the commonwealth of oceana-第48章

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suffice　that　I　have　showed　you　how　it　was　in　Sicily。　　　　　〃My　lords；　upon　the　fabric　of　your　provincial　orb　I　shall　not　hold　you；　because　it　is　sufficiently　described　in　the　order；　and　I　cannot　believe　that　you　think　it　inferior　to　the　way　of　a　praetor　and　a　quaestor。　But　whereas　the　provincial　way　of　the　Roman　Commonwealth　was　that　whereby　it　held　the　empire　of　the　world；　and　your　orbs　are　intended　to　be　capable　at　least　of　the　like　use；　there　may　arise　many　controversies；　as　whether　such　a　course　be　lawful；　whether　it　be　feasible；　and；　seeing　that　the　Romans　were　ruined　upon　that　point；　whether　it　would　not　be　to　the　destruction　of　the　commonwealth。　　　　　〃For　the　first：　if　the　empire　of　a　commonwealth　be　an　occasion　to　ask　whether　it　be　lawful　for　a　commonwealth　to　aspire　to　the　empire　of　the　world；　it　is　to　ask　whether　it　be　lawful　for　it　to　do　its　duty；　or　to　put　the　world　into　a　better　condition　than　it　was　before。　　　　　〃And　to　ask　whether　this　be　feasible；　is　to　ask　why　the　Oceaner；　being　under　the　like　administration　of　government；　may　not　do　as　much　with　200　men　as　the　Roman　did　with　100；　for　comparing　their　commonwealths　in　their　rise；　the　difference　is　yet　greater：　now　that　Rome　（seris　avaritia　luxuriaque）；　through　the　natural　thirst　of　her　constitution；　came　at　length　with　the　fulness　of　her　provinces　to　burst　herself；　this　is　no　otherwise　to　he　understood　than　as　when　a　man　that　from　his　own　evil　constitution　had　contracted　the　dropsy；　dies　with　drinking；　it　being　apparent　that　in　case　her　agrarian　had　held；　she　could　never　have　been　thus　ruined；　and　I　have　already　demonstrated　that　your　agrarian　being　once　poised；　can　never　break　or　swerve。　　　　　〃Wherefore　to　draw　toward　some　conclusion　of　this　discourse；　let　me　inculcate　the　use；　by　selecting　a　few　considerations　out　of　many。　The　regard　had　in　this　place　to　the　empire　of　the　world　appertains　to　a　well…ordered　commonwealth；　more　especially　for　two　reasons：　　　　　〃1。　The　facility　of　this　great　enterprise；　by　a　government　of　the　model　proposed；　　　　　〃2。　The　danger　that　you　would　run　in　the　omission　of　such　a　government。　　　　　〃The　facility　of　this　enterprise；　upon　the　grounds　already　laid；　must　needs　be　great；　forasmuch　as　the　empire　of　the　world　has　been；　both　in　reason　and　experience；　the　necessary　consequence　of　a　commonwealth　of　this　nature　only；　for　though　it　has　been　given　to　all　kinds　to　drive　at　it；　since　that　of　Athens　or　Lacedaemon；　if　the　one　had　not　hung　in　the　other's　light；　might　have　gained　it；　yet　could　neither　of　them　have　held　it；　not　Athens；　through　the　manner　of　her　propagation；　which；　being　by　downright　tyranny；　could　not　preserve　what　she　had；　nor　Lacedaemon；　because　she　was　overthrown　by　the　weight　of　a　less　conquest。　The　facility　then　of　this　great　enterprise　being　peculiar　to　popular　government；　I　shall　consider　it；　first；　in　gaining；　and　secondly；　in　holding。　　　　　〃For　the　former；　volenti　non　fit　injuria。　It　is　said　of　the　people　under　Eumenes；　that　they　would　not　have　changed　them　no　their　subjection　for　liberty；　wherefore　the　Romans　gave　disturbance。　If　a　people　be　contented　with　their　government；　it　is　a　certain　sign　that　it　is　good；　and　much　good　do　them　with　it。　The　sword　of　your　magistracy　is　for　a　terror　to　them　that　do　evil。　Eumenes　had　the　fear　of　God；　or　of　the　Romans；　before　his　eyes；　concerning　such　he　has　given　you　no　commission。　　　　　〃But　till　we　can　say；　here　are　the　Romans；　where　is　Eumenes？　do　not　think　that　the　late　appearances　of　God　to　you　have　been　altogether　for　yourselves；　'He　has　surely　seen　the　affliction　of　your　brethren；　and　heard　their　cry　by　reason　of　their　task　masters。'　For　to　believe　otherwise　is　not　only　to　be　mindless　of　his　ways；　but　altogether　deaf。　If　you　have　ears　to　hear；　this　is　the　way　in　which　you　will　certainly　be　called　upon；　for　if；　while　there　is　no　stock　of　liberty　no　sanctuary　of　the　afflicted；　it　be　a　common　object　to　behold　a　people　casting　themselves　out　of　the　pan　of　one　prince　into　the　fire　of　another；　what　can　you　think；　but　if　the　world　should　see　the　Roman　'eagle　again；　she　would　renew　her　age　and　her　flight？　Nor　did　ever　she　spread　her　wings　with　better　omen　than　will　be　read　in　your　ensigns；　which　if；　called　in　by　an　oppressed　people　they　interpose　between　them　and　their　yoke；　the　people　themselves　must　either　do　nothing　in　the　meantime　or　have　no　more　pains　to　take　for　their　wished　fruit　than　to　gather　it；　if　that　be　not　likewise　done　for　them。　Wherefore　this　must　needs　be　easy；　and　yet　you　have　a　greater　facility　than　is　in　the　arm　of　flesh；　for　if　the　cause　of　mankind　be　the　cause　of　God；　the　Lord　of　Hosts　will　be　your　captain；　and　you　shall　be　a　praise　to　the　whole　earth。　　　　　〃The　facility　of　holding　is　in　the　way　of　your　propagation；　if　you　take　that　of　Athens　and　Lacedemon；　you　shall　rain　snares；　but　either　catch　or　hold　nothing。　Lying　lips　are　an　abomination　to　the　Lord：　if　setting　up　for　liberty　you　impose　yokes；　he　will　infallibly　destroy　you。　On　the　other　side；　to　go　about　a　work　of　this　nature　by　a　league　without　a　head；　is　to　abdicate　that　magistracy　wherewith　he　has　not　only　endued　you；　but　whereof　he　will　require　an　account　of　you；　for；　'cursed　is　he　that　does　the　work　of　the　Lord　negligently。'　Wherefore　you　are　to　take　the　course　of　Rome：　if　you　have　subdued　a　nation　that　is　capable　of　liberty；　you　shall　make　them　a　present　of　it；　as　did　Flaminius　to　Greece；　and　AEmilius　to　Macedon；　reserving　to　yourselves　some　part　of　that　revenue　which　was　legally　paid　to　the　former　government；　together　with　the　right　of　being　head　of　the　league；　which　includes　such　levies　of　men　and　money　as　shall　be　necessary　for　the　carrying　on　of　the　public　work。　　　　　〃For　if　a　people　have　by　your　means　attained　to　freedom；　they　owe　both　to　the　cause　and　you　such　aid　as　may　propagate　the　like　fruit　to　the　rest　of　the　world。　But　whereas　every　nation　is　not　capable　of　her　liberty　to　this　degree；　lest　you　be　put　to　doing　and　undoing　of　things；　as　the　Romans　were　in　Macedon；　you　shall　diligently　observe　what　nation　is　fit　for　her　liberty　to　this　degree；　and　what　not；　which　is　to　be　done　by　two　marks；　the　first　if　she　be　willing　to　'help　the　Lord　against　the　mighty；'　for　if　she　has　no　care　of　the　liberty　of　mankind　she　deserves　not　her　own。　But　because　in　this　you　may　be　deceived　by　pretences；　which；　continuing　for　a　while　specious；　may　afterward　vanish；　the　other　is　more　certain；　and　that　is　if　she　be　capable　of　an　equal　agrarian；　which　that　it　was　not　observed　by　excellent　AEmilius　in　his　donation　of　liberty；　and　introduction　of　a　popular　state　among　the　Macedonians；　I　am　more　than　moved　to　believe　for　two　reasons；　the　first；　because　at　the　same　time　the　agrarian　was　odious　to　the　Roman　patricians；　the　second；　that　the　pseudo…Philip　could　afterward　so　easily　recover　Macedon；　which　could　not　have　happened　but　by　the　nobility；　and　their　impatience；　having　great　estates；　to　be　equalled　with　the　people；　for　that　the　people　should　otherwise；　at　the　mere　sound　of　a　name；　have　thrown　away　their　liberty；　is　incredible。　Wherefore　be　assured　that　the　nation　where　you　cannot　establish　an　equal　agrarian；　is　incapable　of　its　liberty　as　to　this　kind　of　donation。　For　example；　except　the　aristocracy　in　Marpesia　be　dissolved；　neither　can　that　people　have　their　liberty　there；　nor　you　govern　at　home；　for　they　continuing　still　liable　to　be　sold　by　their　lords　to　foreign　princes；　there　will　never　（especially　in　a　country　of　which　there　is　no　other　profit　to　be　made）　be　want　of　such　merchants　and　drovers；　while　you　must　be　the　market　where　they　are　to　receive　their　second　payment。　　　　　〃Nor　can　the　aristocracy　there　be　dissolved　but　by　your　means；　in　relation　whereto　you　are　provided　with　your　provincial　orb；　which；　being　proportioned　to　the　measure　of　the　nation　that　you　have　vindicated　or　conquered；　will　easily　hold　it：　for　there　is　not　a　people　in　the　world　more　difficult　to　be　held　than　the　Marpesians；　which；　though　by　themselves　it　be　ascribed　to　their　own　nature；　is　truly　to　be　attributed　to　that　of　their　country。　Nevertheless；　you　having　9；000　men　upon　the　continual　guard　of　it；　that；　threatened　by　any　sudden　insurrection；　have　places　of　retreat；　and　an　army　of　40；000　men　upon　a　day's　warning　ready　to　march　to　their　rescue；　it　is　not　to　be　rationally　shown　which　way　they　can　possibly　slip　out　of　your　hands。　And　if　a　man　should　think　that　upon　a　province　more　remote　and　divided　by　the　sea；　you　have　not　the　like　hold；　he　has　not　so　well　considered　your　wings　as　your　talons；　your　shipping　being　of　such　a　nature　as　makes　the　descent　of　your　armies　almost　of　equal　facility　in　any　country；　so　that　what　you　take　you　hold；　both　because　your　militia；　being　already　populous；　will　be　of　great　growth　in　itself；　and　also　through　your　confederates；　by　whom　in　taking　and　holding　you　are　still　more　enabled　to　do　both。　　　　　〃Nor　shall　you　easier　hold　than　the　people　under　your　empire　or　patronage　may　be　held。　My　lords；　I　would　not　go　to　the　door　to　see　whether　it　be　close　shut；　this　is　no　underhand　dealing；　nor　a　game　at　which　he　shall　have　any　advantage　against　you　who　sees　your　cards；　but；　on　the　contrary　the　advantage　shall　be　your　own：　for　with　18；000　men　（which　number　I　put；　because　it　circulates　your　orb　by　the　annual　change　of　6；000）　having　established　your　matters　in　the　order　shown；　you　will；　be　able　to　hold　the　greatest　province；　and　18；000　men；　allowing　them　greater　pay　than　any　prince　ever　gave；　will　not　stand　the　province　in　？；000；000　revenue；　in　consideration　whereof；　they　shall　have　their　own　estates　free　to　themselves；　and　be　governed　by　their　own　laws　and　magistrates；　which；　if　the　revenue　of　the　province　be　in　dry…rent　（as　there　may　be　some　that　are　four　times　as　big　as　Oceana）　？0；000；000；　will　bring　it　with　that　of　industry；　to　speak　with　the　least；　to　twice　the　value：　so　that　the　people　there；　who　at　this　day　are　so　oppressed　that　they　have　nothing　at　all　whereon　to　live；　shall　for　？；000；000　paid　to　you；　receive　at　least　？9；000；000　to　their　proper　use：　in　which　place　I　appeal　to　any　man；　whether　the　empire　described　can　be　other　than　the　patronage　of　the　world。　　　　　〃Now　if　you　add　to　the　propagation　of　civil　liberty　（so　natural　to　this　commonwealth　that　it　cannot　be　omitted）　the　propagation　of　the　liberty　of　conscience；　this　empire；　this　patronage　of　the　world；　is　the　kingdom　of　Christ：　for　as　the　kingdom　of　God　the　Father　was　a　commonwealth；　so　shall　the　kingdom　of　God　the　Son；　'the　people　shall　be　willing　in　the　day　of　his　power。'　　　　　〃Having　showed　you　in　this　and　other　places　some　of　those　inestimable　benefits　of　this　kind　of　government；　together　with　the　natural　and　facile　emanation　of　them　from　their　fountain；　I　come　（lest　God　who　has　appeared　to　you；　for　he　is　the　God　of　nature；　in　the　glorious　constellation　of　these　subordinate　causes；　whereof　we　have　hitherto　been　taking　the　true　elevation；　should　shake　off　the　dust　of　his　feet　against　you）　to　warn　you　of　the　dangers　which　you；　not　taking　the　opportunity；　will　incur　by　omission。　　　　　〃Machiavel；　speaking　of　the　defect　of　Venice；　through　her　want　of　proper　arms；　cries　out；　'This　cut　her　wings；　and　spoiled　her　mount　to　heaven。'　If　you　lay　your　commonwealth　upon　any　other　foundation　than　the　people；　you　frustrate　yourself　of　proper　arms；　and　so　lose　the　empire　of　the　world；　nor　is　this　all