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the commonwealth of oceana-第16章

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een Parthenia; who; converting her reign through the perpetual love tricks that passed between her and her people into a kind of romance; wholly neglected the nobility。 And by these degrees came the House of Commons to raise that head; which since has been so high and formidable to their princes that they have looked pale upon those assemblies。 Nor was there anything now wanting to the destruction of the throne; but that the people; not apt to see their own strength; should be put to feel it; when a prince; as stiff in disputes as the nerve of monarchy was grown slack; received that unhappy encouragement from his clergy which became his utter ruin; while trusting more to their logic than the rough philosophy of his Parliament; it came to an irreparable breach; for the house of peers; which alone had stood in this gap; now sinking down between the King and the commons; showed that Crassus was dead and the isthmus broken。 But a monarchy; divested of its nobility; has no refuge under heaven but an army。 Wherefore the dissolution of this government caused the war; not the war the dissolution of this government。     Of the King's success with his arms it is not necessary to give any further account than that they proved as ineffectual as his nobility; but without a nobility or an army (as has been shown) there can be no monarchy。 Wherefore what is there in nature that can arise out of these ashes but a popular government; or a new monarchy to be erected by the victorious army?     To erect a monarchy; be it never so new; unless like Leviathan you can hang it; as the country…fellow speaks; by geometry (for what else is it to say; that every other man must give up his will to the will of this one man without any other foundation?); it must stand upon old principles  that is; upon a nobility or an army planted on a due balance of dominion。 Aut viam inveniam aut faciam; was an adage of Caesar; and there is no standing for a monarchy unless it finds this balance; or makes it。 If it finds it; the work is done to its hand; for; where there is inequality of estates; there must be inequality of power; and where there is inequality of power; there can be no commonwealth。 To make it; the sword must extirpate out of dominion all other roots of power; and plant an army upon that ground。 An army may be planted nationally or provincially。 To plant it nationally; it must be in one of the four ways mentioned; that is; either monarchically in part; as the Roman beneficiarii; or monarchically; in the whole; as the Turkish Timariots; aristocratically that is; by earls and barons; as the Neustrians were planted by Turbo; or democratically; that is; by equal lots; as the Israelitish army in the land of Canaan by Joshua。 In every one of these ways there must not only be confiscations; but confiscations to such a proportion as may answer to the work intended。     Confiscation of a people that never fought against you; but whose arms you have borne; and in which you have been victorious; and this upon premeditation and in cold blood; I should have thought to be against any example in human nature; but for those alleged by Machiavel of Agathocles; and Oliveretto di Fermo; the former whereof being captain…general of the Syracusans; upon a day assembled the Senate and the people; as if he had something to communicate with them; when at a sign given he cut the senators in pieces to a man; and all the richest of the people; by which means he came to be king。 The proceedings of Oliveretto; in making himself Prince of Fermo; were somewhat different in circumstances; but of the same nature。 Nevertheless Catiline; who had a spirit equal to any of these in his intended mischief; could never bring the like to pass in Rome。 The head of a small commonwealth; such a one as was that of Syracuse or Fermo; is easily brought to the block; but that a populous nation; such as Rome; had not such a one; was the grief of Nero。 If Sylvia or Caesar attained to be princes; it was by civil war; and such civil war as yielded rich spoils; there being a vast nobility to be confiscated; which also was the case in Oceana; when it yielded earth by earldoms; and baronies to the Neustrian for the plantation of his new potentates。 Where a conqueror finds the riches of a land in the hands of the few; the forfeitures are easy; and amount to vast advantage; but where the people have equal shares; the confiscation of many comes to little; and is not only dangerous but fruitless。     The Romans; in one of their defeats of the Volsci; found among the captives certain Tusculans; who; upon examination; confessed that the arms they bore were by command of their State; whereupon information being given to the Senate by the general Camillus; he was forthwith commanded to march against Tusculum which doing accordingly; he found the Tusculan fields full of husbandmen; that stirred not otherwise from the plough than to furnish his army with all kinds of accommodations and victuals。 Drawing near to the city; he saw the gates wide open; the magistrates coming out in their gowns to salute and bid him welcome; entering; the shops were all at work; and open; the streets sounded with the noise of schoolboys at their books; there was no face of war。 Whereupon Camillus; causing the Senate to assemble; told them; that though the art was understood; yet had they at length found out the true arms whereby the Romans were most undoubtedly to be conquered; for which cause he would not anticipate the Senate; to which he desired them forthwith to send; which they did accordingly; and their dictator with the rest of their ambassadors being found by the Roman senators as they went into the house standing sadly at the door were sent for in as friends; and not as enemies; where the dictator having said; 〃If we have offended; the fault was not so great as is our penitence and your virtue;〃 the Senate gave them peace forthwith; and soon after made the Tusculans citizens of Rome。     But putting the case; of which the world is not able to show an example; that the forfeiture of a populous nation; not conquered; but friends; and in cool blood; might be taken; your army must be planted in one of the ways mentioned。 To plant it in the way of absolute monarchy; that is; upon feuds for life; such as the Timars; a country as large and fruitful as that of Greece; would afford you but 16;000 Timariots; for that is the most the Turk (being the best husband that ever was of this kind) makes of it at this day: and if Oceana; which is less in fruitfulness by one…half; and in extent by three parts; should have no greater a force; whoever breaks her in one battle; may be sure she shall never rise; for such (as was noted by Machiavel) is the nature of the Turkish monarchy; if you break it in two battles; you have destroyed its whole militia; and the rest being all slaves; you hold it without any further resistance。 Wherefore the erection of an absolute monarchy in Oceana; or in any other country that is no larger; without making it a certain prey to the first invader is altogether impossible。     To plant by halves; as the Roman emperors did their beneficiaries; or military colonies; it must be either for life; and this an army of Oceaners in the
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