It is said that he elected no less than a hundred and sixty-four
new senators. After this, he enacted laws which greatly added to the
power of the people, the first one of which gave accused persons a power
of appeal from the decision of the consuls to the people. The second
appointed the penalty of death to those who entered upon any public
office without the consent of the people. The third was to assist the
poor, as it relieved them from taxes and enabled them all to apply
themselves with greater assiduity to trade. The law, too, which he
enacted about disobedience to the consuls is no less popular in its
spirit, and favours the people more than the great nobles. He assessed
the fine for disobedience at the price of five oxen and two sheep. Now
the value of a sheep was ten obols, and that of an ox a hundred, for at
this period the Romans did not make much use of coined money, but
possessed abundance of cattle. For this reason at this day they call
property _peculia_, from _pecus_, a sheep, and on their oldest coins
they marked the figure of an ox, a sheep, or a pig. Their children, too,
were distinguished by the names of Suillii, Bubulci, Caprarii and
Porcii, for _capra_ means a goat, and _porcus_ a pig.
XII. Though Poplicola favoured the people so much in these laws, and
showed such great moderation, yet in one instance he appointed a
terrible penalty. One of his laws enacted that any citizen was at
liberty to put to death anyone who tried to make himself king, without
any form of trial.
Pages:
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281