Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/409

 CHAP. VII. THE PLEBS ENTER THE CITY. 403 As there remained laws to make, new decemvirs were appointed, and among them were three plebeians. Thus, after it had been proclaimed with so much energy that the making of laws belonged to the patrician class, so rapid was the progress of ideas that at the end of a year plebeians were admitted among the legislators. The manners tended towards equality. Men were upon an incline where they could no longer hold back. It had become necessary to make a law forbidding marriage between the two orders — a certain proof that religion and manners no longer sufficed to prevent this. But h.ardly had they had time to make the law, when it fell before an almost universal reprobation. A few patricians persisted, indeed, in calling upon their re- ligion. " Our blood will be attainted, and the hereditary worship of every family will be destroyed by it ; no one will any longer know of what race he is born, to what sacrifices he belongs; it will be the overthrow of all institutions, human and divine." The plebeians did not heed these arguments, which appeared to them mere quibbles without weight. To discuss articles of faith before men who had no religion was time lost. Be- sides, the tribunes replied very justly, "If it is true that your religion speaks so loud, what need have you of this law? It is of no account; withdraw it, you re- main as free as befoie not to ally yourselves Tith ple- beian families." The law was withdrawn. At once marriages became frequent between the two orders. The rich plebeians were so sought after, that, to speak only of the Licinii, they allied themselves with three of the patrician gentes, the Fabii, the Cor- ne'iii, and the Manlii.> It could then be seen that the ' Livy V. 12; VI. 34, 39