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 THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER to win his prince's favour by that road. For if his age prevents his practising those things, it does not prevent his understanding them, and if he has practised them in his youth, it does not pre- vent his having the more perfect judgment regarding them, and his knowing the more perfectly how to teach them to his prince, in proportion as years and experience bring more knowledge of everything. Thus, although the old Courtier does not practise the accomplishments ascribed to him, he will yet attain his aim of instructing his prince rightly. 47-— " And if you are unwilling to call him Courtier, it does not trouble me; for nature has not set such limit upon human digni- ties that a man may not mount from one to another. Thus, com- mon soldiers often become captains; private persons, kings; and priests, popes; and pupils, masters; and thus, together with the dignity, they acquire the name also. Hence perhaps we might say that to become his prince's instructor was the Courtier's aim. However, I do not know who would refuse this name of perfect Courtier, which in my opinion is worthy of very great praise. And it seems to me that just as Homer described two most ex- cellent men as patterns of human life, — the one in deeds (which was Achilles), the other in sufferings and endurance (which was Ulysses), — so also he described a perfect Courtier (which was Phoenix), who, after narrating his loves and many other youthful affairs, says that he was sent to Achilles by the latter's father, Peleus, as a companion and to teach the youth how to speak and ^ct: which is naught else but the aim which we have marked , out for our Courtier.*'" " Nor do I think that Aristotle and Plato would have scorned the name of perfect Courtier, for we clearly see that they per- formed the works of Courtiership and wrought to this end, — the one with Alexander the Great, the other with the kings of Sicily. And since the office of a good Courtier is to know the prince's character and inclinations, and thus to enter tactfully into his favour according to need and opportunity, as we have said, by those ways that afford safe access, and then to lead him towards virtue, — Aristotle so well knew the character of Alexander, and tactfully fostered it so well, that he was loved and honoured more than a father by Alexander.*' Thus, among many other 284