a lazy and corrupt aristocracy battened at ease on the spoils of their labour and industry.  By the advice of this incendiary, the discontented citizens made a secession to the MONS SACER, about three miles out of the city.  The fathers, in the meantime, were covered with consternation.  In order, however, to appease the fury of the multitude, they dispatched Menenius Agrippa to their camp.  In the rude unpolished style of the times (prisco illo dicendi et horrido modo, says Livy), that orator told them: 

“At the time when the powers of man did not, as at present, co-operate to one useful end, and the members of the human body had their separate interest, their factions, and cabals; it was agreed among them, that the belly maintained itself by their toil and labour, enjoying, in the middle of all, a state of calm repose, pampered with luxuries, and gratified with every kind of pleasure.  A conspiracy followed, and the several members of the body took the covenant.  The hand would no longer administer food; the mouth would not accept it, and the drudgery of mastication was too much for the teeth.  They continued in this resolution, determined to starve the TREASURY of the body, till they began to feel the consequences of their ill-advised revolt.  The several members lost their former vigour, and the whole body was falling into a rapid decline.  It was then seen that the belly was formed for the good of the whole; that it was by no means lazy, idle, and inactive; but, while it was properly supported, took care to distribute nourishment to every part, and having digested the supplies, filled the veins with pure and wholesome blood.”

The analogy, which this fable bore to the sedition of the Roman people, was understood and felt.  The discontented multitude saw that the state of man described by Menenius, was like to an insurrection.  They returned to Rome, and submitted to legal government. Tempore, quo in homine non, ut nunc, omnia in unum consentiebant, sed singulis membris suum cuique consilium, sum sermo fuerat, indignatas reliquas partes, sua cura, suo labore, ac ministerio, ventri omnia quaeri; ventrem in medio quietum, nihil aliud, quam datis voluptatibus frui; conspirasse inde, ne manus ad os cibum ferrent, nec os acciperit datum, nec dentes conficerent.  Hac ira dum ventrem fame domare vellent, ipsa una membra, totumque corpus ad extremam tabem venisse.  Inde apparuisse, ventris quoque haud segne ministerium esse; nec magis ali quam alere eum; reddentem in omnes corporis partes hunc, quo vivimus vigemusque, divisum, pariter in venas, maturum confecto cibo sanguinem. Livy, lib. ii. s. 32.  St. Paul has made use of a similar argument;