the commonwealth of oceana-第69章

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a　Roman　citizen；　now　because　two　legions　made　but　a　small　army；　the　Romans　added　to　every　one　of　their　arms　an　equal　number　of　foot；　and　a　double　number　of　horse　levied　among　their　Latin　or　Italian　associates；　so　a　consular　army；　with　the　legions　and　auxiliaries；　amounted　to　about　30；000；　and　whereas　they　commonly　levied　two　such　armies　together；　these　being　joined　made　about　60；000。　　　　　〃The　steps　whereby　our　militia　follows　the　greatest　captain；　are　the　three　essays；　the　first；　elected　by　a　fifth　man　in　the　parishes；　and　amounting　in　the　whole　to　100；000；　choose　their　officers　at　the　hundreds；　where　they　fall　also　to　their　games　or　exercises；　invited　by　handsome　prizes；　such　as　for　themselves　and　the　honor　of　them　will　be　coveted；　such　as　will　render　the　hundred　a　place　of　sports；　and　exercise　of　arms　all　the　year　long；　such　as　in　the　space　of　ten　years　will　equip　30；000　men　horse　and　foot；　with　such　arms　for　their　forge；　proof；　and　beauty；　as　（notwithstanding　the　argyraspides；　or　silver　shields　of　Alexander's　guards）　were　never　worn　by　so　many；　such　as　will　present　marks　of　virtue　and　direction　to　your　general　or　strategus　in　the　distribution　of　his　army；　which　doubles　the　value　of　them　to　the　proprietors；　who　are　bound　to　wear　them；　and　eases　the　commonwealth　of　so　much　charge；　so　many　being　armed　already。　　　　　〃But　here　will　be　the　objection　now。　How　shall　such　a　revenue　be　compassed？　Fifty　pounds　a　year　in　every　hundred　is　a　great　deal；　not　so　easily　raised；　men　will　not　part　with　their　money；　nor　would　the　sum；　as　it　is　proposed　by　the　order　of　Pompey；　rise　in　many　years。　These　are　difficulties　that　fit　our　genius　exactly；　and　yet　？；000　in　each　hundred；　once　levied；　establishes　the　revenue　forever。　Now　the　hundreds　one　with　another　are　worth　？0；000　a　year　dry…rent；　over　and　above　personal　estates；　which　bring　it　to　twice　the　value；　so　that　a　twentieth　part　of　one　year's　revenue　of　the　hundred　does　it。　if　you　cannot　afford　this　while　you　pay　taxes；　though　from　henceforth　they　will　be　but　small　ones；　do　it　when　you　pay　none。　if　it　be　then　too　much　for　one　year；　do　it　in　two；　if　it　be　too　much　for　two　years；　do　it　in　four。　What　husbands　have　we　hitherto　been？　what　is　become　of　greater　sums？　My　lords；　if　you　should　thus　cast　your　bread　upon　the　waters；　after　many　days　you　shall　find　it；　stand　not　huckling　when　you　are　offered　corn　and　your　money　again　in　the　mouth　of　the　sack。　　　　　〃But　to　proceed：　the　first　essay　being　officered　at　the　hundreds；　and　mustered　at　the　tribes　（where　they　are　entertained　with　other　sports；　which　will　be　very　fine　ones）；　proceeds　to　the　election　of　the　second　essay；　or　standing　army　of　this　nation；　consisting　of　30；000　foot　and　10；000　horse；　and　these；　upon　a　war　decreed；　being　delivered　at　the　rendezvous　of　Oceana　to　the　strategus；　are　the　third　essay；　which　answers　to　the　Roman　legions。　But　you　may　observe；　that　whereas　the　consuls　elected　the　military　tribunes；　and　raised　commanded　men　out　of　the　veterans　at　their　own　discretion；　our　polemarchs；　or　field　officers；　are　elected　by　the　scrutiny　of　the　Council　of　War；　and　our　veterans　not　otherwise　taken　on　than　as　volunteers；　and　with　the　consent　of　the　polemarchs；　which　may　serve　for　the　removal　of　certain　scruples　which　might　otherwise　be　incident　in　this　place；　though　without　encouragement　by　the　Roman　way　of　proceeding；　much　less　by　that　which　is　proposed。　But　whereas　the　Roman　legions　in　all　amounted　not　in　one　army　to　above　30；000　men；　or　little　more；　you　have　here　40；000；　and　whereas　they　added　auxiliaries；　it　is　in　this　regard　that　Marpesia　will　be　a　greater　revenue　to　you　than　if　you　had　the　Indies；　for　whereas　heretofore　she　has　yielded　you　nothing　but　her　native　thistles；　in　ploughing　out　the　rankness　of　her　aristocracy　by　your　agrarian；　you　will　find　her　an　inexhaustible　magazine　of　men；　and　to　her　own　advantage；　who　will　make　a　far　better　account　by　the　arms　than　by　the　pins　of　Poland。　Wherefore　as　a　consular　army　consisted　of　about　an　equal　number　of　auxiliaries　added　to　their　legions　by　their　Latin　or　Italian　associates；　you　may　add　to　a　parliamentary　army　an　equal　number　of　Marpesians　or　Panopeans；　as　that　colony　shall　hereafter　be　able　to　supply　you；　by　which　means　the　commonwealth　will　be　able　to　go　forth　to　battle　with　80；000　men。　　　　　〃To　make　wars　with　small　forces　is　no　husbandry；　but　a　waste；　a　disease；　a　lingering　and　painful　consumption　of　men　and　money　the　Romans　making　theirs　thick；　made　them　short；　and　had　little　regard　to　money；　as　that　which　they　who　have　men　enough　can　command　where　it　is　fittest　that　it　should　be　levied。　All　the　ancient　monarchies　by　this　means　got　on　wing；　and　attained　to　vast　riches。　Whereas　your　modern　princes　being　dear　purchasers　of　small　parcels；　have　but　empty　pockets。　But　it　may　be　some　will　accuse　the　order　of　rashness；　in　that　it　commits　the　sole　conduct　of　the　war　to　the　general；　and　the　custom　of　Venice　by　her　proveditori；　or　checks　upon　her　commanders…in…chief；　may　seem　to　be　of　greater　prudence；　but　in　this　part　of　our　government　neither　Venice　nor　any　nation　that　makes　use　of　mercenary　forces　is　for　our　instruction。　A　mercenary　army；　with　a　standing　general；　is　like　the　fatal　sister　that　spins；　but　proper　forces；　with　an　annual　magistrate；　are　like　her　that　cuts　the　thread。　Their　interests　are　quite　contrary；　and　yet　you　have　a　better　proveditor　than　the　Venetian；　another　strategus　sitting　with　an　army　standing　by　him；　whereupon　that　which　is　marching；　if　there　were　any　probability　it　should；　would　find　as　little　possibility　that　it　could　recoil；　as　a　foreign　enemy　to　invade　you。　These　things　considered；　a　war　will　appear　to　be　of　a　contrary　nature　to　that　of　all　other　reckonings；　inasmuch　as　of　this　you　must　never　look　to　have　a　good　account　if　you　be　strict　in　imposing　checks。　Let　a　council　of　huntsmen；　assembled　beforehand；　tell　you　which　way　the　stag　shall　run；　where　you　shall　cast　about　at　the　fault；　and　how　you　shall　ride　to　be　in　at　the　chase　all　the　day；　but　these　may　as　well　do　that；　as　a　council　of　war　direct　a　general。　The　hours　that　have　painted　wings；　and　of　different　colors；　are　his　council；　he　must　be　like　the　eye　that　makes　not　the　scene；　but　has　it　so　soon　as　it　changes。　That　in　many　counsellors　there　is　strength；　is　spoken　of　civil　administrations；　as　to　those　that　are　military；　there　is　nothing　more　certain　than　that　in　many　counsellors　there　is　weakness。　Joint　commissions　in　military　affairs；　are　like　hunting　your　hounds　in　their　couples。　In　the　Attic　War　Cleomenes　and　Demaratus；　Kings　of　Lacedaemon；　being　thus　coupled；　tugged　one　against　another；　and　while　they　should　have　joined　against　the　Persian；　were　the　cause　of　the　common　calamity；　whereupon　that　commonwealth　took　better　counsel；　and　made　a　law　whereby　from　henceforth　there　went　at　once　but　one　of　her　kings　to　battle。　　　　　〃'The　Fidenati　being　in　rebellion；　and　having　slain　the　colony　of　the　Romans；　four　tribunes　with　consular　power　were　created　by　the　people　of　Rome；　whereof　one　being　left　for　the　guard　of　the　city；　the　other　three　were　sent　against　the　Fidenati；　who；　through　the　division　that　happened　among　them；　brought　nothing　home　but　dishonor；　whereupon　the　Romans　created　the　Dictator；　and　Livy　gives　his　ju