Page:The Book of the Courtier.djvu/433

THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER for all he ruled over so many thousand animals?"' And on the other hand, if only the flocks that roam our mountains here for pasture were to become wise men and worthy cavaliers, would you not think that those herdsmen who governed them and were obeyed by them, had become great lords instead of herdsmen? You see then, that it is not the number but the worth of their subjects that makes princes great." 36.— My lady Duchess and my lady Emilia and all the others had been for a good space very attentive to my lord Ottaviano's dis- course; but since he now made a little pause, as if he had finished his discourse, messer Cesare Gonzaga said: " Verily, my lord Ottaviano, it cannot be said that your pre- cepts are not good and useful ; nevertheless I should think that if you fashioned your prince after them, you would rather deserve the name of a good school-master than of a good Courtier, and he rather that of a good governor than of a great prince. I am far from saying that the care of lords should not be to have their people well ruled with justice and good uses; nevertheless me- thinks it is enough for them to select good ministers to dispose of such matters, and that their true office is much greater. " Therefore if I felt myself to be that excellent Courtier which these gentlemen have described, and to possess the favour of my prince, I certainly should not lead him into anything vicious; but, to pursue that good end which you tell of, and which I agree ought to be the fruit of the Courtier's toils and actions, I should seek to impress upon his mind a certain greatness, together with that regal splendour and readiness of mind and unconquered valour in war which should make him loved and revered by everyone to such a degree that he should be famous and illus- trious in the world chiefly for this. I should tell him also that he ought to accompany his greatness with a familiar gentleness, with that sweet and amiable humanity, and a fine manner of caressing both his subjects and strangers with discrimination, more or less according to their merits, — always preserving, how- ever, the majesty suited to his rank, so as not to allow his authority to abate one jot from over-condescension, nor on the other hand to excite hatred by too stern severity ; that he ought to be very generous and splendid, and to give to all men without reserve, 273