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well with tyranny itself。 I should rather teach him this verse of the
ancient labourer：
＇〃That whoever will have a good crop must sow with his hand； and not
pour out of the sack。〃Plutarch； Apothegms； Whether the Ancients
were more excellent in Arms than in Learning。＇
he must scatter it abroad； and not lay it on a heap in one place： and
that； seeing he is to give； or； to say better； to pay and restore to so
many people according as they have deserved； he ought to be a loyal and
discreet disposer。 If the liberality of a prince be without measure or
discretion； I had rather he were covetous。
Royal virtue seems most to consist in justice； and of all the parts of
justice that best denotes a king which accompanies liberality； for this
they have particularly reserved to be performed by themselves； whereas
all other sorts of justice they remit to the administration of others。
An immoderate bounty is a very weak means to acquire for them good will；
it checks more people than it allures：
〃Quo in plures usus sis； minus in multos uti possis。。。。
Quid autem est stultius； quam； quod libenter facias；
curare ut id diutius facere non possis；〃
＇〃By how much more you use it to many； by so much less will you be
in a capacity to use it to many more。 And what greater folly can
there be than to order it so that what you would willingly do； you
cannot do longer。〃Cicero； De Offic。； ii。 15。＇
and if it be conferred without due respect of merit； it puts him out of
countenance who receives it； and is received ungraciously。 Tyrants have
been sacrificed to the hatred of the people by the hands of those very
men they have unjustly advanced； such kind of men as buffoons； panders；
fiddlers； and such ragamuffins； thinking to assure to themselves the
possession of benefits unduly received； if they manifest to have him in
hatred and disdain of whom they hold them； and in this associate
themselves to the common judgment and opinion。
The subjects of a prince excessive in gifts grow excessive in asking；
and regulate their demands； not by reason； but by example。 We have；
seriously； very often reason to blush at our own impudence： we are over…
paid； according to justice； when the recompense equals our service； for
do we owe nothing of natural obligation to our princes？ If he bear our
charges； he does too much； 'tis enough that he contribute to them： the
overplus is called benefit； which cannot be exacted： for the very name
Liberality sounds of Liberty。
In our fashion it is never done； we never reckon what we have received；
we are only for the future liberality； wherefore； the more a prince
exhausts himself in giving； the poorer he grows in friends。 How should
he satisfy immoderate desires； that still increase as they are fulfilled？
He who has his thoughts upon taking； never thinks of what he has taken；
covetousness has nothing so properly and so much its own as ingratitude。
The example of Cyrus will not do amiss in this place； to serve the kings
of these times for a touchstone to know whether their gifts are well or
ill bestowed； and to see how much better that emperor conferred them than
they do； by which means they are reduced to borrow of unknown subjects；
and rather of them whom they have wronged than of them on whom they have
conferred their benefits； and so receive aids wherein there is nothing of
gratuitous but the name。 Croesus reproached him with his bounty； and
cast up to how much his treasure would amount if he had been a little
closer…handed。 He had a mind to justify his liberality； and therefore
sent despatches into all parts to the grandees of his dominions whom he
had particularly advanced； entreating every one of them to supply him
with as much money as they could； for a pressing occasion； and to send
him particulars of what each could advance。 When all these answers were
brought to him； every one of his friends； not thinking it enough barely
to offer him so much as he had received from his bounty； and adding to it
a great deal of his own； it appeared that the sum amounted to a great
deal more than Croesus' reckoning。 Whereupon Cyrus： 〃I am not；〃 said he；
〃less in love with riches than other princes； but rather a better
husband； you see with how small a venture I have acquired the inestimable
treasure of so many friends； and how much more faithful treasurers they
are to me than mercenary men without obligation； without affection； and
my money better laid up than in chests； bringing upon me the hatred；
envy； and contempt of other princes。〃
The emperors excused the superfluity of their plays and public spectacles
by reason that their authority in some sort （at least in outward
appearance） depended upon the will of the people of Rome； who； time out
of mind； had been accustomed to be entertained and caressed with such
shows and excesses。 But they were private citizens； who had nourished
this custom to gratify their fellow…citizens and companions （and chiefly
out of their own purses） by such profusion and magnificence it had quite
another taste when the masters came to imitate it：
〃Pecuniarum translatio a justis dominis ad alienos
non debet liberalis videri。〃
＇〃The transferring of money from the right owners to strangers
ought not to have the title of liberality。〃
Cicero； De Offic。； i。 14。＇
Philip； seeing that his son went about by presents to gain the affection
of the Macedonians； reprimanded him in a letter after this manner： 〃What！
hast thou a mind that thy subjects shall look upon thee as their cash…
keeper and not as their king？ Wilt thou tamper with them to win their
affections？ Do it； then； by the benefits of thy virtue； and not by those
of thy chest。〃 And yet it was； doubtless； a fine thing to bring and
plant within the amphitheatre a great number of vast trees； with all
their branches in their full verdure； representing a great shady forest；
disposed in excellent order； and； the first day； to throw into it a
thousand ostriches and a thousand stags； a thousand boars； and a thousand
fallow…deer； to be killed and disposed of by the people： the next day；
to cause a hundred great lions； a hundred leopards； and three hundred
bears to be killed in his presence； and for the third day； to make three
hundred pair of gladiators fight it out to the last； as the Emperor
Probus did。 It was also very fine to see those vast amphitheatres； all
faced with marble without； curiously wrought with figures and statues；
and within glittering with rare enrichments：
〃Baltheus en！ gemmis； en illita porticus auro：〃
＇〃A belt glittering with jewels； and a portico overlaid with gold。〃
Calpurnius； Eclog。； vii。 47。 A baltheus was a shoulder…belt or
baldric。＇
all the sides of this vast space filled and environed； from the bottom to
the top； with three or four score rows of seats； all of marble also； and
covered with cushions：
〃Exeat； inquit；
Si pudor est； et de pulvino surgat equestri；
Cujus res legi non sufficit；〃
＇〃Let him go out