Juris civilis initia et progressus. Ad leges XII. Tabularum brevis commentatio. Ex Ulpiani Fragmentorum Tituli XXIX. selectis notis illustrati. Gaii ex veteris jurisprudentiae Fragmentis Institutionu

IV. CHANGE.

A little later, when there were often great contentions between the plebs and the Fathers the patricians regarding the passing of laws, the Tribunes promised to put an end to the struggles if lawmakers were created from both the plebs and the Fathers, who would bring forth common laws useful to both: to which the Fathers assented regarding the passing of laws, though not in the choice of the lawmaker. Whence, so that there might be no place for envy, it was decided to have foreign laws: ambassadors were sent to Athens to copy the laws of Solon, and to learn the institutions, customs, and rights of other Greek cities: and Ten Men Decemviri were created. These men brought the Greek laws, written on ten tables, and proposed them publicly, with two added, which contained the laws proper to the Romans. Hence the body of all Roman law. But because the beginnings of this magistracy were too extravagant, the matter collapsed all the sooner. For after two years, the Ten Men, because of the lust of Appius Claudius...