[357] Dionys. vi. 45.
[358] Liv. ii. 28. The senators complain “nunc in mille curias contionesque (cum alia in Esquiliis, alia in Aventino fiant concilia) dispersam et dissipatam esse rem publicam.”
[359] Varro L.L. v. 81 “tribuni plebei, quod ex tribunis militum primum tribuni plebei facti, qui plebem defenderent, in secessione Crustumerina.”
[360] The principle of cooptation was said to have been recognised in the carmen rogationis of the tribunate, and in this case it was held that Patricians were eligible. Liv. iii. 65 (449 B.C.) “Novi tribuni plebis in cooptandis collegis patrum voluntatem foverunt. Duos etiam patricios consularesque, Sp. Tarpeium et A. Aternium, cooptavere.” But, with the disuse of this principle, the plebeian qualification was observed.
[361] Cic. ap. Ascon. in Cornel. p. 76 “Tanta igitur in illis virtus fuit, ut anno xvi. post reges exactos propter nimiam dominationem potentium secederent, ... duos tribunos crearent.... Itaque auspicato postero anno tr. pl. comitiis curiatis creati sunt,” (For the number two Ascon. in loc. quotes Tuditanus and Atticus.) Cicero apparently understands by this the mixed assembly of the curiae; and so does Livy (ii. 56, on the lex Publilia transferring the elections of the tribunes to the tribes), “quae patriciis omnem potestatem per clientium suffragia creandi, quos vellent, tribunos auferret.”
[362] It must have been so restricted at first. Later (as we shall see in dealing with the intercession) the auxilium was extended to the whole people.
[363] Cic. de Rep. ii. 33, 58 “contra consulare imperium tribuni plebis ... constituti.”
[364] Gell. xiii. 12 “(tribunis) jus abnoctandi ademptum, quoniam, ut vim fieri vetarent, adsiduitate eorum et praesentium oculis opus erat.” Cf. iii. 2. Plut. Qu. Rom. 81 ὅθεν οὐδ’ οἰκίας αὐτοῦ κλείεσθαι νενόμισται θύραν, ἀλλὰ καὶ νύκτωρ ἀνέῳγε καὶ μεθ’ ἡμέραν, ὤσπερ λιμὴν καὶ καταφυγὴ τοῖς δεομένοις.
[365] For the increase to four see Diodor. xi. 68 (471 B.C. in connexion with the lex Publilia); other accounts represent the original number as five (Ascon. l.c. p. 93, and Livy ii. 33; two elected, three coopted; cf. note on p. 93). The increase to ten is assigned by Livy and Dionysius to 457 B.C. (Livy iii. 30; the tribunes allowed the levy “non sine pactione tamen ut ... decem deinde tribuni plebis crearentur. Expressit hoc necessitas patribus”; cf. Dionys. x. 30).
[366] Liv. ii. 35 “contemptim primo Marcius audiebat minas tribunicias; auxilii, non poenae, jus datum illi potestati; plebisque, non patrum, tribunos esse.” Coriolanus was probably impeached before the Plebs as a hostis tribuniciae potestatis in consequence of his advice that the tribunate should be abrogated (Liv. ii. 34). See Rein Criminalrecht p. 484. Cf. Liv. ii. 56 (471 B.C.; the tribune seizes some nobiles who would not yield to his viator) “Consul Appius negare jus esse tribuno in quemquam, nisi in plebeium; non enim populi, sed plebis, eum magistratum esse.”