t up at Cumae, the ships were
detained in lieu of the property of the Tarquinii by the tyrant
Aristodemus, who was their heir. Among the Volsci and in the Pomptine
territory it could not even be purchased. The corn dealers themselves
incurred danger from the violence of the inhabitants. Corn came from
Etruria by the Tiber: by means of this the people were supported. Amid
this distressing scarcity they would have been harassed by a very
inconvenient war, had not a dreadful pestilence attacked the Volsci when
about to commence hostilities. The minds of the enemy being alarmed by
this calamity, so that they were influenced by some terror, even after
it had abated, the Romans both augmented the number of their colonists
at Velitrae, and despatched a new colony to the mountains of Norba, to
serve as a barrier in the Pomptine district. Then in the consulship of
M. Minucius, and A. Sempronius, a great quantity of corn was imported
from Sicily, and it was debated in the senate at what rate it should be
given to the commons. Many were of opinion, that the time was come for
putting down the commons, and for recovering those rights which had been
wrested from the senators by secession and violence. In particular,
Marcius Coriolanus, an enemy to tribunitian power, says, "If they desire
the former rate of provisions, let them restore to the senators their
former rights. Why do I, after being sent under the yoke, after being,
as it were, ransomed from robbers, behold plebeian magistrates, and
Sicinius invested with power? Shall I submit to these indignities longer
than is necessary? Shall I, who would not have endured King Tarquin,
tolerate Sicinius. Let him now secede, let him call away the commons.
The road lies open to the sacred mount and to other hills. Let them
carry off the corn from our lands, as they did three years since. Let
them have the benefit of that scarcity which in their frenzy they have
occasioned. I will venture to say, that, brought to their senses by
these sufferings, they will themselves become tillers of the lands,
rather than, taking up arms and seceding, they would prevent them from
being tilled." It is not so easy to say whether it should have been
done, as I think that it might have been practicable for the senators,
on the condition of lowering the price of provisions, to have rid
themselves of both the tribunitian power, and all the restraints imposed
on them against their will.[89]

[Footnote 89: i. e.