The winning of honor is but the revealing of a man’s virtue and worth
without disadvantage; for some in their actions do woo and affect honor
and reputation; which sort of men are commonly much talked of, but
inwardly little admired; and some, contrariwise, darken their virtue
in the show of it, so as they be undervalued in opinion. If a man
perform that which hath not been attempted before, or attempted and
given over, or hath been achieved, but not with so good circumstance,
he shall purchase more honor than by affecting a matter of greater
difficulty or virtue, wherein he is but a follower. If a man so temper
his actions, as in some one of them he doth content every faction
or combination of people, the music will be the fuller. A man is an
ill husband of his honor that entereth into any action, the failing
wherein may disgrace him more than the carrying of it through can honor
him. Honor that is gained and broken upon another hath the quickest
reflection, like diamonds cut with facets; and therefore let a man
contend to excel any competitors of his in honor, in outshooting them,
if he can, in their own bow. Discreet followers and servants help much
to reputation: “Omnis fama a domesticis emanat.”[544] Envy, which is
the canker of honor, is best extinguished by declaring a man’s self in
his ends, rather to seek merit than fame; and by attributing a man’s
successes rather to Divine providence and felicity, than to his own
virtue or policy. The true marshalling of the degrees of sovereign
honor are these. In the first place are “conditores imperiorum,”[545]
founders of states and commonwealths; such as were Romulus, Cyrus,
Cæsar, Ottoman,[546] Ismael: in the second place are “legislatores,”
lawgivers, which are also called second founders, or “perpetui
principes,”[547] because they govern by their ordinances after they
are gone; such were Lycurgus, Solon, Justinian, Edgar,[548] Alphonsus
of Castile, the Wise, that made the “Siete Partidas:”[549] in the third
place are “liberatores,” or “salvatores,”[550] such as compound the
long miseries of civil wars, or deliver their countries from servitude
of strangers or tyrants, as Augustus Cæsar, Vespasianus, Aurelianus,
Theodoricus, King Henry the Seventh of England, King Henry the Fourth
of France: in the fourth place are “propagatores,” or “propugnatores
imperii,”[551] such as in honorable wars enlarge their territories, or
make noble defence against invaders: and, in the last place are “patres
patriæ,”[552] which reign justly, and make the times good wherein they
live; both which last kinds need no examples, they are in such number.
Degrees of honor in subjects are, first, “participes curarum,”[553]
those upon whom princes do discharge the greatest weight of their
affairs, their right hands, as we call them; the next are “duces
belli,”[554] great leaders, such as are princes’ lieutenants, and do
them notable services in the wars; the third are “gratiosi,” favorites,
such as exceed not this scantling,[555] to be solace to the sovereign,
and harmless to the people; and the fourth, “negotiis pares,”[556]
such as have great places under princes, and execute their places with
sufficiency. There is an honor, likewise, which may be ranked amongst
the greatest, which happeneth rarely; that is, of such as sacrifice
themselves to death or danger for the good of their country; as was M.
Regulus, and the two Decii.