Page:The Children's Plutarch, Romans.djvu/54

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TALES OF THE ROMANS

where else. They said that it was not right that the two magistrates who were chosen to govern Rome every year should always be men of the upper class. One ought to be a commoner, or plebeian. Camillus thought it was wise to grant this, and each year one consul was elected by the votes of the patricians and one by the votes of the commoners. This is what happens in politics. One class want one thing, and one class want another; and the wisest heads among the people have to plan a way to please as many of the citizens as possible. When the city was at peace again, the people built a new temple, called the temple of Concord, or Friendship. It stood by the forum. I wish such a temple could be built in every city and every land, and that the hearts of all men were joined together in peace and goodwill. And because Camillus made the city strong again after all its troubles with the Gauls and the quarrels of the citizens, the people called him “the second founder of Rome.” He died 365 B.C.

THE MAN WHO WAITED

“HAVE you heard that drops of blood came out on the shields of the soldiers?”

“Indeed! And in the corn-fields, so I am told, corn has been cut that ran with blood!”

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