CHAPTER XIII.--_Of the use the Romans made of Religion in giving
Institutions to their City, in carrying out their Enterprises, and in
quelling Tumults._

Here it seems to me not out of place to cite instances of the Romans
seeking assistance from religion in reforming their institutions and in
carrying out their warlike designs. And although many such are related
by Titus Livius, I content myself with mentioning the following only:
The Romans having appointed tribunes with consular powers, all of them,
save one, plebeians, it so chanced that in that very year they were
visited by plague and famine, accompanied by many strange portents.
Taking occasion from this, the nobles, at the next creation of tribunes,
gave out that the gods were angry with Rome for lowering the majesty
of her government, nor could be appeased but by the choice of tribunes
being restored to a fair footing. Whereupon the people, smitten with
religious awe, chose all the tribunes from the nobles. Again, at the
siege of Veii, we find the Roman commanders making use of religion to
keep the minds of their men well disposed towards that enterprise. For
when, in the last year of the siege, the soldiers, disgusted with their
protracted service, began to clamour to be led back to Rome, on the
Alban lake suddenly rising to an uncommon height, it was found that the
oracles at Delphi and elsewhere had foretold that Veii should fall that
year in which the Alban lake overflowed. The hope of near victory thus
excited in the minds of the soldiers, led them to put up with the
weariness of the war, and to continue in arms; until, on Camillus being
named dictator, Veii was taken after a ten years' siege. In these cases,
therefore, we see religion, wisely used, assist in the reduction of this
city, and in restoring the tribuneship to the nobles; neither of which
ends could well have been effected without it.