Another popular tribune, C. Appuleius Decianus, 98, brought against P. Furius the accusation that in the preceding year the latter as tribune of the plebs had betrayed the people’s cause. Acquitted of that charge, he was accused later in the year by C. Canuleius, another tribune, on the ground that he had impeded the return of Metellus.[1970] In one of the contiones for the trial of this case the citizens would not listen to the defence of the accused but tore him in pieces. In the same year Appuleius prosecuted L. Valerius Flaccus, curule aedile, on what charge is unknown. His own condemnation to exile, more probably by the centuries than by a quaestio, on the ground that in his accusation of Furius he lamented the death of Appuleius Saturninus, his gentilis, is mentioned in an earlier chapter.[1971] Sulla’s completion of the system of standing courts and his restriction of the tribunician function of prosecution[1972] substantially withdrew all judicial power from the tribal assembly under the presidency of tribunes. The overthrow of the Cornelian constitutional arrangements left the standing courts with jurisdiction unimpaired. Though constitutionally the tribunes by this overthrow regained their right to prosecute, they exercised it rarely and feebly during the remainder of the republic. C. Memmius, tribune of the plebs in 66, brought M. Terentius Varro Lucullus to trial for what he had done long before in his quaestorship at the dictation of Sulla. As the motive was evidently personal, the accused was acquitted.[1973] Early in 58 L. Antistius, tribune of the plebs, in the interest of the optimates threatened to prosecute C. Julius Caesar, who had just retired from his consulship and was on the point of setting out for his provinces. Caesar appealed to the other tribunes, who suspended the prosecution on the ground that the accused was to be necessarily absent in the service of the state.[1974] In the year 44 C. Epidius Marullus and L. Caesetius Flavius, tribunes, instituted proceedings against the man who took the lead in acclaiming Caesar king as he was returning from Alba. The evident displeasure of Caesar at the accusation caused its withdrawal.[1975] In incomplete trials, like those last mentioned, it is seldom possible to determine whether they were to come before the centuries or the tribes.[1976] II. _Aedilician Jurisdiction_