And Appius, contending in the Comitia with Scipio Africanus, said, How
deeply, O Paulus, wouldst thou sigh amongst the infernal shades, wert
thou but sensible that Philonicus the publican guards thy son, who is
going to stand for the office of censor. For such manner of speeches do
both admonish the offender, and become their admonishers. Nestor also
in Sophocles, being reproached by Ajax, thus politicly answers him:
I blame you not, for you act well, although
You speak but ill.
And Cato, who had opposed Pompey in his joining with Caesar to force
the city, when they fell to open wars, gave his opinion that the
conduct of the state should be committed to Pompey, saying, that those
who are capable to do the greatest mischiefs are fittest to put a
stop to them. For reprehension mixed with praise, and accompanied not
with opprobriousness but liberty of speech, working not animosity but
remorse and repentance, appears both kind and salutary; but railing
expressions do not at all beseem statesmen. Do but look into the
speeches of Demosthenes against Aeschines, and of Aeschines against
him; and again into what Hyperides has written against Demades,
and consider whether Solon, Pericles, Lycurgus the Lacedaemonian,
or Pittacus the Lesbian would have spoken in that manner. And yet
Demosthenes used this reproachful manner of speaking only in his
juridical orations or pleadings; for his Philippics are clean and free
from all scoffing and scurrility. For such discourses do not only more
disgrace the speakers than the hearers, but do moreover breed confusion
in affairs, and disturb counsels and assemblies. Wherefore Phocion did
excellently well, who, having broken off his speech to give way to one
that railed against him, when the other with much ado held his peace,
going on again where he had left off, said: You have already heard what
has been spoken of horsemen and heavy armed foot; I am now to treat of
such as are light armed and targeteers.
But since many persons can hardly contain themselves on such occasions,
and since railers have often their mouths not impertinently stopped
by replies; let the answer be short and pithy, not showing any
indignation or bitterness of anger, but mildness joined with raillery
and gracefulness, yet somewhat tart and biting. Now such especially are
the retortings of what has been spoken before. For as darts returning
against their caster seem to have been repulsed and beaten back by a
certain strength and solidity in that against which they were thrown;
so what was spoken seems by the strength and understanding of the
reproached to have been turned back upon the reproacher. Such was that
reply of Epaminondas to Callistratus, who upbraided the Thebans with
Oedipus, and the Argives with Orestes,—one of which had killed his
father and the other his mother,—Yet they who did these things, being
rejected by us, were received by you. Such also was the repartee of
Antalcidas the Spartan to an Athenian, who said to him, We have often
driven you back and pursued you from the Cephissus; But we (replied
Antalcidas) never yet pursued you from the Eurotas. Phocion also, when
Demades cried out, The Athenians if they grow mad, will kill thee;
elegantly replied, And thee, if they come again to their wits. So, when
Domitius said to Crassus the orator, Did not you weep for the death of
the lamprey you kept in your fish-pond?—Did not you, said Crassus to
him again, bury three wives without ever shedding a tear? These things
therefore have indeed their use also in other parts of a man’s life.
15. Moreover, some, like Cato, thrust themselves into every part of
polity, thinking a good citizen should not omit any care or industry
for the obtaining authority. And these men greatly commend Epaminondas;
for that being by the Thebans through envy and in contempt appointed
telearch, he did not reject it, but said, that the office does not show
the man, but the man also the office. He brought the telearchate into
great and venerable repute, which was before nothing but a certain
charge of the carrying the dung out of the narrow streets and lanes
of the city, and turning of watercourses. Nor do I doubt but that I
myself afford matter of laughter to many who come into this our city,
being frequently seen in public employed about such matters. But
that comes into my assistance which is related of Antisthenes; for,
when one wondered to see him carry a piece of stock-fish through the
market, ’Tis for myself, said he. But I, on the contrary, say to
those who upbraid me for being present at and overseeing the measuring
of tiles, or the bringing in and unloading of clay and stones: It is
not for myself, but for my country, that I perform this service. For
though he who in his own person manages and does many such things for
himself may be judged mean-spirited and mechanical, yet if he does them
for the public and for his country, he is not to be deemed sordid;
but on the contrary, his diligence and readiness, extending even to
these small matters, is to be esteemed greater and more highly to be
valued. But others there are, that hold Pericles’s manner of acting
to have been more magnanimous and august; amongst which Critolaus the
Peripatetic, who is of opinion that, as at Athens the Salaminian ship
and the Paralus were not launched forth for every service, but only on
necessary and great occasions, so a statesman ought to employ himself
in the chiefest and greatest affairs, like the King of the universe,
who, as Euripides says,
Reserves great things for his own government,
But small things leaves to Fortune’s management.
For neither do we approve the excessively ambitious and contentious
spirit of Theagenes, who, having obtained the victory not only through
the whole course of public games, but also in many other contests, and
not only in wrestling but in buffeting and running of long races, at
last, being at the anniversary festival supper of a certain hero, after
every one was served, according to the custom, he started up, and fell
to wrestling, as if it were necessary that no other should conquer when
he was present; whence he got together twelve hundred coronets, most of
which one would have taken for rubbish.
Now nothing do they differ from him, who strip themselves for every
public affair, and render themselves reprehensible by many, becoming
troublesome, and being, when they do well, the subject of envy, and
when they do ill, of rejoicing. And that industry which was at the
beginning admired turns afterwards to contempt and laughter. In this
manner it was said; Metiochus leads forth the army, Metiochus oversees
the highways, Metiochus bakes the bread, Metiochus bolts the meal,
Metiochus does all things, Metiochus shall suffer for it at last. This
Metiochus was a follower of Pericles, and made use, it seems, of the
power he had with him invidiously and disdainfully. For a statesman
ought to find the people when he comes to them (as they say) in love
with him, and leave in them a longing after him when he is absent;
which course Scipio Africanus also took, dwelling a long time in the
country, at the same time both removing from himself the burthen of
envy, and giving those leisure to breathe, who seemed to be oppressed
by his glory. But Timesias the Clazomenian, who was otherwise a good
commonwealths-man, was ignorant of his being envied and hated for
doing all things by himself, till the following accident befell him.
It happened that, as he passed by where certain boys were striking
a cockal-bone out of an hole, some of them said, that the bone was
still left within; but he who had stricken it cried out, I wish I had
as certainly beaten out Timesias’s brains, as this bone is out of the
hole. Timesias, hearing this, and thereby understanding the envy and
spite borne him by every one, returned home, where he imparted the
matter to his wife, and having commanded her to pack up all and follow
him, immediately left both his house and the city. And Themistocles
seems to have been in some such condition amongst the Athenians, when
he said: How is it, O ye blessed ones, that you are tired with the
frequent receiving of benefits?
Now some of those things have indeed been rightly spoken, others not
so well. For a statesman ought not to withdraw his affection and
providential care from any public affair whatever, nor reserve himself
sacred, like the anchor in a ship, for the last necessities and hazards
of the state. But as the masters of ships do some things with their
own hands, and perform others, sitting afar off, by other instruments,
turning and winding them by the hands of others, and making use of
mariners; boatswains, and mates, some of which they often call to the
stern, putting the helm into their hands; so it is convenient for a
statesman sometimes to yield the command to his companions, and to
invite them kindly and civilly to the tribunal, not managing all the
affairs of the commonweal by his own speeches, decrees, and actions,
but having good and faithful men, to employ every one of them in that
proper and peculiar station which he finds to be most suitable for
him. Thus Pericles used Menippus for the conduct of the armies, by
Ephialtes he humbled the council of the Areopagus, by Charinus he
passed the law against the Megarians, and sent Lampon to people the
city of Thurii. For not only is the greatness of authority less liable
to be envied by the people, when it seems to be divided amongst many;
but the business also is more exactly done. For as the division of the
hand into fingers has not weakened it, but rendered it more commodious
and instrumental for the uses to which it serves; so he who in the
administration of a state gives part of the affairs to others renders
the action more efficacious by communicating it. But he who, through
an unsatiable desire of glory or power, lays the whole burthen of the
state upon his own shoulders, and applies himself to that for which he
is neither fitted by nature nor exercise,—as Cleon did to the leading
forth of armies, Philopoemen to the commanding of navies, and Hannibal
to haranguing the people,—has no excuse for his errors; but hears that
of Euripides objected against him,
Thou, but a carpenter, concernd’st thyself
With works not wrought in wood;—
being no good orator, you went on an embassage; being of a lazy temper,
you thrust yourself into the stewardship; being ignorant in keeping
accounts, you would be treasurer; or, being old and infirm, you took
on you the command of the army. But Pericles divided his authority
with Cimon, reserving to himself the governing within the city, and
committing to him the manning of the navy and making war upon the
barbarians; for the other was naturally fitted for war, and himself for
civil affairs. Eubulus also the Anaphlystian is much commended, that,
having credit and authority in matters of the greatest importance,
he managed none of the Grecian affairs, nor betook himself to the
conducting of the army; but employing himself about the treasure, he
augmented the public revenues, and greatly benefited the city by them.
But Iphicrates, practising to make declamations at his own house in
the presence of many, rendered himself ridiculous; for though he had
been no bad orator but an excellently good one, yet ought he to have
contented himself with the glory got by arms, and abstaining from the
school, to have left it to the sophisters.
16. But since it is incident to every populacy to be malicious and
desirous to find fault with their governors, and since they are apt
to suspect that many, even useful things, if they pass without being
opposed or contradicted, are done by conspiracy, and since this
principally brings societies and friendships into obloquy; they must
not indeed leave any real enmity or dissension against themselves,
as did Onomademus, a demagogue of the Chians, who, having mastered a
sedition, suffered not all his adversaries to be expelled the city;
lest, said he, we should begin to differ with our friends, when we
are wholly freed from our enemies; for this would be indeed a folly.
But when the multitude shall have conceived a suspicion against
any important beneficial project, they must not, as if it were by
confederacy, all deliver the same opinion; but two or three of them
must dissent, and mildly oppose their friend, and afterwards, as if
they were convinced by reason, change their sentiments; for by this
means they draw along with them the people, who think them moved by
the beneficialness of the thing. But in small matters, and such as are
of no great consequence, it is not amiss to suffer his friends really
to differ, every one following his own private reason; that so in the
principal and greatest concerns, they may not seem to act upon design,
when they shall unanimously agree to what is best.
17. The politician therefore is by nature always the prince of the
city, as the king among the bees; and in consideration of this, he
ought always to have the helm of public affairs in his hand. But as
for those dignities and offices to which persons are nominated and
chosen by the suffrages of the people, he should neither too eagerly
nor too often pursue them,—the seeking after offices being neither
venerable nor popular,—nor yet should he reject them, when the people
legally confer them on him and invite him to them, but even though they
are below his reputation, he should accept them and willingly employ
himself in them; for it is but just that they who have been honored by
offices of greater dignity should in return grace those of inferior
rank. And in those more weighty and superior employs, such as are the
commanding of the armies in Athens, the Prytania in Rhodes, and the
Boeotarchy amongst us, he should carry himself with such moderation
as to remit and abate something of their grandeur, adding somewhat of
dignity and venerableness to those that are meaner and less esteemed,
that he may be neither despised for these nor envied for those.
Now it behooves him that enters upon any office, not only to have at
hand those arguments of which Pericles put himself in mind when he
first received the robe of state: Bethink thyself, Pericles, thou
govern’st freemen, thou govern’st Grecians, yea, citizens of Athens;
but farther also, he ought to say thus with himself: Thou, being a
subject, govern’st a city which is under the obedience of Caesar’s
proconsul or lieutenant. Here is no fight in a fair field, this is not
the ancient Sardis, nor is this the puissance of the Lydians. Thou must
make thy robe scantier, look from the pavilion to the tribunal, and not
place too great confidence in thy crown, since thou see’st the Roman’s
shoes over thy head. But in this the stage-players are to be imitated,
who add indeed to the play their own passionate transports, behavior,
and countenance, suitable to the person they represent, but yet give
ear to the prompter, and transgress not the rhyme and measures of the
faculty granted them by their masters. For an error in government
brings not, as in the acting of a tragedy, only hissing and derision;
but many have by this means subjected themselves to that
Severe chastiser, the neck-cutting axe.
As it befell your countryman Pardalas, when he forgot the limits of
his power. Another, being banished from home and confined to a little
island, as Solon has it,
Became at last from an Athenian
A Pholegandrian or Sicinitan.
For we laugh indeed, when we see little children endeavoring to fasten
their father’s shoes on their own feet, or setting their crowns on
their own heads in sport. But the governors of cities, foolishly
exhorting the people to imitate those works, achievements, and actions
of their ancestors which are not suitable to the present times and
affairs, elevate the multitude, and although they do things that are
ridiculous, they yet meet with a fate which is not fit to be laughed
at, unless they are men altogether despised. For there are many other
facts of the ancient Greeks, the recital of which to those who are
now living may serve to form and moderate their manners; as would be
the relating at Athens, not the warlike exploits of their progenitors,
but (for example) the decree of amnesty after the expulsion of the
Thirty Tyrants; the fining of Phrynicus, who represented in a tragedy
the taking of Miletus; how they wore garlands on their heads when
Cassander rebuilt Thebes; how, having intelligence of the Scytalism (or
slaughter) at Argos in which the Argives put to death fifteen hundred
of their own citizens, they commanded a lustration (or expiatory
sacrifice) to be carried about in a full assembly; and how, when
they were searching of houses for those that were confederated with
Harpalus, they passed by only one, which was inhabited by a man newly
married. For by the imitating of such things as these, they may even
now resemble their ancestors; but the fights at Marathon, Eurymedon,
and Plataea, and whatever examples vainly puff up and heighten the
multitude, should be left to the schools of the sophisters.
18. Now a statesman ought not only to exhibit himself and his country
blameless to the prince, but also to have always for his friend some
one of those that are most powerful above, as a firm support of polity;
for the Romans are of such a disposition, that they are most ready to
assist their friends in their political endeavors. It is good also,
when we have received benefit from friendship with princes, to apply
it to the advancement of our country; as did Polybius and Panaetius,
who through the favor of Scipio to them greatly advantaged their
countries for the obtaining felicity. So Caesar Augustus, when he had
taken Alexandria, made his entry into it, holding Arius by the hand,
and discoursing with him alone of all his familiars; after which he
said to the Alexandrians, who expecting the utmost severity supplicated
his favor, that he pardoned them first for the greatness of their
city, secondly for its builder, Alexander, and thirdly, added he, to
gratify this my friend. Is it then fit to compare to this benefit those
exceeding gainful commissions and administrations of provinces, in
the pursuit of which many even grow old at other men’s doors, leaving
their own domestic affairs in the mean time unregarded? Or should we
rather correct Euripides, singing and saying that, if one must watch
and sue at another’s court and subject one’s self to some great man’s
familiarity, it is most commendable so to do for the sake of one’s
country; but otherwise, we should embrace and pursue friendships on
equal and just conditions.
19. Yet ought not he who renders and exhibits his country obsequious
to potent princes to contribute to the oppressing of it, nor having
tied its legs to subject also its neck, as some do who, referring all
things both great and little to these potentates, upbraid it with
servitude, or rather wholly take away the commonwealth, rendering it
astonished, timorous, and without command of any thing. For as those
who are accustomed neither to sup nor bathe without the physician do
not make so much use of their health as Nature affords them; so they
who introduce the prince’s judgment into every decree, council, favor,
and administration, necessitate the princes to be more masters of them
than they desire. Now the cause of this is principally the avarice
and ambition of the chief citizens. For either, by injuring their
inferiors, they compel them to fly out of the city; or in such things
wherein they differ from one another, disdaining to be worsted by their
fellow-citizens, they bring in such as are more powerful, whence both
the council, people, courts of judicature, and whole magistracy lose
their authority. But he ought to appease private citizens by equality,
and mightier men by mutual submissions, so as to keep peace within the
commonweal, and coolly to determine their affairs; making for these
things, as it were for secret diseases, a certain political medicine,
both being himself rather willing to be vanquished amongst his
fellow-citizens, than to get the better by the injury and dissolution
of his country’s rights, and requesting the same of every one else,
and teaching them how great a mischief this obstinacy in contending
is. But now, rather than they will with honor and benignity mutually
yield to their fellow-citizens, kinsmen, neighbors, and colleagues in
office, they do, with no less prejudice than shame, carry forth their
dissensions to the doors of the pleaders, and put them into the hands
of pragmatical lawyers.
Physicians indeed turn and drive forth into the superficies of the
body such diseases as they are not able utterly to extirpate; but a
statesman, though he cannot keep a city altogether free from internal
troubles, yet should, by concealing its disturbance and sedition,
endeavor to cure and compose it, so that it may least stand in need of
physicians and medicines from abroad. For the intention of a statesman
should be fixed upon the public safety, and should shun, as has been
said, the tumultuous and furious motion of vain-glory; and yet in his
disposition there should be magnanimity,
And undaunted courage,—as becomes
The men, who are for their dear country’s right
Prepared till death ’gainst stoutest foes to fight,[68]
and who are bravely resolved, not only to hazard their lives against
the assaults of invading enemies, but also to struggle with the most
difficult affairs, and stem the torrent of the most dangerous and
impetuous times. For as he must not himself be a creator of storms and
tempests, so neither must he abandon the ship of the state when they
come upon it; and as he ought not to raise commotions and drive it into
danger, so is he obliged, when it is tossed and is in peril, to give
it his utmost assistance, putting forth all his boldness of speech, as
he would throw out a sacred anchor when affairs are at the greatest
extremity.
Such were the difficulties that befell the Pergamenians under Nero, and
the Rhodians lately under Domitian, and the Thessalians heretofore in
the time of Augustus, when they burned Petraeus alive.