order, that sixteen
of the tribunes, for four legions, should be appointed by the people;
whereas hitherto they had been generally in the gift of the dictators
and consuls, very few of the places being left to suffrage. This order
was proposed by Lucius Atilius and Caius Marcius, plebeian tribunes.
Another was, that the people likewise should constitute two naval
commissioners, for the equipping and refitting of the fleet. The
person who introduced this order of the people, was Marcus Decius,
plebeian tribune. Another transaction of this year I should pass over
as trifling, did it not seem to bear some relation to religion. The
flute-players, taking offence because they had been prohibited by the
last censors from holding their repasts in the temple of Jupiter,
which had been customary from very early times, went off in a body to
Tibur; so that there was not one left in the city to play at the
sacrifices. The religious tendency of this affair gave uneasiness to
the senate; and they sent envoys to Tibur to endeavour that these men
might be sent back to Rome. The Tiburtines readily promised
compliance, and first, calling them into the senate-house, warmly
recommended to them to return to Rome; and then, when they could not
be prevailed on, practised on them an artifice not ill adapted to the
dispositions of that description of people: on a festival day, they
invited them separately to their several houses, apparently with the
inte