For the tardy debts and those which were more troublesome, rather by the inertness of the debtors than by want of means, either the treasury paid off, tables with money being placed in the forum, in such a manner that the public was first secured; or a valuation, at equitable prices, of their property freed them; so that not only without injury, but even without complaints on either side, an immense amount of debt was cleared off.

After this a groundless alarm of an Etrurian war, as there was a report that the twelve states had conspired, rendered it necessary that a dictator should be appointed.
Caius Julius was nominated in the camp, (for the decree of the senate was sent thither to the consuls,) to whom Lucius AEmilius was attached as master of the horse.

But all things were quiet abroad.
22.

An attempt made at home by the dictator, to have the election of two patrician consuls, brought the government to an interregnum.

The two interreges, Caius Sulpicius and Marcus Fabius, succeeded in that which the dictator had in vain attempted, scil.