tried to guard itself from any possible surrender of its liberties such as that which had created the decemvirate.
The Plebs, thus secured in its original privileges, recognised as a corporate body, and feeling, as a result of the Twelve Tables, that its law was in the main the law of the state, began to aim at something more than protection. From this time begins the continuous struggle for the complete equalisation of the two orders. It was opened by the tribune Canuleius in the year 445. He rightly held that social must precede political equality, and proposed in the assembly of the Plebs that marriage should be permitted between Patricians and Plebeians.[1] The only reasonable objection which the consuls, representing the feeling of the Patriciate, could bring forward against the measure, was the time-worn pretext that was said to have influenced the decemvirs in inserting the prohibition in their code, viz. that the Plebeians had no auspices, and that the disappearance of a pure race would mean a break in the chain which connected the state with heaven.[2] But the pretext expressed the real fears of the Patriciate. Intermarriage between the orders would break down the religious barrier which guarded the consulship; this was the prize for which the Plebs was striving. In fact a suggestion, emanating from the tribunes at the beginning of the year, had already assumed the form of a rogatio to the effect that "the people should have power to choose consuls at its pleasure either from the Plebs or from the patres."[3] Over the marriage question the usual contest ensued, and with the usual result. The consuls led the opposition as long as they could; at last the Senate was beaten, the magistrates were forced to bring the question before the people, and marriage between the orders was legalised.[4] The tribunes followed up their victory
- ↑ Liv. iv. 1 "de conubio patrum et plebis C. Canuleius tribunus plebis rogationem promulgavit."
- ↑ See p. 39 and cf. Liv. iv. 6; the consuls (in a contio) gave as the official reason "quod nemo plebeius auspicia haberet; ideoque decemviros conubium diremisse, ne incerta prole auspicia turbarentur."
- ↑ Liv. iv. 1 "et mentio, primo sensim inlata a tribunis, ut alterum ex plebe consulem liceret fieri, eo processit deinde, ut rogationem novem tribuni promulgarent, 'ut populo potestas esset, seu de plebe, seu de patribus vellet, consules faciendi.'"
- ↑ The situation at the beginning of the year thus is described by Livy (iv. 2), "eodem tempore et consules senatum in tribunum, et tribunus populum in consules incitabat." At last (Liv. iv. 6) "victi tandem patres, ut de conubio ferretur, consensere."
