Whilst Horatius was exclaiming in this manner, "and the decemvirs could not discover any limit either to their anger or forbearance, nor could they see to what the thing would come, Caius Claudius, who was uncle to Appius the decemvir, delivered an address more like entreaties than reproach, beseeching him by the shade of his own brother and of his father, that he would hold in recollection the civil society in which he had been born rather than the confederacy nefariously entered into with his colleagues; that he besought this much more on Appius's own account, than for the sake of the commonwealth.

For that the commonwealth would assert its rights in spite of them, if it could not obtain them with their consent.

But that from great contests great animosities arise; the result of the latter he dreads." Though the decemvirs forbad them to speak on any other subject than that which they had submitted to them, they felt too much respect for Claudius to interrupt him.

He therefore concluded his address by moving that it was their wish that no decree of the senate should be passed.

And all understood the matter thus, that they were judged by Claudius to be private citizens; and many of the men of consular standing expressed their assent.