hat "_the result showed that the people when declaring
their honest judgment after controversy was over, were governed by a
different spirit from that which had inspired them while contending for
their liberties and for a share in public honours_." The reason for this
I believe to be, that men deceive themselves more readily in generals
than in particulars. To the commons of Rome it seemed, in the abstract,
that they had every right to be admitted to the consulship, since their
party in the city was the more numerous, since they bore the greater
share of danger in their wars, and since it was they who by their valour
kept Rome free and made her powerful. And because it appeared to them,
as I have said, that their desire was a reasonable one, they were
resolved to satisfy it at all hazards. But when they had to form a
particular judgment on the men of their own party, they recognized their
defects, and decided that individually no one of them was deserving of
what, collectively, they seemed entitled to; and being ashamed of them,
turned to bestow their honours on those who deserved them. Of which
decision Titus Livius, speaking with due admiration, says, "_Where shall
we now find in any one man, that modesty, moderation, and magnanimity
which were then common to the entire people?_"

As confirming what I have said, I shall cite another noteworthy
incident, which occurred in Capua after the rout of the Romans by
Hannibal at Cannae. For all Italy being convulsed by that defeat, Capua
too was threatened with civil tumult, through the hatred which prevailed
between her people and senate. But Pacuvius Calavius, who at this time
filled the office of chief magistrate, perceiving the danger, took
upon himself to reconcile the contending factions. With this object he
assembled the Senate and pointed out to them the hatred in which they
were held by the people, and the risk they ran of being put to death by
them, and of the city, now that the Romans were in distress, being given
up to Hannibal. But he added that, were they to consent to leave the
matter with him, he thought he could contrive to reconcile them; in the
meanwhile, however, he must shut them up in the palace, that, by putting
it in the power of the people to punish them, he might secure their
safety.

The senate consenting to this proposal, he shut them up in the palace,
and summoning the people to a public meeting, told them the time had
at last come for them to tra