the tribunes intended to bring forward their law, he published a
muster-roll of men for military service, and charged the people to leave
the Forum and meet him on the Field of Mars, threatening those who
disobeyed with a heavy fine. But when the tribunes answered his threats
by vowing that they would fine him fifty thousand _drachmas_ unless he
ceased his interference with the people's right of voting, he retired to
his own house, and after a few days laid down his office on pretence of
sickness. This he did, either because he feared a second condemnation
and banishment, which would be a disgrace to an old man and one who had
done such great deeds, or else because he saw that the people were too
strong to be overpowered, and he did not wish to make the attempt.

The Senate appointed another dictator, but he made that very Licinius
Stolo, the leader of the popular party, his master of the horse, and
thus enabled him to pass a law which was especially distasteful to the
patricians, for it forbade any one to possess more than five hundred
_jugera_ of land. Stolo, after this success, became an important
personage; but, a short time afterwards, he was convicted of possessing
more land than his own law permitted, and was punished according to its
provisions.

XL. There still remained the difficulty about the consular elections,
the most important point at issue between the two parties, and the
Senate was greatly disturbed at it, when news arrived that the Gauls,
starting from the Adriatic Sea, were a second time marching in great
force upon Rome. At the same time evident traces of their approach could
be seen, as the country was being plundered, and such of the inhabitants
as could not easily reach Rome were taking refuge in the mountains.

This terrible tidings put an end to all internal disputes. The Senate