1The following year had Postumus Cominius and Titus Larcius as consuls. 2In that year at Rome, when during the games some courtesans were carried off by young Sabines in a spirit of wantonness, a crowd gathered and there was a brawl and almost a battle, and from a small matter the affair seemed to be leading towards a renewal of war. 2On top of the fear of a Latin war, this too had been added, that it was well established that thirty peoples had now conspired together at the instigation of Octavius Mamilius. 4While the state was anxious in its expectation of such great events, the appointment of a dictator was mentioned for the first time.
4But it is not well established in what year, nor under which consuls — who were distrusted because they belonged to the Tarquinian faction, for this too is reported — nor who was first appointed dictator. 5In the oldest authorities, however, I find that Titus Larcius was appointed the first dictator and Spurius Cassius master of the horse. 5They chose men of consular rank: so the law passed about appointing a dictator required. 6I am all the more inclined to believe that Larcius, who was of consular rank, rather than Marcus Valerius, son of Marcus and grandson of Volesus, who had not yet been consul, was set over the consuls as their director and master; 7indeed, if they had particularly wanted a dictator to be chosen from that family, they would much rather have chosen the father, Marcus Valerius, a man of proven courage and of consular rank.
8When a dictator had been appointed at Rome for the first time and they saw the axes carried before him, great fear came upon the plebs, so that they were more attentive in obeying orders. 8For there was not, as with the consuls, who had equal power, the help of one against the other, nor was there any appeal, nor any help anywhere except in careful obedience. 9The appointment of a dictator at Rome struck fear into the Sabines too, all the more because they believed he had been appointed on their account. 9And so they send envoys to ask for peace. 10When these begged the dictator and the senate to pardon the error of young men, the answer was that young men could be forgiven, but not old men, who sowed wars out of wars.
10Still, peace was discussed, and it would have been obtained if the Sabines had brought themselves to make good what had been spent on the war — for that had been demanded. 11War was declared; 11a tacit truce kept the year quiet.