In Lilliput, Gulliver is tempted to break the bonds by which the Lilliputians have attempted to limit his movement. In fact, when he first wakes up and realizes that he's been tied down with tiny ligatures, he does manage to free his left arm as well as loosen the bonds that tie his hair to the ground. At this point, however, the Lilliputians discharge a number of arrows into his hand, which pains him very...
In Lilliput, Gulliver is tempted to break the bonds by which the Lilliputians have attempted to limit his movement. In fact, when he first wakes up and realizes that he's been tied down with tiny ligatures, he does manage to free his left arm as well as loosen the bonds that tie his hair to the ground. At this point, however, the Lilliputians discharge a number of arrows into his hand, which pains him very much. Therefore, one reason he discontinues his attempts to free himself is that he doesn't want to experience this pain again, even though he is quite sure that he could best any army they'd put together to come against him.
Moreover, though he is tempted to free himself and even snatch some of the Lilliputians up and cast them onto the ground, he says,
the Remembrance of what I had felt, which probably might not be the worst they could do; and the Promise of Honour I made them, for so I interpreted by submissive Behaviour, soon drove out those Imaginations. Besides, I now considered my self as bound by the Laws of Hospitality to a People who had treated me with so much Expence and Magnificence.
Thus, in addition to wanting to avoid pain, Gulliver feels that he has made the Lilliputians an implicit promise not to harm them. If he were to break more of his bonds, it would appear as an act of aggression, and, in his eyes, this would be dishonorable given their relatively hospitable treatment of him and attempts to satisfy his hunger and thirst.
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