tribune, n.All

A Tribune (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠invented to do for the Roman nobles what dread of the Tarquins once did — keep them in check.

The Tribune (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠do nothing and can prevent anything from being done, which makes it more sacred than the prince who executes the laws or the sovereign that makes them.

A Tribune (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠tamed by Appius Claudius's trick: always keep one of them — timid, venal or a lover of the public good — ready to veto the rest.

The Tribune (n.) wisely ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠tempered is a constitution's strongest support, and a little too strong it upsets the State: it is never weak, for provided it is something, it is never less than it should be.