There is no nation, says Livy,
[23]
that has been longer uncorrupted
than the Romans; no nation where moderation and poverty have been longer
respected.
Such was the influence of an oath among those people that nothing
bound them more strongly to the laws. They often did more for the
observance of an oath than they would ever have performed for the thirst
of glory or for the love of their country.
When Quintus Cincinnatus, the consul, wanted to raise an army in the
city against the qui and the Volsci, the tribunes opposed him. "Well,"
said he, "let all those who have taken an oath to the consul of the
preceding year march under my banner."
[24]
In vain did the tribunes cry
out that this oath was no longer binding, and that when they took it
Quintus was but a private person: the people were more religious than
those who pretended to direct them; they would not listen to the
distinctions or equivocations of the tribunes.
When the same people thought of retiring to the Sacred Mount, they
felt some remorse from the oath they had taken to the consuls, that they
would follow them into the field.
[25]
They entered then into a design of
killing the consuls; but dropped it when they were given to understand
that their oath would still be binding. Now it is easy to judge of the
notion they entertained of the violation of an oath from the crime they
intended to commit.
After the battle of Cann, the people were seized with such a panic
that they would fain have retired to Sicily. But Scipio having prevailed
upon them to swear they would not stir from Rome, the fear of violating
this oath surpassed all other apprehensions. Rome was a ship held by two
anchors, religion and morality, in the midst of a furious tempest.
