lsci, _taking advantage of their intestine disorders
ravaged the country to the very gates of_ Rome, _and the Tribunes of the
people forbad the necessary levies of troops to oppose them_. Quinctius,
_a Senator, of great reputation, well beloved, and now in his fourth
consulate, got the better of this opposition, by the following speech._

Though I am not conscious, O Romans, of any crime by me committed, it is
yet with the utmost shame and confusion that I appear in your assembly.
You have seen it--posterity will know it. In the fourth consulship of
Titus Quinctius, the AEqui and Volsci, (scarce a match for the Hernici
alone) came in arms to the very gates of Rome, and went away
unchastised! The course of our manners, indeed, and the state of our
affairs, have long been such, that I had no reason to presage much good:
But could I have imagined that so great an ignominy would have befallen
me this year, I would by death; or banishment (if all other means had
failed) have avoided the station I am now in. What! might Rome then have
been taken, if those men who were at our gates had not wanted courage
for the attempt!--Rome taken while I was consul--Of honours I had
sufficient,--of life enough--more than enough.--I should have died in my
third consulate. But who are they that our dastardly enemies thus
despise? The consuls, or you Romans? If we are in the fault, depose us,
or punish us yet more severely. If _you_ are to blame, may neither God
nor man punish your faults! only may you repent. No, Romans, the
confidence of our enemies is not owing to their courage, or to the
belief of your cowardice. They have been too often vanquished, not to
know both themselves and you. Discord, discord is the ruin of this city.
The eternal disputes between the senate and the people, are the sole
cause of our misfortunes. While we set no bounds to our dominion, nor
you to your liberty: While you patiently endure Patrician magistrates,
and we Plebeian, our enemies take heart, grow elated and presumptuous.
In the name of the immortal gods, what is it, Romans, you would have?
You desired tribunes; for the sake of peace we granted them. You were
eager to have decemvirs; we consented to their creation. You grew weary
of these decemvirs; we obliged them to abdicate. Your hatred pursued
them when reduced to private men; and we suffered you to put to death,
or banish, Patricians of the first rank in the republic. You insisted
upon the restoration of