1The younger senators were carrying the day for a division in favour of this motion. 1And Valerius and Horatius, rising again more fiercely, shouted that they should be allowed to speak about the state; 1they would speak to the people if a faction did not permit it in the senate; 1for private citizens could not hinder them either in the senate house or in an assembly, nor would they give way to their imaginary fasces. 2Then Appius, thinking that matters were now close to the point where, unless their violence was resisted with equal boldness, his power would be overcome, said, 'It will be better not to have uttered a word except on the matter we are consulting about,' and when Valerius said he would not be silent at a private citizen's bidding, he ordered a lictor to approach him.
3Valerius was already appealing to the good faith of the Quirites from the threshold of the senate house when Lucius Cornelius threw his arms round Appius and broke off the struggle, serving the interests not of the man he pretended to serve. 4And when, through Cornelius, leave had been granted to Valerius to say what he wished, and liberty had gone no further than words, the decemvirs held to their purpose. 5The former consuls too and the elders, out of a lingering hatred of the tribunes' power, for which they thought the plebs longed much more keenly than for the power of the consuls, almost preferred that the decemvirs themselves should later leave office of their own accord than that the plebs should rise again through resentment against them; 6if the matter were handled gently and returned to the consuls without popular uproar, the plebs could be brought to forget the tribunes, either by wars intervening or by the consuls' moderation in exercising their authority.
6Amid the senators' silence a levy is proclaimed. 7The younger men, since the authority was without appeal, answer to their names. 7When the legions had been enrolled, the decemvirs arrange among themselves who should go to the war and who should command the armies. 7The leading men among the decemvirs were Quintus Fabius and Appius Claudius. 8The war at home looked greater than the war abroad. 8They thought Appius' violence better suited to suppressing disturbances in the city. 8Fabius, they thought, had a character not so much energetic in wickedness as lacking steadfastness in good. 9For this man, once outstanding at home and in the field, had been so changed by the decemvirate and his colleagues that he preferred to be like Appius rather than like himself.
9To him the war among the Sabines was entrusted, with Manius Rabuleius and Quintus Poetelius added as his colleagues. 10Marcus Cornelius was sent to Algidus with Lucius Minucius, Titus Antonius, Kaeso Duillius and Marcus Sergius. 10They assign Spurius Oppius to Appius Claudius as his helper in guarding the city, all the decemvirs having equal authority.