of military tribunes. XL The new consuls were Marcus Fabius Vibulanus and Postumius ZEbutius Cornicinen. The previous year was regarded by the neighbouring peoples, whether friendly or hostile, as chiefly memorable because of the trouble taken to help Ardea in its peril. The new consuls, aware that they were succeedinz men distinguished both. at home and abroad, were an the more anxious to o mxterate xrom现en, s minas the infamous judgment, Accordinzlv. then obtained a senatorial v r +甘 decree ordering that as the population of Ardea had been seriously reduced through the internal disturbances, a body of solo饭sts should be sent there as a protection against the Volscians. This was the reason alleged in the text of the decree, to prevent their intention of rescinding the judgment from being suspected by the plebs and tribunes. They had, however, privately agreed that the majority of the colonists should a -"he Growing Power of the Plebsl. 235 consist of Rutulians, that no land should be allotted other thanwhat had been appropriated under the infamous judgment,aid that not a single sod should be assigned to a Roman tillall the Rutullans had received their share. So the land wentback to the Ardeates, Agrippa Menenius, T. Cluilius Siculus,and M. .1Ebutius Helva were the triumvirs appointed to super-intend the settlement of the colony. Their office was not only extremely unpopular, but they gave great offence to the plebsby assigning to allies land which the Roman people had form-ally adjudged to be their own. Even with the leaders of the0 .p tn s they were out of favour, because they had refused toa cianallow themselves to be influenced by any of them. The tribunes impeached them, but they avoided all further vexatious pro-ceedings by enrolling themselves amongst the settlers andremaining in the colony which they now possessed as a testi-mony to their justice and integrity.XIL There was peace abroad and at home during this and