Page:The Book of the Courtier.djvu/425

 THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER Then my lady Duchess said: "We shall be the more beholden to your courtesy, the more your performance outstrips your promise; so do not weary of saying what occurs to you about my lord Caspar's question; and by your faith,, tell us also everything that you would teach your prince if he had need of instruction, and imagine yourself to have won completely his favour, so that you are allowed to tell him freely what comes, into your mind." 26.— My lord Ottaviano laughed^ and said : " If I had the favour of a certain prince whom I know, and were to tell him freely what I think, I fear that I should soon lose it; moreover, to teach him, I myself should first need to learn. " Yet since it pleases you to have me answer my lord Gaspar further concerning this, I say that I think princes ought to lead both the two lives, but more especially the contemplative life, be- cause in their case this is divided into two parts : one of which con- sists in perceiving rightly and in judging ;. the other in command- ing (justly and in those ways that are fitting) things reasonable and those wherein they have authority, and in requiring the same of such men as have in reason to obey, and at appropriate times and places; and of this Duke Federico spoke when he said that whoever knows how to command is always obeyed. And as command is always the chief office of princes, they ought often to see with their own eyes and be present at the execution of their commands, and ought also sometimes to take part them- selves, according to the time and need; and all this partakes of action: but the aim of the active life ought to be the contempla- tive, as peace is that of war, repose that of toil. 27 — " Therefore it is also the good prince's office so to estab- lish his people, and under such laws and ordinances, that they may live at ease and peace, without danger and with dignity, and may worthily enjoy this end of their actions, which ought to be tranquillity. For many republics and princes are often found that have been very prosperous and great in war, and as soon as they have had peace they have gone to ruin and lost their greatness and splendour, like iron laid aside. And this has come about from nothing else but from their not having been well established for living at peace, and from their not knowing how to enjoy the 265