Book 6
14.10
Manlius brought under the auctioneer's hammer an estate in the Veientine territory which comprised the principal part of his patrimony — “In order,” he said, “that as long as any of my property remains, I may prevent any of you Quirites from being delivered up to your creditors as judgment debtors.” This roused them to such a pitch that it was quite clear that they would follow the champion of their liberties through anything, right or wrong.
14.11
To add to the mischief, he delivered speeches in his own house, as though he were haranguing the Assembly, full of calumnious abuse of the senate. Indifferent to the truth or falsehood of what he said, he declared, among other things, that the stores of gold collected for the Gauls were being hidden away by the patricians; they were no longer content with appropriating the public lands unless they could also embezzle the public funds; if that affair were brought to light, the debts of the plebs could be wiped off.
14.12
With this hope held out to them, they thought it a most shameful proceeding that whilst the gold got together to ransom the City from the Gauls had been raised by general taxation, this very gold when recovered from the enemy had become the plunder of a few.
