At this epoch, however, the censorship by no means possessed the great importance and moral supremacy which afterwards were associated with it.
Quaestorship But the important change made in the year 333 in respect to the quaestorship amply compensated for this success of the patrician party.

The patricio-plebeian assembly of the tribes--perhaps taking up the ground that at least the two military paymasters were in fact officers rather than civil functionaries, and that so far the plebeian appeared as well entitled to the quaestorship as to the military tribuneship--carried the point that plebeian candidates also were admitted for the quaestorial elections, and thereby acquired for the first time the privilege of eligibility as well as the right of election for one of the ordinary magistracies.

With justice it was felt on the one side as a great victory, on the other as a severe defeat, that thenceforth patrician and plebeian were equally capable of electing and being elected to the military as well as to the urban quaestorship.
Attempts at Counterrevolution The nobility, in spite of the most obstinate resistance, only sustained loss after loss; and their exasperation increased as their power decreased.

Attempts were doubtless still made directly to assail the rights secured by agreement to the commons; but such attempts were not so much the well-calculated manoeuvres of party as the acts of an impotent thirst for vengeance.

Such in particular was the process against Maelius as reported by the tradition--certainly not very trustworthy--that has come down to us.