Liber III, Pars II — Qualiter se debent habere cives et universaliter habitatores regni, ne reges provocentur ad iracundiam contra ipsos. Cap. XXXV.
Liber III, Pars II — Qualiter se debent habere cives et universaliter habitatores regni, ne reges provocentur ad iracundiam contra ipsos. Cap. XXXV.
After we have instructed the people and all the inhabitants of the kingdom to obey the kings and observe their laws, we want to clarify in this chapter how those living in the kingdom should conduct themselves so that the kings are not provoked to anger against them. Anger, however, according to the Philosopher, is in the beginning. Rhet. Sadness arises from the desire for apparent punishment, due to the apparent undervaluation of those things that are in it, or in something of it, or in something that is ordered to it. For anger is never without sadness. Anger, however, is manifestly a desire to punish those who undervalue it, or anything that belongs to it, or anything that is in some way ordered to it. When, therefore, someone manifestly acts in one of these ways against another, that person is said to be angry due to the desire for punishment. Therefore, citizens should not provoke kings to anger; they should not act against the king, nor against those things that belong to him, nor against anything that is in some way ordered to him. First of all, it's important for those who are in the kingdom not to incur the king's wrath by acting against him. To the king, two things are owed: honor and obedience. For the king is the head of the kingdom; the head is compared to the other members in two ways. First, because he is different and superior to them. Secondly, because he directs their actions. In the head, indeed, the senses and imagination thrive, through which we are guided in our actions. Thus, the king is superior to all those who are in the kingdom. Furthermore, because it pertains to him to uphold his laws, and because the sense and wisdom must thrive in the king, it is his responsibility to direct both himself and others who are in the kingdom. Therefore, since the king is superior to others, he is owed honor and respect. Moreover, since it is the king's role to direct others, he is owed subjection and obedience. For this reason, there are two ways in which the king can be provoked by those who are in the kingdom. First, if they do not show him the honor and respect he deserves. Second, if they are not subject to him and obedient, by observing his laws and commands. For when these two, namely honor and obedience, are taken away from the king, he is justly provoked to anger. For this reason, it is said that... Rhet. We become angry with those who are obligated to honor us, or who have kept us in mind, if they do not behave accordingly. And the reason is that those who behave this way seem to despise us. For if they did not despise us, they would show us the honor we deserve. This is especially true if they transgress the commands of their superiors and do not obey the king as one who is superior. It is evident that the inhabitants of the kingdom should not provoke the king to anger by acting against him, nor should they fail to show him the honor and obedience that is due. It remains to see how they should not provoke him by acting against those who are his and who pertain to him. Moreover, there are four kinds of people who seem to pertain to the king: namely, parents, all relatives in general, the wife, the children, and the subjects. Thus, it is clear that the inhabitants of the kingdom should not provoke the king to anger by acting against him, nor should they fail to show him the honor and obedience that is due. Therefore, it concerns the inhabitants of the kingdom that if they do not want to provoke the king to anger, they should not only refrain from doing harm to the king himself, but also not do harm to his relatives, wife, children, and indeed to all his subjects. And because all who are in the kingdom are subjects to the king, any injustice done to anyone existing in the kingdom is also an injustice against the king. This is therefore what is said. Rhet. Cap. Regarding anger, we become angry with those who do harm to parents, children, wives, and subjects because it is shameful for them not to help. Thirdly, it concerns the inhabitants of the kingdom not to do harm in matters that are in any way ordered to the king. Such are the private possessions and the rightful laws of the kingdom: for in this, they seem to despise and undervalue him if they unjustly and without royal command lay hands on those things that pertain to the king. Therefore, all citizens and all inhabitants of the kingdom should encourage their children from infancy to love the king: they should teach them how to honor the king and obey him, not to act against him or against any of the laws of the kingdom. For it is said that it is very bad to not instruct children in virtue. Indeed. They should not fail to instruct the youth in virtue and the observance of useful laws, and in observing what the state or the governance of the kingdom requires, for we always love what we are first taught; and that which young people are first instructed in, they are more inclined to observe.
Read the original Latin
Postquam docuimus populum, et omnes habitatores regni, ut obediant regibus, et observent eorum leges: volumus in hoc capitulo declarare, qualiter se habere debeant existentes in regno, ne reges provocentur ad iracundiam contra ipsos. Ira autem secundum Philosophum in principio 2. Rhet. est tristitia proveniens ex appetitu apparentis punitionis, propter apparentem parvipensionem eorum quae in ipsum, aut in aliqua ipsius, aut in aliqua quae ordinatur ad ipsum. Nunquam enim ira sine tristitia est. Appetit autem iratus apparenter, idest manifeste punire eos qui parvidendunt ipsum, vel aliqua quae sunt ipsius, vel ea quae aliquo modo ordinantur ad ipsum. Cum ergo quis aliquo dictorum modorum manifeste forefacit in alium, ille tristatus ex appetitu punitionis, dicitur irasci. Cives itaque ut non provocent reges ad iram, non debent fore facere nec in regem, nec in ea quae sunt ipsius, nec in illa quae aliquo modo ordinantur ad ipsum.
Primo quidem expedit eis, qui sunt in regno, ut non incurrant regiam iram, non forefacere in ipsum regem. regi autem duo debentur, honor et obedientia. Est enim rex caput regni: caput autem ad alia membra dupliciter comparatur. Primo quidem, quia est alius et excellentius illis. Secundo vero, quia ea dirigit in actiones suas. In capite enim viget sensus et imaginatio, per quam dirigimur in operationes nostras. Sic rex excellentior est omnibus illis, qui sunt in regno. Rursus quia eius leges ferre, et quia in rege maxime vigere debet sensus et prudentia, ad ipsum spectat per se et per alios dirigere eos, qui sunt in regno.
Ratione ergo quia rex est excellentior aliis, ei debetur honor, et reverentia. Ratione vero, quia ipsius est dirigere alios, debetur ei subiecto et obedientia. Quare dupliciter potest forefieri ad regem ab iis qui sunt in regno. Primo, si non ei exhibeant honorem debitum, et reverentiam dignam. Secundo, si non sint ei subiecti et obedientes, observando eius leges et mandata. Cum enim haec duo, honor videlicet, et obedientia subtrahuntur a rege, merito provocatur ad iam. Ideo dicitur 2. Rhet.
quod irascimur iis qui tenentur, vel conserverunt nos honorare, si non sic se habeant. Et est ratio, quia sic se habentes videntur nos despicere. Nam si nos non despicerent, impenderent nobis honorem dignum. Sic etiam ibidem dicitur, quod et ad minores irascimur, si non sic se habeant ut debent, vel si faciant contraria eorum quae debent. quod maxime contingit, si transgrediuntur mandata superiorum, et non obediunt regi quasi praecellenti. Viso quomodo habitatores regni non debent provocare regem ad iram, forefaciendo in ipsum, non exhibere ei debitum honorem et obedientiam condignam. Restat videre, quomodo non debent ipsum provocare, forefaciendo in eos qui sunt eius, et qui pertinent ad ipsum. Ad regem autem pertinere videntur quatuor genera personarum videlicet parentes et universaliter omnes cognati, uxor filii, et subditi.
Spectat itaque ad habitatores regni si nolunt regem ad iram provocare, non solum non forefacere in ipsum regem, sed etiam non forefacere in cognatos, uxorem, filios, et universaliter in omnes subiectos ipsi regi. Et quia omnes qui sunt in regno ipsi regi sunt subditi, foreficit in regem quotienscunque alicui existenti in regno efficitur iniuria aliqua. Hoc est ergo quod diciitur 2. Rhet. cap. de ira, quod irascimur forefacientibus in parentes, filios, uxores, et subiectos eo quod est turpe ipsis non auxiliari. Tertio spectat ad habitatores regni non forefacere in ea quae aliquo modo ordinantur ad regem. Huiusmodi autem sunt possessiones propriae, et debita iura regni: quia in hoc videntur ipsum contemnere et parvipendere, si iniuste et absque iussione regia manum apponunt in ea, quae ad regem spectant.
Decet ergo omnes cives et universaliter omnes habitatores regni ab ipsa infantia provocare filios ad dilectionem regis: instruere eos quomodo debeant honorare regem, obedire ei: non forefacere ei subiectas, nec in aliqua iura regni. Pessimum est enim (ut dicitur 7. Pol.) non instruere pueros ad virtutem, et observantiam legum utilium: et ad observandum ea quae requirit politia,vel regimen regni, in quo existit: semper enim amamus prima magis; et illud ad quod primo instruuntur iuvenes, sunt magis proni ad observandum.
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