1. Not to mention, Cornelius Pulcher, your gentle as well as skilful
administration of public affairs, for which goodness and humanity
you have gotten an interest in mankind, we clearly perceive that in
your private conversation you have made a quiet and peaceable way
of living your choice and continual practice. By this means you are
justly esteemed a useful member of the commonwealth in general, and
also a friendly affable companion to those who familiarly converse
with you, as being a person free from all sour, rough, and peevish
humors. For, as it is said of Crete, we may by great chance discover
one single region of the world that never afforded any dens or coverts
for wild beasts. But through the long succession of ages, even to this
time, there scarce ever was a state or kingdom that hath not suffered
under envy, hatred, emulation, the love of strife, fierce and unruly
passions, of all others the most productive of enmity and ill-will
among men. Nay, if nothing else will bring it to pass, familiarity will
at last breed contempt, and the very friendship of men doth frequently
draw them into quarrels, that prove sharp and sometimes implacable.
Which that wise man Chilo did well understand, who, when he heard
another assert that he had no enemy, asked him very pertinently whether
he had no friend. In my judgment therefore it is absolutely necessary
that a man, especially if he sit at the helm and be engaged to steer
the government, should watchfully observe every posture and motion of
his enemy, and subscribe to Xenophon’s opinion in this case; who hath
set it down as a maxim of the greatest wisdom, that a man should make
the best advantage he can of him that is his adversary.
Wherefore, having lately determined to write somewhat on this argument,
I have now gathered together all my scattered thoughts and meditations
upon it, which I have sent to you, digested into as plain a method as
I could; forbearing all along to mention those observations I have
heretofore made and written in my Political Precepts, because I know
you have that treatise at your hand, and often under your eye.
2. Our ancestors were well satisfied and content if they could safely
guard themselves from the violent incursions of wild beasts, and this
was the end and object of all their contests with these creatures.
But their posterity have laid down their weapons of defence, and have
invented a quite contrary use of them, making them serviceable to some
of the chief ends of human life. For their flesh serves for food, and
their hair for clothing; medicines and antidotes are devised out of
their entrails; and their skins are converted into armor. So that we
may upon good grounds fear that, if these supplies should fail, their
manner of life would appear savage, destitute of convenient food and
raiment, barbarous and naked.
Although we receive these benefits and comforts from the very beasts,
yet some men suppose themselves happy and secure enough, provided they
escape all harm from enemies, not regarding Xenophon’s judgment, whom
they ought to credit in this matter, that every man endowed with common
sense and understanding may, if he please, make his opposites very
useful and profitable to him.
Because then we cannot live in this world out of the neighborhood of
such as will continually labor to do us injury or oppose us, let us
search out some way whereby this advantage and profit from enemies may
be acquired.
The best experienced gardener cannot so change the nature of every
tree, that it shall yield pleasant and well-tasted fruit; neither
can the craftiest huntsman tame every beast. One therefore makes the
best use he can of his trees, the other of his beast; although the
first perhaps are barren and dry, the latter wild and ungovernable.
So seawater is unwholesome and not to be drunk; yet it affords
nourishment to all sorts of fish, and serves as it were for a chariot
to convey those who visit foreign countries. The Satyr would have
kissed and embraced the fire the first time he saw it; but Prometheus
bids him take heed, else he might have cause to lament the loss of
his beard,[123] if he came too near that which burns all it touches.
Yet this very fire is a most beneficial thing to mankind; it bestows
upon us the blessings both of light and heat, and serves those who
know how to use it for the most excellent instrument of mechanic arts.
Directed by these examples, we may be able to take right measures of
our enemies, considering that by one handle or other we may lay hold of
them for the use and benefit of our lives; though otherwise they may
appear very untractable and hurtful to us.
There are many things which, when we have obtained them by much labor
and sweat, become nauseous, ungrateful, and directly contrary to our
inclinations; but there are some (you know) who can turn the very
indispositions of their bodies into an occasion of rest and freedom
from business. And hard pains that have fallen upon many men have
rendered them only the more robust through vigorous exercise. There
are others who, as Diogenes and Crates did, have made banishment from
their native country and loss of all their goods a means to pass out
of a troublesome world into the quiet and serene state of philosophy
and mental contemplation. So the Stoic Zeno welcomed the good fortune,
when he heard the ship was broken wherein his adventures were, because
she had reduced him to a torn coat, to the safety and innocence of a
mean and low condition. For as some creatures of strong constitutions
eat serpents and digest them well,—nay, there are some whose stomachs
can by a strange powerful heat concoct shells or stones,—while on
the contrary, there are the weak and diseased, who loathe even bread
and wine, the most agreeable and best supports of human life; so the
foolish and inconsiderate spoil the very friendships they are engaged
in, but the wise and prudent make good use of the hatred and enmity of
men.
3. To those then who are discreet and cautious, the most malignant
and worst part of enmity becomes advantageous and useful. But what
is this you talk of all this while? An enemy is ever diligent and
watchful to contrive stratagems and lay snares for us, not omitting any
opportunity whereby he may carry on his malicious purposes. He lays
siege to our whole life, and turns spy into the most minute action
of it; not as Lynceus is said to look into oaks and stones, but by
arts of insinuation he gets to the knowledge of our secrets, by our
bosom friend, domestic servant, and intimate acquaintance. As much as
possibly he can, he enquires what we have done, and labors to dive into
the most hidden counsels of our minds. Nay, our friends do often escape
our notice, either when they die or are sick, because we are careless
and neglect them; but we are apt to examine and pry curiously almost
into the very dreams of our enemies.
Now our enemy (to gratify his ill-will towards us) doth acquaint
himself with the infirmities both of our bodies and mind, with the
debts we have contracted, and with all the differences that arise
in our families, all which he knows as well, if not better, than
ourselves. He sticks fast to our faults, and chiefly makes his
invidious remarks upon them. Nay, our most depraved affections, that
are the worst distempers of our minds, are always the subjects of his
inquiry; just as vultures pursue putrid flesh, noisome and corrupted
carcasses, because they have no perception of those that are sound and
in health. So our enemies catch at our failings, and then they spread
them abroad by uncharitable and ill-natured reports.
Hence we are taught this useful lesson for the direction and management
of our conversations in the world, that we be circumspect and wary in
every thing we speak or do, as if our enemy always stood at our elbow
and overlooked every action. Hence we learn to lead blameless and
inoffensive lives. This will beget in us vehement desires and earnest
endeavors of restraining disorderly passions. This will fill our minds
with good thoughts and meditations, and with strong resolutions to
proceed in a virtuous and harmless course of life.
For as those commonwealths and cities know best how to value the
happiness of having good and wholesome laws, and most admire and love
the safety of a quiet and peaceable constitution of things, which have
been harassed by wars with their neighbors or by long expeditions;
so those persons who have been brought to live soberly by the fear
and awe of enemies, who have learned to guard against negligence and
idleness, and to do every thing with a view to some profitable end,
are by degrees (they know not how) drawn into a habit of living so as
to offend nobody, and their manners are composed and fixed in their
obedience to virtue by custom and use, with very little help from the
reason. For they always carry in their minds that saying of Homer, if
we act any thing amiss,
Priam will laugh at us, and all his brood;
our enemies will please themselves and scoff at our defects; therefore
we will do nothing that is ridiculous, sinful, base, or ignoble, lest
we become a laughing-stock to such as do not love us.
In the theatre we often see great artists in music and singing very
supine and remiss, doing nothing as they should, whilst they play or
sing alone; but whenever they challenge one another and contend for
mastery, they do not only rouse up themselves, but they tune their
instruments more carefully, they are more curious in the choice of
their strings, and they try their notes in frequent and more harmonious
consorts. Just so a man who hath an adversary perpetually to rival
him in the well ordering of his life and reputation is thereby
rendered more prudent in what he does, looks after his actions more
circumspectly, and takes as much care of the accurateness of them as
the musician does of his lute or organ. For evil hath this peculiar
quality in it, that it dreads an enemy more than a friend. For this
cause Nasica, when some thought the Roman affairs were established for
ever in peace and safety, after they had razed Carthage and enslaved
Greece, declared that even then they were in the greatest danger of all
and most likely to be undone, because there were none left whom they
might still fear and stand in some awe of.
4. And here may be inserted that wise and facetious answer of Diogenes
to one that asked him how he might be revenged of his enemy: The only
way, says he, to gall and fret him effectually is for yourself to
appear a good and honest man. The common people are generally envious
and vexed in their minds, as oft as they see the cattle of those they
have no kindness for, their dogs, or their horses, in a thriving
condition; they sigh, fret, set their teeth, and show all the tokens
of a malicious temper, when they behold their fields well tilled, or
their gardens adorned and beset with flowers. If these things make
them so restless and uneasy, what dost thou think they would do, what
a torment would it be to them, if thou shouldst demonstrate thyself
in the face of the world to be in all thy carriage a man of impartial
justice, a sound understanding, unblamable integrity, of a ready and
eloquent speech, sincere and upright in all your dealings, sober and
temperate in all that you eat or drink;
While from the culture of a prudent mind,
Harvests of wise and noble thought you reap.[124]
Those that are conquered, saith Pindar, must seal up their lips; they
dare not open their mouths, no, not even to mutter.[125] But all men
in these circumstances are not so restrained; but such chiefly as come
behind their opposites in the practice of diligence, honesty, greatness
of mind, humanity, and beneficence. These are beautiful and glorious
virtues, as Demosthenes[126] says, that are too pure and great to be
touched by an ill tongue, that stop the mouths of backbiters, choke
them and command them to be silent. Make it thy business therefore to
surpass the base; for this surely thou canst do.[127] If we would vex
them that hate us, we must not reproach our adversary for an effeminate
and debauched person, or one of a boorish and filthy conversation;
but instead of throwing this dirt, we ourselves must be remarkable
for a steady virtue and a well-governed behavior; we must speak the
truth, and carry ourselves civilly and justly towards all who hold any
correspondence or maintain any commerce with us. But if at any time a
man is so transported by passion as to utter any bitter words, he must
take heed that he himself be not chargeable for those crimes for which
he upbraids others; he must descend into himself, examine and cleanse
his own breast, that no putrefaction nor rottenness be lodged there;
otherwise he will be condemned as the physician is by the tragedian:—