proofs, that the brother of Volscius, from the time he first fell ill, had not only never been seen in public, but that he had not even left his bed after he had been attacked by illness, and that he had died of a wasting disease of several months’ standing; and that at the time to which the witness had referred the commission of the crime, Caeso had not been seen at Rome:  while those who had served in the army with him positively stated that at that time he had regularly attended at his post along with them without any leave of absence.  Many, on their own account, proposed to Volscius to refer the matter to the decision of an arbitrator.  As he did not venture to go to trial, all these points coinciding rendered the condemnation of Volscius no less certain than that of Caeso had been on the testimony of Volscius.  The tribunes were the cause of delay, who said that they would not suffer the quaestors to hold the assembly concerning the accused, unless it were first held concerning the law.  Thus both matters were spun out till the arrival of the consuls.  When they entered the city in triumph with their victorious army, because nothing was said about the law, many thought that the tribunes were struck with dismay.  But they in reality (for it was now the close of the year), being eager to obtain a fourth tribuneship, had turned away their efforts from the law to the discussion of the elections; and when the consuls, with the object of lessening their dignity, opposed the continuation of their tribuneship with no less earnestness than if the law in question had been proposed, the victory in the contest was on the side of the tribunes.

In the same year peace was granted to the Aequans on their suing for it.  The census, begun in the preceding year, was completed:  this is said to have been the tenth lustrum that was completed from the date of the foundation of the city.  The number of citizens rated was one hundred and seventeen thousand three hundred and nineteen.  The consuls obtained great glory this year both at home and in war, because they established peace abroad, while at home, though the state was not in a condition of absolute harmony, yet it was less harassed by dissensions than at other times.

Lucius Minucius and Gaius Nautius being next elected consuls took up the two causes which remained undecided from the preceding year.  As before, the consuls obstructed the law, the tribunes the trial of Volscius:  but in the new quaestors there was greater power and greater influence.  With Marcus Valerius, son of Manius and grandson of Volesus Titus Quinctius Capitolinus, who had been thrice consul, was appointed quaestor.  Since Caeso could neither be restored to the Quinctian family, nor to the state, though a most promising youth, did he, justly, and as in duty bound, prosecute the false witness who had deprived an innocent person of the power of pleading his cause.  When Verginius, more than any of the tribunes, busied