1The senate was on the Capitol; 1there the tribunes come with the alarmed plebs; the crowd with great clamour implores the protection now of the consuls, now of the senators, and they did not move the consul from his resolve until the tribunes promised that they would submit to the authority of the senators. 2Then, when the consul referred the demands of the tribunes and the plebs to the house, decrees of the senate are passed that the tribunes should not propose their law that year, nor the consuls lead an army out of the city; 2for the future, the senate judged that for magistracies to be prolonged and the same tribunes re-elected was against the interest of the state.
2The consuls submitted to the senators' authority; 3the tribunes, despite the consuls' protests, were re-elected. 3The senators too, so as not to yield anything to the plebs, were themselves for re-electing Lucius Quinctius as consul. 3In the whole year there was no more vehement speech by the consul. 3'Should I be surprised,' he said, 'senators, if your authority counts for nothing with the plebs? 4You yourselves make light of it; 4evidently, because the plebs has broken a decree of the senate in prolonging magistracies, you too want it broken, so as not to yield to the recklessness of the multitude. 5As if having more power in the state meant having more fickleness and licence.
5For surely it is more fickle and empty to annul one's own decrees and resolutions than those of others. 6Imitate, senators, the thoughtless mob, and you who ought to be an example to others, sin after the example of others rather than let others act rightly after yours, so long as I do not imitate the tribunes nor allow myself to be declared consul against a decree of the senate. 7You, Gaius Claudius, I urge both to restrain the Roman people yourself from this licence, and to be persuaded of this about me, that I shall take it in such a way as to think, not that my office has been blocked by you, but that the glory of having spurned office has been increased, and the ill will which would hang over me from its prolongation lightened.' 8Then they jointly issue an edict that no one should vote for Lucius Quinctius as consul; 8if anyone did, they would not take account of that vote.