Liber III, Pars II — Quod detestabile est, regiam maiestatem declinare in tyrannidem: et quicquid corruptionis est in aliis perversis principatibus, totum in tyrannidem congregatur. Cap. XII.

Liber III, Pars II — Quod detestabile est, regiam maiestatem declinare in tyrannidem: et quicquid corruptionis est in aliis perversis principatibus, totum in tyrannidem congregatur. Cap. XII.

From God, human inclinations tend toward evil, so it's very useful to show in many ways the paths of morality and to prove through many reasons that evil and vice are vile and to be avoided, so that if one way does not incline someone to avoid evil, another may lead them to flee from it. Therefore, after we have shown that tyranny must be avoided by kings because the actions of a tyrant are the worst, we want to prove that kings should take the utmost care to avoid becoming tyrants, because whatever corruption and injustice exists in other perverse principalities, all of it gathers into tyranny. For there are, as is clear from the habits, three good forms of government and three perverse ones. It was said that if one rules for the common good, it is a just government, and it is called a kingdom. But if one rules for their own benefit, it is perverse and is called tyranny. If, however, a few govern and rule because they are good and virtuous, it is a just government, and it is called aristocracy or the government of the good. But if they govern not because they are good, but because they are wealthy, it is perverse and is called oligarchy. But if the whole people rules and intends the good of all, both the notable and the others, it is a just government, and it is called the government of the people. If the people act like tyrants and seek to oppress the wealthy, it is a corrupt form of governance, and it is called Democracy. This is the same as saying it is a kind of perversion and corruption of the people. Indeed, tyranny is a corrupt form of governance by the wealthy, and an unjust rule over the people; these are perverse regimes, but tyranny is an even more perverse form of governance, as the Philosopher proves. The Philosopher. Whatever corruption exists in any principality of the wealthy, and in the perverse rule of the people, all of it gathers into tyranny. This is evident: for if the wealthy desire to dominate uniquely, as far as the present situation is concerned, they intend three things: namely, money and bodily pleasures. And the care of the body. For they intend money, because anyone who governs intends to increase it, according to how they see themselves in power. If someone governs because he is good and virtuous, he always aims for better actions and virtue, so that he may become better and more virtuous. But if someone governs because he is wealthy, so that he may govern more, he aims for the increase of wealth and the gathering of money. Therefore, if the wealthy do not govern because they are good, but because they are rich, their entire intention will be focused on gathering money. Again, the wealthy who govern unjustly seek bodily pleasures and aim to have sensual delights. For if someone desires something, he desires it even more when it is directed toward that which it is intended: for example, if someone desires a drink, he desires health even more, because the drink is intended for health. When people generally, especially those with a perverse will, arrange money and wealth for bodily pleasures and sensual delights, it follows that the wealthy who dominate unjustly and aim not for the common good, but for money, will seek bodily pleasures. Thirdly, the wealthy who govern in this way are greatly concerned about the protection of their bodies. For no one, disregarding the common good, intends to pursue money and bodily pleasures, unless he offends the people in many ways: for such a one, in order to have money, plunders the citizens, and in order to enjoy pleasures, he makes them suffer indignities regarding their wives and daughters. Therefore, he sees himself as hated by the people, and so he doesn't trust the crowd, but always doubts the fury of the people, and is especially concerned about the safety of his body. However, all such evils found in the corrupt rule of the wealthy are gathered together in tyranny. For the tyrant, as was said above, does not seek the common good, but money. Again, as was said above, he does not seek the honorable good, but rather the pleasurable. Thirdly, the tyrant is most concerned about the safety of his body, because he sees that he has offended many. It is said about a certain tyrant that when he was daily reproached by his brother, he was always sad and never showed a cheerful face. That tyrant, wanting to give a reason for his anxiety, had him stripped and bound, and over his sharpest head, he had a sword suspended by the thinnest thread; around him, he made certain men stand with crossbows and arrows ready. And when his brother was invaded by horrible fear, fearing to be wounded by a sharp sword and pierced by crossbows, the tyrant said, "Rejoice, brother, show a cheerful face." The tyrant, responding that he could not because of the imminent dangers, said that he himself could not rejoice, since he was in greater danger, because he had done so much that he always doubted for himself about death. Therefore, it is very important for the king to take care not to turn into a tyrant. For tyrants, losing eternal life, have hardly one good day in this temporal life, because they always see dangers looming over them. Moreover, tyrants do not have as much money as true kings, because they must spend a lot unnecessarily, and also because true kings are given more out of love than tyrants receive from the plundering of the people. For we have experienced that tyrants live in greater poverty than other true kings. Tyrants also do not have as many bodily pleasures as true kings. For having friends and being loved by the people is very delightful; not trusting in anything and believing oneself to be hated by the multitude is very distressing. Therefore, the tyrant is deprived of the greatest delight when he sees himself to be hated by the people. Seeing that tyranny must be avoided, because wicked principalities of the rich gather in it, it remains to see that it must be avoided, since in it also the evils of perverse principalities of the people are gathered. For when the people govern perversely, they do not intend to preserve anything in its state, but strive to oppress the nobles. And the distinguished. This is also what the tyrant does, because, as is evident from his actions, he strives with all his might to oppress the excellent and to destroy the rich and distinguished. Therefore, tyranny must be avoided by the king, in which so many evils are gathered.