the commonwealth of oceana-第70章

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　brought　nothing　home　but　dishonor；　whereupon　the　Romans　created　the　Dictator；　and　Livy　gives　his　judgment　in　these　words：　〃The　three　tribunes　with　consular　power　were　a　lesson　how　useless　in　war　is　the　joint　command　of　several　generals；　for　each　following　his　own　counsels；　while　they　all　differed　in　their　opinions；　gave　by　this　opportunity　an　advantage　to　the　enemy。〃　When　the　consuls　Quintus　and　Agrippa　were　sent　against　the　AEqui；　Agrippa　for　this　reason　refused　to　go　with　his　colleague；　saying：　〃That　in　the　administration　of　great　actions　it　was　most　safe　that　the　chief　command　should　be　lodged　in　one　person。〃　And　if　the　ruin　of　modern　armies　were　well　considered；　most　of　it　would　be　found　to　have　fallen　upon　this　point；　it　being　in　this　case　far　safer　to　trust　to　any　one　man　of　common　prudence；　than　to　any　two　or　more　together　of　the　greatest　parts。'　The　consuls　indeed；　being　equal　in　power；　while　one　was　present　with　the　Senate；　and　the　other　in　the　field　with　the　army；　made　a　good　balance；　and　this　with　us　is　exactly　followed　by　the　election　of　a　new　strategus　upon　the　march　of　the　old　one。　　　　　〃The　seven…and…twentieth　order；　whereby　the　elders　in　case　of　invasion　are　obliged　to　equal　duty　with　the　youth；　and　each　upon　their　own　charge；　is　suitable　to　reason　（for　every　man　defends　his　own　estate）　and　to　our　copy；　as　in　the　war　with　the　Samnites　and　Tuscans。　'The　Senate　ordered　a　vacation　to　be　proclaimed；　and　a　levy　to　be　made　of　all　sorts　of　persons；　and　not　only　the　freemen　and　youths　were　listed；　but　cohorts　of　the　old　men　were　likewise　formed。'　This　nation　of　all　others　is　the　least　obnoxious　to　invasion。　Oceana；　says　a　French　politician；　is　a　beast　that　cannot　be　devoured　but　by　herself。　Nevertheless；　that　government　is　not　perfect　which　is　not　provided　at　all　points；　and　in　this　（ad　triarios　res　rediit）　the　elders　being　such　as　in　a　martial　state　must　be　veterans；　the　commonwealth　invaded　gathers　strength　like　Antaeus　by　her　fall；　while　the　whole　number　of　the　elders；　consisting　of　500；000；　and　the　youth　of　as　many；　being　brought　up　according　to　the　order；　give　twelve　successive　battles；　each　battle　consisting　of　80；000　men；　half　elders　and　half　youth。　And　the　commonwealth；　whose　constitution　can　be　no　stranger　to　any　of　those　virtues　which　are　to　be　acquired　in　human　life；　grows　familiar　with　death　ere　she　dies。　If　the　hand　of　God　be　upon　her　for　her　transgressions；　she　shall　mourn　for　her　sins；　and　lie　in　the　dust　for　her　iniquities；　without　losing　her　manhood。

　　〃'Si　fractus　illabatur　orbis；　　　　　Impavidam　ferient　ruinoe。'〃

　　　　The　remaining　part；　being　the　constitution　of　the　provincial　orb；　is　partly　civil；　or　consisting　of　the　elders；　and　partly　military；　or　consisting　of　the　youth。　The　civil　part　of　the　provincial　orb　is　directed　by　　　　　　The　twenty…eighth　order；　〃Whereby　the　council　of　a　province　being　constituted　of　twelve　knights；　divided　by　four　into　three　regions　（for　their　term　and　revolution　conformable　to　the　Parliament）；　is　perpetuated　by　the　annual　election　at　the　tropic　of　four　knights　（being　triennial　magistrates）　out　of　the　region　of　the　Senate　whose　term　expires；　and　of　one　knight　out　of　the　same　region　to　be　strategus　or　general　of　the　province；　which　magistracy　is　annual。　The　strategus　or　magistrate　thus　chosen　shall　be　as　well　president　of　the　provincial　council　with　power　to　propose　to　the　same；　as　general　of　the　army。　The　council　for　the　rest　shall　elect　weekly　provosts；　having　any　two　of　them　also　right　to　propose　after　the　manner　of　the　senatorian　councils　of　Oceana。　And　whereas　all　provincial　councils　are　members　of　the　Council　of　State；　they　may　and　ought　to　keep　diligent　correspondence　with　the　same；　which　is　to　be　done　after　this　manner：　Any　opinion　or　opinions　legitimately　proposed　and　debated　at　a　provincial　council；　being　thereupon　signed　by　the　strategus　or　any　two　of　the　provosts；　may　be　transmitted　to　the　Council　of　State　in　Oceana；　and　the　Council　of　State　proceeding　upon　the　same　in　their　natural　course　（whether　by　their　own　power；　if　it　be　a　matter　within　their　instructions；　or　by　authority　of　the　Senate　thereupon　consulted；　if　it　be　a　matter　of　state　which　is　not　in　their　instructions；　or　by　authority　of　the　Senate　and　command　of　the　people；　if　it　be　a　matter　of　law；　as　for　the　levies　of　men　or　money　upon　common　use　and　safety）　shall　return　such　answers；　advice；　or　orders　as　in　any　of　the　ways　mentioned　shall　be　determined　upon　the　case。　　　　　〃The　provincial　councils　of　Marpesia　and　Panopea　respectively　shall　take　special　care　that　the　agrarian　laws；　as　also　all　other　laws　that　be　or　shall　from　time　to　time　be　enacted　by　the　Parliament　of　Oceana；　for　either　of　them；　be　duly　put　in　execution；　they　shall　manage　and　receive　the　customs　of　either　nation　for　the　shipping　of　Oceana；　being　the　common　guard；　they　shall　have　a　care　that　moderate　and　sufficient　pay　upon　the　respective　province　be　duly　raised　for　the　support　and　maintenance　of　the　officers　and　soldiers；　or　army　of　the　same；　in　the　most　effectual；　constant；　and　convenient　way；　they　shall　receive　the　regalia；　or　public　revenues　of　those　nations；　out　of　which　every　councillor　shall　have　for　his　term；　and　to　his　proper　use；　the　sum　of　？00　per　annum；　and　the　strategus　？00　as　president；　beside　his　pay　as　general；　which　shall　be　？；000；　the　reminder　to　go　to　the　use　of　the　knights　and　deputies　of　the　respective　provinces；　to　be　paid；　if　it　will　reach；　according　to　the　rates　of　Oceana；　if　not；　by　an　equal　distribution；　respectively；　or　the　overplus；　if　there　be　any；　to　be　returned　to　the　Treasury　of　Oceana。　They　shall　manage　the　lands　（if　there　be　any　such　held　in　either　of　the　provinces　by　the　commonwealth　of　Oceana；　in　dominion）　and　return　the　rents　into　the　Exchequer。　If　the　commonwealth　comes　to　be　possessed　of　richer　provinces；　the　pay　of　the　general　or　strategus；　and　of　the　councils；　may　be　respectively　increased。　The　people　for　the　rest　shall　elect　their　own　magistrates；　and　be　governed　by　their　own　laws；　having　power　also　to　appeal　from　their　native　or　provincial　magistrates；　if　they　please；　to　the　people　of　Oceana。　And　whereas　there　may　be　such　as　receiving　injury；　are　not　able　to　prosecute　their　appeals　at　so　great　a　distance；　eight　sergeants…at…law；　being　sworn　by　the　commissioners　of　the　seal；　shall　be　sent　by　four　into　each　province　once　in　two　years；　who；　dividing　the　same　by　circuits；　shall　hear　such　causes；　and　having　gathered　and　introduced　them；　shall　return　to　the　several　appellants；　gratis；　the　determinations　and　decrees　of　the　people　in　their　several　cases。　　　　　〃The　term　of　a　knight　in　a　provincial　orb；　as　to　domestic　magistracies；　shall　be　esteemed　a　vacation；　and　no　bar　to　present　election　to　any　other　honor；　his　provincial　magistracy　being　expired。　　　　　〃The　quorum　of　a　provincial　council；　as　also　of　every　other　council　or　assembly　in　Oceana；　shall　in　time　of　health　consist　of　two　parts　in　three　of　the　whole　number　proper　to　that　council　or　assembly；　and　in　a　time　of　sickness；　of　one　part　in　three；　but　of　the　Senate　there　can　be　no　quorum　without　three　of　the　signory；　nor　of　a　council　without　two　of　the　provosts。〃　　　　　The　civil　part　of　the　provincial　orb　being　declared　by　the　foregoing　order；　the　military