It is foolish to refuse our share of support for civil government.
Menenius Agrippa, a Roman consul, was sent by the senate to calm a dangerous riot and sedition among the people, who refused to pay the taxes needed to maintain the state. He convinced them of their folly by sharing the following fable:
“My friends and countrymen,” he said, “listen to my words. Once, the members of the human body, upset with the Belly’s conduct, decided to stop providing him with their usual supplies. The Tongue, in a fiery speech, highlighted their grievances, praising the Hands and Feet for their hard work and questioning the fairness of wasting their labor on a lazy, useless Belly. The speech received unanimous applause. The Hands declared they would work no more, the Feet refused to carry any load, and even the Teeth decided not to chew another morsel for the Belly.
“In this dire situation, the Belly pleaded with them to reconsider and not support such a senseless rebellion. ‘Every bit you give me,’ he said, ‘is immediately used for your benefit, distributed by me to every part of you for the common good.’ But his reasoning fell on deaf ears; during the clamor of anger, the voice of reason is often ignored. Unable to calm the uproar, the Belly starved without their help, and the body wasted away to a skeleton. The weakened and languid Limbs eventually realized their mistake and wanted to return to their duties, but it was too late. Death had taken over the whole body, and they all perished together.”
