Liber II, Pars II — Quod decet omnes cives, et maxime reges, et principes sic solicitari erga filios ut ab ipsa infantia bonis moribus imbuantur. Cap. VI.

Liber II, Pars II — Quod decet omnes cives, et maxime reges, et principes sic solicitari erga filios ut ab ipsa infantia bonis moribus imbuantur. Cap. VI.

The more a soul is nobler than the body, the more all citizens, especially kings and princes, should be concerned about their own children’s perfection in the soul rather than in the body. If they are concerned about inheritance and money, so they can help their children in their physical needs, how much more should they be concerned that their children have a perfect soul and are imbued with virtues and good morals? And because this is the only true good, it should not be neglected through carelessness; rather, from early childhood, children should be instructed to leave behind their childish ways and follow good morals. We can pursue this in four ways, which should be taught to children from their earliest years to lead them toward good morals. The first way is taken from the natural inclination to delight. The second is from the defect of reason. The third is from the propensity we have toward evil. The fourth is from the necessity of being taught good morals from childhood. Fourth, it comes from the avoidance of opposing habits. The first way is clear. For, according to the Philosopher in Ethics, It is so natural for us to take pleasure in things that we begin to enjoy them from infancy; for even children immediately take delight when they start to suckle. If, therefore, concupiscence grows with us from infancy, we must resist it: from this very natural inclination to pleasure, as soon as children are capable of speech, they should be instructed in good morals, and they should receive appropriate admonitions. The second way to investigate this same matter is derived from a defect of reason. For at that time, some are more inclined to good morals when they are more incited to lust and are more followers of their passions; but (as is evident from the Philosopher in the second book of Rhetoric), in youth, people are especially lustful and followers of their passions: therefore, at that time, it is especially necessary to intervene, so that through appropriate admonitions and suitable corrections, they may be drawn away from lust. In youth, people are especially lustful and followers of their passions: therefore, at that time, it is especially necessary to intervene, so that through appropriate admonitions and suitable corrections, they may be drawn away from lust. Therefore, since it is the nature of reason to restrain desires and lusts, the more someone deviates from reason, the more they are inclined to follow their passions. In youth, therefore, children should be instructed in good morals, because at that time they more often deviate from the use of reason and are more inclined to follow their passions. The third way is taken from the inclination we have toward evil. For when someone is inclined toward something, they must be trained for a long time in the opposite direction, so that they do not lean toward it; for most people, according to their morals, are like a crooked rod inclined toward evil. Hence, the Philosopher states at the end of Book 2. Ethics. In this way, it teaches us to direct ourselves toward good morals, just as a crooked rod is directed. For when someone wants to straighten a crooked rod, they incline it very much in the opposite direction, so that it, being thus inclined, returns to the middle and to straightness. Since we have a tendency and inclination toward evil and illicit pleasures, we must refrain from these illicit delights for a long time so that we can avoid this inclination. Rather, just as a crooked rod is bent strongly in the opposite direction so that it can return to the straight, we too must, in fleeing from delights, make ourselves go beyond the mean; that is, we must avoid many pleasures, even the lawful ones, so that we can more easily refrain from the illicit ones. If we have such a strong inclination toward evil, we must therefore accustom ourselves over a long period to the opposite, that is, to good; so that we can more easily avoid this inclination, we must begin from childhood to leave behind the pleasures of the flesh and pursue good morals, and we must not delay any further. The fourth way is taken from the avoidance of the habit of the opposite. For young people are soft and pliable; if they follow after pleasures without restraint, they are quickly impressed with vicious habits, just as a seal's impression is easily made in soft and pliable wax. Therefore, so that young people are not formed in vicious habits, they must be admonished and corrected from their very childhood; so that through proper admonitions and corrections they may be withdrawn from lasciviousness. Therefore, it is fitting for all citizens to be concerned for their children, so that from their very childhood they may be instructed in good morals. However, this is especially fitting for kings and princes, as the goodness of their children is more beneficial to the kingdom itself, and the greater the malice of their children, the greater the danger can threaten the kingdom.