Liber I, Pars II — Quod decet reges et principes esse prudentes. Cap. VII.

Liber I, Pars II — Quod decet reges et principes esse prudentes. Cap. VII.

Having seen what prudence is, and having shown that through prudence we are rightly directed toward a good end, to which moral virtues incline, it remains to show that it is fitting for kings and princes to be prudent. However, as far as the present is concerned, there are three things that a king ought to pay attention to. First, he ought to strive supremely to be a king according to the truth of the matter, and not merely in name. Secondly, he ought to be zealous, lest his rule be turned into tyranny. Thirdly, he ought to be diligent so that he may rule naturally. Therefore, we can investigate in three ways what it is fitting for a king to be prudent. First, because without prudence there is no king according to the truth of the matter, but only in name. Secondly, because without it, he easily turns into a tyrant. Third, because without it, one cannot naturally rule. The first way is clear. For the king is the name of an office and a dignity. For it is the king's duty to rule his people and guide them to their proper end. This shows that the name of king is derived from ruling, for to rule others and direct them to their proper end is done through wisdom. Hence it is said in Ethics. 6. We consider those to be wise who can discern and provide for good things for themselves and others. Therefore, prudence is a kind of eye by which the good and proper end is perceived. Whoever lacks this eye cannot sufficiently see the good itself, nor the proper end to which the people are to be directed. Just as an archer cannot shoot accurately or direct an arrow at a target unless he sees the target, neither can a king direct or rule the people, nor lead them to the proper end, unless he contemplates that end through prudence. If therefore no one can sufficiently rule a people or direct it toward a good and proper end without prudence, then no one will be a king according to the truth of the matter, even if he may be called a king by name. It seems that a man without prudence, placed in royal dignity, is like a bronze or lead coin in the reckoning of merchants, for merchants, when calculating, sometimes place one bronze or lead coin in place of a thousand pounds; therefore, it is worth no more than an egg, representing a value of great price. Therefore, that coin is more a sign of value than it is worth. So if a man lacks prudence and holds a royal dignity, while he himself is of small value, he is in place of great price. Therefore, he is more a sign of a king than the king himself is. Therefore, for someone to be a king not just in name but in reality, it is fitting for him to possess wisdom. Secondly, it is fitting for him to do this so that he does not easily become a tyrant. For it has been said that we are directed toward a good end through wisdom, which inclines us toward moral virtues; for it is the mark of a wise person to provide good for themselves and others, and to guide themselves and others toward the best end. If, therefore, someone lacks wisdom, by which we are directed toward the best goods according to truth, they will easily become a tyrant: for they will believe that wealth and external goods, which are the best according to appearance, are the best in absolute terms. Indeed, the imprudent do not recognize anything but material goods, such as wealth and external possessions; lacking wisdom, they will not understand and will not consider anything but material goods, and dismissing virtues, they will place all their effort into accumulating wealth and material goods. Therefore, a plunderer of the people will arise, ruling tyrannically, caring nothing for how he can extort money. Thirdly, it is fitting for kings and princes to possess wisdom, because without it they cannot naturally rule. For it has been declared that... Therefore, someone who lacks understanding is naturally a slave. This is because he lacks understanding and does not know how to govern himself. However, a lord is naturally someone who is strong in understanding and prudence, knowing how to direct himself and others toward the proper end. For this truth is not only supported by natural philosophy but also confirmed by various forms of governance. We see that naturally men rule over beasts, men over women, and old men over boys. Men naturally dominate beasts because the human race is strong in prudence; for beasts participate little in prudence and skill. So too, men dominate women because (as is stated in Book I. Politics.) A woman has a weak counsel. Generally, women fall short of the prudence of men; but if some women are found to be more prudent than men, this is rare and occurs in fewer cases. Therefore, a woman ought to be subject to a man by nature, because she naturally falls short of a man's prudence. In the same way, young men ought to be subject to elders, because the inexperienced do not abound in prudence as others do. Wherever something serves by nature, and that which rules by nature, the one who is always ruling is strong in prudence, from which he who is naturally a slave falls short. Therefore, for a king to rule by nature, it is necessary that he be strong in prudence and understanding.