The laws drawn up by this board were approved, engraved on ten tables
of copper, and placed in the Forum in front of the Senate-House. Two
more tables were added the next year. These TWELVE TABLES were the
only Roman code.

The DECEMVIRI should have resigned as soon as these laws were
approved, but they neglected to do so, and began to act in a cruel and
tyrannical manner. The people, growing uneasy under their injustice,
finally rebelled when one of the Decemviri, Appius Claudius, passed a
sentence that brought an innocent maiden, Virginia, into his power.
Her father, Virginius, saved his daughter's honor by stabbing her to
the heart, and fleeing to the camp called upon the soldiers to put
down such wicked government.

A second time the army deserted its leaders, and seceded to the SACRED
MOUNT, where they nominated their own Tribunes. Then, marching into
the city, they compelled the Decemviri to resign.

The TWELVE TABLES have not been preserved, except in fragments, and we
know but little of their exact contents. The position of the debtor
was apparently made more endurable. The absolute control of the
_pater familias_ over his family was abolished. The close
connection heretofore existing between the clients and patrons was
gradually relaxed, the former became less dependent upon the latter,
and finally were absorbed into the body of the plebeians. _Gentes_
among the plebeians now began to be recognized; previously only the
patricians had been divided into _gentes_.

Thus we see, socially, the two orders were approaching nearer and