[11,17] Σκοπεῖτε γὰρ οὑτωσί· προβούλευμα γενήσεται τῆς βουλῆς ὑπὲρ ἀρχαιρεσιῶν, ἔπειτ´ ἐξοίσουσιν οἱ δέκα τὰ βουλευθέντα εἰς τὸν δῆμον ὁρίσαντες ἀγορὰν τὴν ἀπὸ ταύτης τρίτην. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἀληθῶς γένοιτό τι τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου ψηφιζομένων κύριον, ἐὰν μὴ κατὰ νόμους γένηται; ἔπειθ´ ὅταν αἱ φυλαὶ διενέγκωσι τὴν ψῆφον, τότε αἱ νέαι †παραιτοῦνται τὴν πόλιν ἀρχαὶ καὶ προθήσουσιν ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ πολέμου σκοπεῖν. ἐν δὲ τοῖς μεταξὺ τῶν ἀρχαιρεσιῶν χρόνοις τοσούτοις οὖσιν, ἐὰν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἔλθωσιν οἱ πολέμιοι καὶ προσαγάγωσι τοῖς τείχεσι, τί ποιήσομεν, Κλαύδιε; ἐροῦμεν αὐτοῖς νὴ Δία· μείναθ´, ἕως ἂν ἀποδείξωμεν ἑτέρας ἀρχάς. Κλαύδιος γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἔπεισε περὶ μηδενὸς ἄλλου πράγματος μήτε προβουλεύειν μήτ´ εἰς τὸν δῆμον ἐκφέρειν μήτε δυνάμεις καταγράφειν, ἐὰν μὴ τὰ περὶ τὰς ἀρχὰς καταστήσωμεν ὡς βουλόμεθα. ἄπιτ´ οὖν, καὶ ὅταν ἀκούσητε ὑπάτους καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀρχὰς ἀποδειχθείσας ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὰ πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα πάντα γεγονότα ἡμῖν εὐτρεπῆ, τόθ´ ἥκετε περὶ διαλλαγῶν ποιησόμενοι τοὺς λόγους, ἐπειδὴ κακῶς ἤρξασθε ἡμᾶς ποιεῖν οὐδὲν προπεπονθότες ὑφ´ ἡμῶν· καὶ ὅσα ἡμᾶς ἐβλάψατε κατὰ τὰς ἐμβολὰς εἰς χρημάτων λόγον, ἅπαντα ἐκ τοῦ δικαίου διαλύσατε. τὸν δὲ τῶν γεωργῶν ὄλεθρον οὐχ ὑπολογιούμεθα ὑμῖν, οὐδ´ εἴ τινα γύναια ἐλεύθερα ὕβρεως καὶ παροινίας ἐπειράθη στρατιωτικῆς οὐδ´ ἄλλο τῶν ἀνηκέστων οὐδέν. κἀκεῖνοι ταῦτα προκαλουμένων ἡμῶν μετριάσουσι καὶ συγχωρήσαντες τῇ πόλει νέας ἀρχὰς ἀποδεῖξαι καὶ τὰ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον εὐτρεπῆ ποιήσασθαι, τότε ἥξουσιν ἱκετηρίας φέροντες ἀντὶ τῶν ὅπλων καὶ παραδιδόντες ἡμῖν ἑαυτούς.

[11,17] "For consider the matter in this light. There will be a preliminary vote of the senate for the election of magistrates; then the decemvirs will lay this resolution before the people after appointing the third market-day thereafter for its consideration. for how can anything that is voted by the people become really valid if it is not done in accordance with the laws? Then, after the tribes have given their votes, the new magistrates will take over the administration of the commonwealth and propose to you the consideration of the war.During the interval before the election, which will be such a long one, if our enemies march up to the city and approach the walls, what are we going to do, Claudius? We shall say to them, by heaven: 'Wait until we have appointed other magistrates. For Claudius persuaded us neither to pass a preliminary decree concerning (p57) any other matter nor to lay anything else before the people nor to enrol forces until we have settled everything relating to the magistracies as we wish. Depart, therefore, and when you hear that the consuls and the other magistrates have been appointed and that we have all the necessary preparations made for war, then come and make your pleas for peace, since you injured us first without any provocation on our part. And for whatever damage you have caused us in your raids, so far as property is concerned, pay us in full in accordance with justice; but the slaying of our husbandmen and any insults and drunken abuse offered by your soldiers to women of free condition or any other irreparable mischief we shall not include in your account.' And they doubtless in response to this invitation of ours will show moderation, and after permitting us to choose new magistrates and to make our preparations for war, will then come with olive branches in their hands instead of arms and deliver themselves up to us!"