ician magistrates,
than they with their plebeian. That power, when new and untried,
they wrested from our fathers; much less will they now, when once
captivated by its charm, endure the loss of: more especially since we
do not behave with such moderation in the exercise of our power that
they are in no need of the aid of the tribunes." When these arguments
were thrown out from every quarter, the decemvirs, overpowered by the
united opinions of all, declared that, since such seemed to be the
feeling, they would submit to the authority of the patricians. All
they asked for themselves was that they might be protected from
popular odium; they warned the senate, that they should not, by
shedding their blood, habituate the people to inflict punishment on
the patricians.

Then Valerius and Horatius, having been sent to bring back the people
on such terms as might seem fit, and to adjust all differences, were
directed to make provision also to protect the decemvirs from the
resentment and violence of the multitude. They set forth and were
received into the camp amid the great joy of the people, as their
undoubted liberators, both at the beginning of the disturbance and
at the termination of the matter. In consideration of these things,
thanks were returned to them on their arrival. Icilius delivered
a speech in the name of the people. When the terms came to be
considered, on the ambassadors inquiring what the demands of the
people were, he also, having already concerted the plan before the
arrival of the ambassadors, made such demands, that it became evident
that more hope was placed in the justice of their case than in arms.
For they demanded the restoration of the tribunician office and the
right of appeal, which, before the appointment of decemvirs, had been
the supports of the people, and that it should be without detriment
to any one to have instigated the soldiers or the commons to seek to
recover their liberty by a secession. Concerning the punishment only
of the decemvirs was their demand immoderate: for they thought it but
just that they should be delivered up to them, and threatened to burn
them alive. The ambassadors replied: "Your demands which have been
the result of deliberation are so reasonable, that they should be
voluntarily offered to you: for you demand therein safeguards for
your liberty, not a means of arbitrary power to assail others. Your
resentment we must rather pardon than indulge, seeing that from y