at hand.

On a sudden, however, that the same order of events might be renewed
each year, the Hernicans announced that the Volscians and the AEquans,
in spite of their strength being much impaired, were recruiting their
armies: that the centre of events was situated at Antium; that the
colonists of Antium openly held councils at Ecetra: that there was the
head--there was the strength--of the war. As soon as this announcement
was made in the senate, a levy was proclaimed: the consuls were
commanded to divide the management of the war between them; that the
Volscians should be the sphere of action of the one, the AEquans of the
other. The tribunes loudly declared openly in the forum that the story
of the Volscian war was nothing but a got-up farce: that the Hernicans
had been trained to act their parts: that the liberty of the Roman
people was now not even crushed by manly efforts, but was baffled by
cunning; because it was now no longer believed that the Volscians and
the AEquans who were almost utterly annihilated, could of themselves
begin hostilities, new enemies were sought for: that a loyal colony,
and one in their very vicinity, was being rendered infamous: that war
was proclaimed against the unoffending people of Antium, in reality
waged with the commons of Rome, whom, loaded with arms, they were
determined to drive out of the city with precipitous haste, wreaking
their vengeance on the tribunes by the exile and expulsion of their
fellow-citizens. That by these means--and let them not think that
there was any other object contemplated--the law was defeated, unless,
while the matter was still in abeyance, while they were still at home
and in the grab of citizens, they took precautions, so as to avoid
being driven out of possession of the city, or being subjected to the
yoke. If they only had spirit, support would not be wanting: that
all the tribunes were unanimous: that there was no apprehension from
abroad, no danger. That the gods had taken care, in the preceding
year that their liberty could be defended with safety. Thus spoke the
tribunes.

But on the other side, the consuls, having placed their chairs[18]
within view of them, were holding the levy; thither the tribunes
hastened down, and carried the assembly along with them; a few [19]
were summoned, as it were, by way of making an experiment, and
instantly violence ensued. Whomsoever the lictor laid hold of by order
of the consul, him the tribune ordered