The从咭‘ off ` Veii一Appius and the Plebeian Tribunes.- Whilst peace prevailed elsewhere, Rome and Veii were confronting each other in rms,. animated by such fury and hatred that utter ruin clearly awaited the vanquished. Each elected their magistrates, but on totally different principles. The Romans increased the number of their consular tribunes to eight-a larger number than had ever been elected before. They were Manius Xmilius Mamercus--for the second time---- L. Valerius Potitus----for the， thirdrv Ir '"% 1.11. ^r'r r r ,r。tune---Appius ClaudiusT * 7 M' T1 Crassus, In。vuinctxlius v arus。七。I ulius!ulus。Al. rostumlus， ，、侧‘以J，r II. Furius Camillus, and M. Postumius Albinus. The Veientines, on the other hand, tired of the annual canvass吨for office, elected a king. ons, owing to their 1This gave great offence to the Etruscan canthatred of monarchy and their personal averwas elected. I3 'e was already obnoxious to slon to the one whi the nation his pri e of wealth and overbearing temper, for he had violent stop to the festival of the Games, the interruption of whuch. is an act of impiety. His candldafor the priesthood 1 ,had been unsuccessful, another being笑 f erred by the vote of the twelve cantons, and in revenge he :留ly withdrew1 the performers, most of whom were his ownin the middle of the Games. The Etruscans as a nation were distinguished above all others by their devotion to religiousobservances, because they excelled in the knowledge and conductof them., and they decided, in consequence, that no assistanceshould be given to the Veientines as long as they were under aking. The report of this decision was suppressed at Veii throughfear of the king; he treated those who mentioned anything ofthe kind, not as authors of an idle tale, but as ringleaders of sedition. A.lthou沙the Romans had received intelligence that there 284 was no movement on the part of the Etruscans, still, as it was reported that the matter was bung discussed in all their councils,they so constructed their lines as to present a double face, theone fronting veil to prevent sorties from the city, the otherlooking towards Etruria to intercept any succour from that side.IL .As the Roman generals placed more reliance on a blockadethan on an assault, they began to build huts for winter quarters,