Liber I, Pars IV — Qui sunt mores nobilium, et quomodo reges, et principes se habere debeant ad illos mores. Cap. V.

Liber I, Pars IV — Qui sunt mores nobilium, et quomodo reges, et principes se habere debeant ad illos mores. Cap. V.

As it stands now, we can say that there are four commendable qualities of the noble. First, they are magnanimous. Second, they are magnificent. Third, they are docile and industrious. Fourth, they are political and affable. For they are indeed noble and magnanimous. For nobility (as it is said) is... It is the same as the virtue of a lineage. Some are called noble because they come from a distinguished lineage. A lineage is considered honorable, as the philosopher says. 2. Rhet.) If many leaders and distinguished individuals have come from that ancient lineage, Therefore, the virtue of a lineage, which the philosopher says is nobility, is nothing other than being from a certain lineage or family, in which many leaders and distinguished individuals have existed since ancient times; thus, this is how nobility should be understood. Indeed, according to common opinion, everything is measured by wealth, and riches are seen as the price of anything; because some are wealthy, they are considered worthy of leadership, and by that very fact, they are believed to be distinguished and worthy of honor. Therefore, since it is so, nobility, according to the common understanding of people, is nothing other than ancient wealth. For noble people have always been leaders from ancient times, and in their lineage, there have been many distinguished and wealthy individuals; thus, the hearts of the noble are elevated by the example of their parents, so that they aspire to greatness and become magnanimous. It is natural, indeed, that effects always wish to resemble their causes; since children are certain effects of their parents, it is natural for children to imitate their parents. Therefore, noble people, recognizing that many distinguished individuals have existed in their lineage and striving for greatness, tend to imitate their parents and aspire to be magnanimous. Secondly, noble people are not only magnanimous and of great heart, but also, if they have the means, they are magnificent and do great things. For, all else being equal, children are always more noble than their parents. For, as it has been said, nobility is, according to common understanding, the same as ancient wealth, or the virtue and honor of a lineage. However, the lineage of someone is considered most honorable if it has been abundant in wealth from ancient times. Since it is always necessary to give a beginning, in which the parents of someone began to become wealthy: the more one proceeds through the creation of children, the less is the memory of their parents having been poor. Therefore, nobility is always enhanced, and wealth is always greater in the children than in the parents. For when nobility always inclines the hearts of nobles to do great things, it follows that nobles are more magnificent than their parents, because in a way they are nobler than them. Thus, nobles are not only magnificent, but they also strive to achieve greater things than their parents. Hence, as the philosopher says. 4. And. It is said that it is fitting for noble and magnificent people to be noble and glorious. For it is stated there that nobles are inspired by their nobility to be magnanimous and magnificent. Third, nobles are teachable and industrious. This happens for two reasons. One reason is that they are nourished by good food and take care of their bodies. The other reason comes from their care and social interactions with others. When nobles are nourished with great care and diligently guard their own bodies, it is reasonable for them to have well-formed and healthy bodies. Since we say that they are soft in body and fit in mind, as the philosopher wants. 2. Regarding the soul: it happens that nobles have a suitable mind and are teachable and industrious because in them the softness of the flesh and the beauty of the complexion thrive. This same thing happens again through conversation and the company of others. Nobles, because many look up to them and consider their actions, are encouraged to be thoughtful men, subtly investigating what they ought to do so that their actions, which many desire, do not appear blameworthy. This is why they tend to be docile and industrious, due to their careful consideration of what they can do. From this, it can be seen how much one should hate flatterers who commend all the actions of others. For when nobles are not criticized, but rather their bad deeds are praised by flatterers, they are led to ignore themselves and to follow pleasure instead of reason. Therefore, nobles become docile and industrious, especially if they fear doing blameworthy things and carefully consider what they should do. Fourthly, it is fitting for nobles to be political and affable. For, since it is customary for there to be a great society in the courts of nobles, it is fitting for them to be political and social, because they have mostly lived in society. Just as peasants, living almost like hermits, become rough and wild, so nobles, on the other hand, living a social life, become sociable and affable. These behaviors, which can be good and commendable, are sufficiently described in what has been said about how kings and princes ought to have them. For we have already discussed how it is fitting for kings and princes to be magnanimous, how they should be magnificent, prudent, teachable, and how they should be affable and sociable. It remains to see which behaviors of the nobles are commendable: to see which behaviors are blameworthy. The Philosopher narrates this. He speaks of two blameworthy behaviors of the nobles. The first is that nobles are excessively desirous of honor. The second is that they look down on their ancestors. It's natural for anyone to want to accumulate what they have. Therefore, those who begin to become wealthy want to become even wealthier; and those who are honorable want to be more honorable. Nobles, because they seem to be honorable by their very nature, therefore want to accumulate what they have, and they want to become more honorable. However, they are too eager for honor. Secondly, they are arrogant and look down on their ancestors, as noble people often do. This happens because nobility has always been considered greater than that of one's relatives, as it is always more ancient. Being arrogant and looking down on one's ancestors, and being overly eager for honor, seems to be a sign of bad character. For we should not seek honors for their own sake, because they make us proud and arrogant; rather, we should seek actions worthy of honor, which are performed by virtuous and magnanimous people. Therefore, since kings and princes cannot naturally rule unless they are good and virtuous, they should follow the noble customs of the nobility, so that they may be magnanimous and magnificent, wise and gracious; and they should avoid bad customs, so that they are not arrogant or disdainful of others.