This meant they were too weak to cause more trouble.

VOA: special.2010.04.01

So the Romans, for example, outlawed volunteer fire departments, in local places, because they were afraid that volunteer fire departments could be a place where locals, especially maybe lower-class locals, could get together and then start gossiping about what they could do to cause trouble for the Romans.

所以罗马人会，比如，会驱逐当地志愿消防部门，因为他们担心志愿消防部门,会成为当地人，尤其是下层阶级集会的场所，在那谋划如何,给罗马人制造麻烦。

耶鲁公开课 - 新约课程节选

I don't want to use my family name because I shall probably have several scandals while I live and I don't want to cause them any trouble until I am famous, when nobody will mind.

VOA: special.2009.09.20