De principis gloria et nobilitate

De principis gloria et nobilitate

Just as the glory of the Father is the wise Son, so the glory of a prince is the peace and tranquility of those under his rule. Is nobility? From a prince. However, the true nature of a prince is described by the poet in this way. Indeed. True nobility of the soul is the only and unique virtue. Let us take the glory of Augustus as an example, for no one was ever more fortunate in battles or more moderate in peace. In the years when he alone held power, he lived with great civility, was most generous to all, and was exceptionally loyal to his close friends, whom he had elevated to such honors that they almost followed him in his own greatness. He ruled for many years. And for six months. , twelve. With Antonio, XL. But there are four things that stand alone. Surely, he would never have drawn such power to himself in the state, nor would he have held it so peacefully for so long, unless he had been abundantly blessed with great natural gifts. Finally, he was most gentle toward his citizens and a loyal friend to his companions; among them, the most notable were Maecenas, for his quietness, and Agrippa, for his patience and modesty in labor. He was fond of suet. He also loved the poets Virgil and Horace. It's rare to find someone who is willing to receive friendships and to maintain them. He is most constant in his liberal studies, especially in eloquence, to such an extent that no day passes without him reading, writing, or declaiming. He increased and adorned many buildings with great care. Suet. Cap. Huff. Glory. , p. . Glory is sought after because without it, one's virtue is not recognized. To vary. Twenty-four. Serm. CCCXXXIX. Finally, boasting, I say, "I found a brick city; I leave a marble one." He was gentle, gracious, and civil in spirit; physically handsome all over, but even more so in his eyes. The Roman people held him in such high regard that even in death he was called divine, as everyone commonly boasted about him, saying, "He was either born a god or he was not human at all." He also possessed not only a noble spirit but also a distinguished lineage, being born of the senator Octavius and having a maternal heritage from the Julia family, a descendant of Caesar, whom he had named as his heir in his will. As for glory, which is the peak of praise and honor, human intention looks to it because, without it, our virtue is not widely recognized. Horace said, "A little distance from buried inertia is hidden virtue." Cassiodorus remarked, "Sometimes a commendable strength lies hidden under idleness, and while it has no space to manifest, the full light of merit remains concealed." Jeronimus stated, "However, the wise man finds the fruit of virtue in his conscience, but the fool places it in glory." Yet, among the great men of the world, virtue sometimes requires that it be made known and ignite an admirable example for the people, while still, from the heart, praise and glory should not be sought. For whoever does this will find their reward. You have, however, in the Gospel the teaching of our Savior. Matthew. What good is it to you to be called a Christian if you don't live like one? As John 7 says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."^✦ . Augustine said, "I don't want to be praised by those who live poorly; I abhor it; it causes me pain, not pleasure." "If I say I want to be praised by good people, I'm lying; if I say I want to, I fear I might be a seeker of vanity, faster than of solid virtue." So what should I say? I don't fully want to risk being lost in human praise. I don't fully want this, so that I won't be ingratiating myself to those who are in power. Scripture says, for those who cling to vanity, they are caught in futility. It's worth noting that those who seek glory often achieve it less than those who are virtuous and generous, even if they desire it more. Jcronimus in his epistolary book says, "Glory is like a shadow that follows virtues," and those who desire it love to contemplate it; and elsewhere, "Many indeed find pleasure in it, as it is." "What they desire, they scorn, and in a remarkable way, praise is acquired while it is avoided." To the glory, however, both poets and philosophers invite equally. ,, ^. Philosophers invite everyone to this. Tullius: "Let us consider the present moment." We should not despise the glory of posterity. And this is also true: "The course of life is brief, but glory is everlasting." Pliny said: "Whatever you do, let glory be before your eyes and eternity." Tullius said: "Consider that the body is temporal, but the movements of the soul and the glory of virtue are everlasting." And likewise: "A laurel won through great struggles should not lose its freshness over a long interval." Juvenalis: "Enough." As they say, those who speak of great things often give glory to a higher life. Carm. What good is it to you if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? You should focus on what truly matters. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Horace: "A man worthy of praise is one whom the muse would have die." However, many seek glory with such immoderate desire that they prefer to appear good rather than to be good, and they want to be seen as evil rather than to actually be evil. Horace: Epp. The fruit of present glory is often pride. Therefore, the tragic Grsecus exclaims: "Glory among thousands of mortals is nothing but the inflation of the ears." In which there is no fruit, if it is deprived of other gifts, Juvenalis shows, who says: "What will glory be, no matter how great, if it is only glory?" Tullius says: "If anyone, however, seeks to achieve glory through empty show, he is greatly mistaken." "If someone thinks they can achieve a lasting glory by being ostentatious and pretending to be something they’re not, they’re seriously mistaken. "True glory takes root, but false glory quickly falls away like flowers in the wind; nothing that is merely pretended can last long." From Job. . . Martial says the same thing: "The tree that grows from branches and not from roots, shaken by a light breeze, falls; the one that reaches for fame through empty pursuits does not have a solid foundation and easily collapses." Oap. There's a difference between a tyrant. Hor. , Epp. About four. What good is it to you to be called a prince if you don't live like one? Honor. . The difference between a king and a tyrant is that the king, who is called to rule, is first responsible for himself and then for the people under his authority; whereas a tyrant, who may derive his name from the city of Tyre or from the venomous serpent of Tyre, is characterized by oppressive and violent domination over the people. A king has the duty to govern his people not only with arms in war but also with laws in peace, and to guide them in both times through chosen morals and exemplary lives. It's clear that the poet didn't miss the point when he wrote to Caesar: "When you have to handle so many responsibilities all by yourself..." Claudianus said, "Human laws don't have the power to shape our thoughts like the life of a ruler does." A tyrant neither seeks peace nor provides security for the people during times of war; he not only fails to instruct but also corrupts everyone, wanting to be in charge without actually benefiting anyone, leading a life of wickedness by example. One time, Nero appeared before you, in whom not only three vices opposed those three virtues, but also all the other wickednesses and the specific evils of tyrants came together as if fortified in a stronghold. In Ilomana, therefore, it is recorded that Caesar Nero, as a hostile enemy of justice, was a significant figure. . He was the first to stir up persecution against Christians. And he was the first to incite persecution against them. He was also the cause of unrestrained petulance, so that he did not hold back from his mother. Nor did he suppress the desires of his sister, which ultimately made him even more wicked through murder. For he cruelly kills his mother, brother, sister, wife, and all his relatives. He killed many senators and the poet Lucan, as well as his own teacher Seneca, who had approached him about mercy and had reproached him for the reckless rage he was exercising against the Senate and his household. He did not yield to him, but rather, more enraged by this, he gave him permission to choose whatever kind of death he preferred, so that he would no longer enjoy the sight and conversation of his teacher. He indeed entered the bath and made a choice to stab himself in both arms, and thus he perished. "But meanwhile, the fire of the city of Rome, so that it might resemble the burning of Troy, was seen for seven days." ^ "and seven days." He prepared the appearance of the nights; from the highest tower, looking out, the flame was wide. As he lay there, he sang the Iliad with a tragic voice. But while these and many other evils were being inflicted on the republic, Galba was appointed as emperor in Hispania, and Nero was declared a public enemy by the entire populace as well as the Senate, because he had violated faith through sacrilege, piety through parricide, and chastity through incest, and had committed the very power of the Roman Empire to the most disgraceful acts of freedmen. Since he kept faith with no one, he regarded everyone as suspicious. However, he thought he could trust two very wicked men, Nimphidius and Gemellius, whom he had made dependent on himself, but they eventually recoiled from his example of cruelty. For he had killed those he held most dear, and he needed to be cautious. Nero, cap. So that he might act, Hug. Ylov. There’s a further difference between a tyrant. They wanted to come to the bishops, but they were afraid. Therefore, both of them, when the conspiracy was made, abandoned the parricide. Thus, deserted by all his own, he fled from the city and killed himself. — eight. , beginning, " I will set forth an example for the prince to be informed" (vii. Therefore, no one should be more concerned about the kind of reputation they have than those who will have a great one based on whatever they deserve. . . . We also add this distinction between a king and a tyrant: the former, like a father and protector of his people, treats them with paternal affection; the latter, however, represents himself as a cruel master in all things, seeking not to support but to exploit, not to defend but to confuse, not to build but to destroy, not to benefit but to harm, not to truly protect but to oppress. Therefore, Solomon says in the Proverbs, "A lion roars," etc. As Solomon says in Proverbs, "The lion roars," etc. Twenty-eight. . This diversity also creates a discrepancy, as everyone desires a long life for a king, but a very short one for a tyrant. Therefore, the bishops consecrated by the Lord Pope, after completing the rite of consecration, have been accustomed to say three times, bending their knees before the Pope, as if giving thanks, in a certain modulation: first, somewhat softly, 'many years'; then, a little louder, 'many years'; and third, raising their voice even more, 'many years,' making it understood, 'long live the Pope.' To the executioner of the tyrant, indeed, no punishment is promised, but rather a reward. According to the law, "Whoever kills a tyrant will receive a reward." It also matters that the mind is subject to this one, while it rules over that one; and that the movements of this mind and its affections are restrained and controlled by reason, while all the impulses and anger of that one are unbridled. What matters is that mercy belongs to this one, while cruelty belongs to that one; modesty suits this one, while constant anger and irritability suit that one. So what is mercy then? Mercy is a state of the soul that is placable and distinct. He is gentle, compassionate to the afflicted, and mitigates pain. What is cruelty? Cruelty is a thirst for blood, ignorance of mercy, akin to hostility, and far removed from the duty of humanity. What is modesty? Modesty is temperance, which restrains the movements of the soul and observes moderation. What is anger or irritability? Anger is a disturbance of the soul that seeks revenge; wrath is a frequent passion of the soul similar to fury and contrary to moderation. But what about anger? We can briefly summarize it from its own nature. . . H. The passage, "Indeed, it strikes the forehead," is repeated. . . . Thus, a pious prince and the vices, . So let’s assign the final distinction between kings and tyrants: kings live longer and lead their days in goodness, ultimately passing away naturally, leaving their kingdoms happily to their children and grandchildren; however, the power of tyrants is brief and detestable, and their end and exit are often brought about by deadly steel or poison, with their closest sons or relatives rarely succeeding them. Thus the poet says: "From the kind of Ceres, without slaughter and blood, few kings descend, and tyrants die a dry death."