Liber II, Pars I — Quod detestabile est in omnibus civibus, et maxime in regibus et principibus in aetate nimis iuvenili uti copula coniugali. Cap. XVI.

Liber II, Pars I — Quod detestabile est in omnibus civibus, et maxime in regibus et principibus in aetate nimis iuvenili uti copula coniugali. Cap. XVI.

Universal sermons (as we mentioned in the first book) about moral issues are less effective. Therefore, we need to determine how marriage differs from paternal and servile authority: and to show how a man should relate to his wife, children, and servants is crucial for understanding the nature of marriage and how it should be used. Thus, we must delve more deeply into how all citizens, especially kings and princes, ought to engage in marital union. For universal sermons about despising morals are not effective, because ignorance of universal principles often leads to ignorance of particulars; however, particular details must be added to these universal sermons, because moral issues often revolve around specific situations (according to the teaching of the Philosopher). In such matters, particular sermons from the Ethics are more effective. Therefore, it is necessary to determine specifically at what age marriage should be engaged. For the Philosopher touches on this. Polit. There are four reasons proving that marriage should not be entered into at too young an age. The first reason is taken from the choice of children. The second reason comes from the intemperance of women. The third reason arises from the danger they pose. The fourth reason is based on the wickedness of men. The first way is clear. For if a man and a woman are joined together at too young an age (as the Philosopher proves in Politics), the children born from such unions suffer in body, because they are often very weak and imperfect; and they also suffer in soul, because those born are often deficient in reason and understanding. For we see in other natural things that when something is required for the production of an effect, if that thing is imperfect, the effect must also be imperfect. So if something hot is required for heating, and if that thing is only imperfectly hot, it follows that it will heat imperfectly. Likewise, because something is required for heating, it must be disposed to receive heat; if something is only imperfectly disposed for such reception, it follows that it will receive heat imperfectly. Therefore, if the union of husband and wife is required for the production of offspring, and if either the husband or wife is in a very youthful age, since their bodies are imperfect and have not reached the proper complement, if children are born from such a union, it follows that they will be born imperfect and weak in body. Thus, because of the bodies resulting from a union in very youthful age, there arises harm to the children: in such a union, the children are harmed not only in body but also in soul, because the soul follows the conditions of the body (for when someone is not well proportioned in body, they are not of good complexion), the soul is hindered from being able to see clearly and to freely carry out its actions. Therefore, those born from such a union are not only imperfect in body but also in mind. Therefore, all citizens ought not to use marriage at a very youthful age; however, this is even more fitting for kings and princes, as they ought to be more accustomed to ensuring that their children are beautiful and elegant in body, and capable in mind. Therefore, even if it happens that they take a wife at a very youthful age, they ought not to use marriage except at the proper age. The second way to investigate this same issue is derived from the intemperance of women. For if in a very youthful age wives are joined to their husbands, not only are the children harmed, but the wives themselves become intemperate and lascivious, because any person desires something too much and craves it with excessive passion if they are accustomed to it from a very young age. Thus, it is said that women who were very young when they married are seen to be more intemperate. The third way is derived from the dangers faced by women. For it is said in the Politics that men’s bodies are harmed if they engage in sexual relations during their time of growth. Therefore, if these evils that can arise from early marriage affect both the spouses and their children, they should be avoided even more by princes and kings, especially since it is not fitting for them to marry at too young an age. But if one asks how much time is required for the spouses. The philosopher seems to suggest that this time for a wife should be eighteen years. Thus, it was an ancient custom among the Gentiles to make a special oracle for the childbirth of young women, as a sign that young women are in greater danger during childbirth than others. The fourth way is taken from the harm done to those men: for they are harmed if they marry in their excessive youth. Therefore, it is said in the Politics that the bodies of men are harmed if they engage in sexual relations during the time of growth. Thus, if these evils, which can arise from excessive youth in marriage, are more to be avoided in princes and kings than in others, it is especially inappropriate for them to engage in marriage during their excessive youth. But if one asks how much time is required for those who are married. The philosopher seems to suggest that such a time in marriage should be eighteen years. In a true man, more time is required. For if it is harmful for men to engage in marriage during the entire time of growth, since three septennia are generally required for growth in men, after the third septennium it seems that a proper time is due for them to engage in marital relations. Indeed, because the generative power is too corrupted, such a time may be anticipated if it seems expedient.