Then, in response, Gnaeus Fabius Pictor stood up among his peers once again and spoke in this way.

"It seems that Marcus Cossus and Titus Aurelius hold similar opinions about the concerns that have been raised here today. They claim to uphold [i]mos maiorum[/i] by not wanting to decrease the property requirements permanently for recruitment into the military and by wanting to elect a consul prior to appointing a dictator - or rather a prodictator in our case. But at the same time, they wish to smash the very tradition that we hold so dearly. They wish to incorporate the socii into the Roman state in order to bolster our military forces. But can they not hear the lunacy of this plan? From where would these additional troops come? Would they be born from dragon teeth, as the Thebans claim in Greece? Or would they arise from stones thrown behind our backs? It is insanity to believe that incorporating the socii into the Roman state would bring us more fighting men. In fact, the socii have already been allotted a heavy burden in our military. How can making them Roman citizens provide us with more men than they have already supplied?

I will compromise on allowing the reduction of property requirements to be temporary. This is where we will bolster our men. By lowering this barrier, we shall be able to raise many more men than providing our Italian socii Roman citizenship.

And on the topic of the prodicator and the election of a new consul, isn't it obvious? If we are going to appoint a prodicator, why elect a second consul? The powers of the consuls will fall into abeyance anyways. And once we have elected a prodicator, this man can appoint someone to fill the post of Tiberius Sempronius Longus. Nevertheless, in order not to appear the hypocrite from criticizing these men, Marcus Cossus and Titus Aurelius, I will defer to electing a consul before electing a dicator. Therefore, I nominate [b]Marcus Atilius Marci f. Marci n. Regulus[/b] as the consul suffectus."

Once again, after he spoke in this way, Gn. Fabius Pictor sat down and gave the floor to the next man who wished to speak.