Naturally the lictors never refused to vote the lex curiata, but it was often prevented or delayed by the intercession of the plebeian tribunes.[1177] As we hear nothing of such action of the tribunes in the early republic we may well conclude that it was a late usurpation. Their veto could be offset by a special resolution of the people for dispensing the persons elected from the need of the curiate sanction.[1178] In destroying the tribunician power Sulla, perhaps consciously, strengthened the lex curiata as a weapon in the hands of the senate. He did not treat the subject, however, with his usual precision; for in 54 we find Appius Claudius appealing to a Cornelian law in justification of his intention to govern a province without the sanction.[1179] The procedure of Appius must have robbed the sanctioning act of the little vitality which it still possessed. With the downfall of the republic it fell completely into disuse.[1180] I. COMPARATIVE VIEW: Spencer, H., _Principles of Sociology_, ii. chs. viii, ix; Post, A. H., _Grundlagen des Rechts_, 130-6; _Die Anfänge des Staats- und Rechtsleben_, 113 f.; Jenks, E., _History of Politics_, chs. ix, xi, xii; Schrader, O., _Reallexikon_, 923-5; _Sprachv. u. Urgesch._ ii³ (1907). 376; Leist, B. W., _Alt-arisches Jus Gentium_, see index, s. Jus; _Alt-arisches Jus Civile_, i. 337 ff., 368 ff. (fas, ius, lex); Hirt, H., _Indogermanen_, ii. 522-31 (fundamental ideas of right and law); Brunner, H., _Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte_, i. 128-32; Schröder, R., _Lehrbuch der deutschen Rechtsgeschichte_, 21-7; Cramer, J., _Verfassungsgeschichte der Germanen und Kelten_ (Berlin, 1906); Seeck, O., _Geschichte des Untergangs der antiken Welt_, i. 212-4; Kovalevsky, M., _Modern Customs and Ancient Laws of Russia_, chs. iv, v; Ginnell, L., _Brehon Laws_, ch. iv; Hermann-Thumser, _Griech. Staatsaltertümer_, 67-9 (Homeric); 166-76 (Lacedaemonian); 504-38 (Athenian); Gilbert, G., _Constitutional Antiquities of Sparta and Athens_, 50-2 (Lacedaemonian); 285-310 (Athenian); Buchholz, E., _Homerische Realien_, ii. 24-7; Seymour, T. D., _Life in the Hom. Age_, 101-9; Moreau, F., _Les assemblées politiques d’apres l’Iliade et l’Odyssée_, in _Revue des études Grecques_, vi (1893). 204-50; Finsler, G., _Das homerische Königtum_, in _N. Jahrb. für kl. Alt._ ix (1906). 313-36; Fustel de Coulanges, _Ancient City_, 216 f., 244 ff., 329; _Histoire des institutions politiques de l’ancienne France: La Gaule Romaine_ (1891); _L’invasion germanique_ (1891); _La monarchie Franque_ (1888); Farrand, L., _Basis of American History_, see index, s. Council; Bernhöft, F., _Staat und Recht der röm. Königszeit_, 145-56.