now no longer in his family an opportunity for
the lust of Appius; that from any other violence of his he would
defend his person with the same spirit with which he had vindicated
that of his daughter: that others should take care for themselves and
their children. While he uttered these words in a loud voice, the
multitude responded with a shout that they would not be backward,
either to avenge his wrongs or to defend their own liberty. And the
civilians mixing with the crowd of soldiers, by uttering the same
complaints, and by showing how much more shocking these things must
have appeared when seen than when merely heard of, and also by telling
them that the disturbance at Rome was now almost over--and others
having subsequently arrived who asserted that Appius, having with
difficulty escaped with life, had gone into exile--all these
individuals so far influenced them that there was a general cry to
arms, and having pulled up the standards, they set out for Rome. The
decemvirs, being alarmed at the same time both by what they now saw,
as well as by what they had heard had taken place at Rome, ran about
to different parts of the camp to quell the commotion. While they
proceeded with mildness no answer was returned to them: if any of them
attempted to exert authority, the soldiers replied that they were men
and were armed. They proceeded in a body to the city and occupied the
Aventine, encouraging the commons, as each person met them, recover
their liberty, and elect tribunes of the people; no other expression
of violence was heard. Spurius Oppius held a meeting of the senate;
it was resolved that no harsh measures should be adopted, inasmuch as
occasion for sedition had been given by themselves.[57] Three men of
consular rank, Spurius Tarpeius, Gaius Julius, Publius Sulpicius, were
sent as ambassadors, to inquire, in the name of the senate, by whose
order they had deserted the camp? Or what they meant by having
occupied the Aventine in arms, and, turning away their arms from the
enemy, having seized their own country? They were at no loss for an
answer: but they wanted some one to give the answer, there being as
yet no certain leader, and individuals were not bold enough to expose
themselves to the invidious office. The multitude only cried out with
one accord, that they should send Lucius Valerius and Marcus Horatius
to them, saying that they would give their answer to them.

The ambassadors being dismissed, Verginiu