Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 6
Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D., Ed.

19. On the other side the senate were discussing the secret gathering of the plebs in a private house —a house, too, that, as it happened, was situated in the Citadel —and the grave danger that threatened liberty. [2] The majority exclaimed that a Servilius Ahala was needed, one who would not exasperate a public enemy by ordering his imprisonment, but would sacrifice a single citizen to end a domestic war. [3] However, they had recourse to a proposal which sounded milder, though its force was identical, namely, that the magistrates should see to it that the republic took no harm by the ruinous devices of Marcus Manlius. [4] Thereupon the consular tribunes and the tribunes of the plebs —for they too, perceiving that their own authority would come to an end with the general liberty, had made their submission to the Fathers —all these men, I say, thereupon took counsel together, what was needful to be done. [5] They could none of them see any way but violence and bloodshed, which would clearly involve a mighty struggle, when Marcus Menenius and Quintus Publilius, tribunes of the plebs, addressed them as follows: “Why do we make a conflict between patricians and [p. 263]plebeians out of what ought to be the quarrel of the¹ state with a single pestilent citizen? [6] Why in attacking him do we attack the plebs as well, when it is safer to attack him by the help of this same plebs, that his very strength may bring about his ruin? [7] We propose to summon him to trial. Nothing is less popular than kingly power. As soon as the populace, perceiving that our quarrel is not with them, are changed from supporters into judges, and see that the prosecutors are plebeians, the defendant a patrician, and the accusation that of seeking to set up a kingdom, they will not favour any man at the expense of their own liberty.”