Qualiter rex orthodoxus primum semet ipsum regere debet.
The King Must First Rule Himself
A king elevated to rule others must first learn to govern himself, bearing the name of king only if he rules himself with reason.
Whoever has risen to the heights of royal dignity with the Lord's help must first learn to govern himself, since divine providence has appointed him to govern others. The title 'king' comes from the word for 'to rule.' Let him then understand that he truly bears this name only if he doesn't fail to govern himself with reason.
The Sixfold Self-Governance of a Ruler
An orthodox king must not admit the wrongs he corrects in others and must govern himself in six specific ways, from restraining unlawful thoughts to shining outwardly in speech and action.
Therefore an orthodox king should strive with the greatest care that, since he desires to command what is good for his subjects and arranges to correct the errors of others, he himself doesn't admit the wrongs he strictly corrects in others, and that he strives before all else to carry out the good commands he gives. A good ruler governs himself commendably in six ways: first, when he restrains unlawful thoughts of the mind with severity; second, when he pursues wholesome plans that serve both his own welfare and the people's; third, when he avoids letting idle, useless, or harmful empty streams of words flow from him; fourth, when he seasons the wisdom and words of illustrious leaders, and especially the words of divine Scripture, so that they are like honey and the honeycomb on the palate of the mind; fifth, when he shrinks from committing any disgrace through ruinous behavior; and sixth, when he displays with distinction whatever is praiseworthy and whatever works of glorious arrangement are magnificent, so that the one who shines inwardly before the Lord with devout intention may also stand out before the people in speech and action.
Fear, Order, and Love in Governance
A ruler must be both loved and feared, winning love through benefits and approachability while inspiring fear through just punishments grounded in God's law.
He must observe a threefold rule: fear, order, and love. For unless he is both loved and feared at the same time, his governance won't be able to stand firm. Therefore, through benefits and approachability let himself be loved, and through just punishments — not for his own injury, but for the law of God — let him see to it that he is feared.
Humility: The Foundation of True Kingship
A king must be humble in his own eyes, mastering the passions of body and soul so that he is rightly called a ruler, echoing the scriptural call to be among the people as one of them.
He must be humble in his own eyes, as it is written: 'They have made you a ruler; do not exalt yourself, but be among them as one of them.' He must not only deal justly with people, but also master the passions of his own body and soul, so that he may rightly be called a ruler — as a certain wise person said: 'One who does what is right will be a king; one who does not will not be.'
The Virtues and Christological Crown of the Christian King
The ruler must embody prudence, mercy, justice, fortitude, and all virtues, always fearing God and weighing judgments according to the Almighty's decrees, who is Lord of all and King of kings.
So let him be most prudent in counsel, in speech now awe-inspiring, as reason demands, but more often approachable through the grace of sweetness — conqueror of lust, conqueror of pride and of savage fury, friend of good people, enemy of tyrants, foe of crimes, foe of vices, most cautious in war, most steadfast in peace, most proven in promises to the faithful, placing divine things before human ones, deterring his subjects from evil, inviting them to good, rewarding with abundance, freeing with indulgence, making good people out of evil ones, and making the very best out of those who are good. Let him be holy and useful to the common good, commendable for mercy, conspicuous for all goodness, distinguished by piety, fortitude, chastity, and justice — an excellent man, most worthy of the highest leadership, always having the fear of God before his eyes, and weighing just judgments according to the decrees of the Almighty, who gives salvation to kings and does whatever he wills in heaven and on earth and in every creature, because he himself is Lord of all, to whom every knee bows — of heavenly beings, earthly beings, and those below — in whose hand is all power in heaven and on earth, who is the king of kings and the hope of glory for those who rule justly and faithfully.✦✦✦
The True King: Master of Soul and Mind
One who rules the passions of the soul and tames the allurements of the flesh is rightly called a king, and it is greater to trample pride and soften anger than to surpass a lion in strength.
The person who rules the passions of the soul is rightly called a king, and so is the one who tames the fleeting allurements of the flesh. One may surpass a tawny lion in strength, and a king may hold a place bright with the honor of praise. But it's a greater thing, where praise is concerned, to trample the proud with arrogance and to soften anger like a rabid beast.
Heavenly Arms and the Royal Mind
Greater glory belongs to the leader who conquers brazen enemies with heavenly arms, for bridling the mind is a greater exercise of power than possessing the world's riches, and the just mind becomes the temple and throne of God, attended by the sun of justice.
Great too was the one who crushed fierce enemies, and laurelled, a victor, he brings bright trophies; but greater glory is for the leader adorned with heavenly arms to be able to conquer brazen enemies. It's a greater exercise of power to bridle the mind through skill than to possess the riches of the whole world; for the just mind, a royal thing, shines as the temple of the Lord, and itself becomes the throne of the most high judge, of God. That household is attended, more beautiful than gleaming gold, and rejoices to have the sun of justice as its own.
Read the original Latin
Qui apicem regiae dignitatis Domino praestante ascenderit, oportet ut se ipsum primum regat, quem divina dispositio alios regere ordinavit. Rex enim a regendo vocatur. Tunc autem hoc nomine se veraciter appellari intelligat, si semet rationabiliter gubernare non ignorat. Rex itaque orthodoxus summopere studeat, ut, qui subditis bona concupiscit imperare aliorumque errata disponit corrigere, ipse mala non admittat, quae stricte in aliis corrigit, et bona quae imperat ante omnes implere contendat. Sex autem modis bonus rector sese laudabiliter regit: primo quidem, dum illicitas cogitationes animi severitate reprimit; secundo, dum salubria consilia tam ad suam quam ad populi utilitatem pertinentia pertractat; tertio, cum otiosa et inutilia seu noxia inanium verborum folia profluere devitet; quarto, cum gloriosorum principum prudentiam simul et verba, nec non divinae scripturae eloquia super mel et favum mentis faucibus sapificet; quinto, dum perniciosae actionis omne dedecus perpetrare expavescat; sexto vero, cum, si qua sunt laudabilia, si qua sunt gloriosae dispositionis opera magnifica insigniter ostendat, ut, qui interius coram Domino devota fulgescit voluntate, exterius coram populo sermone clarescat et opere. Quem decet trinam observare regulam, terrorem scilicet et ordinationem atque amorem; nisi enim ametur pariter et metuatur, ordinatio illius constare minime poterit. Ergo per beneficia et affabilitatem procuret ut diligatur, et per iustas vindictas non propriae iniuriae, sed legi Dei studeat ut metuatur. Hunc esse oportet in suis oculis humilem, sicut scriptum est: "rectorem te posuerunt, noli extolli, sed esto in illis quasi unus ex ipsis", nec solum iuste hominibus, sed sui corporis et animae passionibus dominari, quatinus rector iure queat nuncupari, sicut quidam sapiens ait: "rex erit, qui recte faciet; qui non faciet, non erit".
Sit ergo consilio prudentissimus, in sermone nunc, ut poscit ratio, terribilis, saepius vero gratia dulcedinis affabilis, victor libidinis, victor superbiae atque vesanae ferocitatis, amicus bonorum, inimicus tyrannorum, hostis criminum, hostis viciorum, in bello cautissimus, in pace constantissimus, fidelibus promissionibus probatissimus, divina humanis praeponens, subiectos deterrens a malo, invitans ad bona, remunerans copia, indulgentia liberans, ex malis bonos, ex bonis faciens optimos. Sit sanctus et utilis rei publicae, clementia commendabilis, omni bonitate conspicuus, pietate, fortitudine, castitate, iustitia praeclarus, vir optimus et apice principali dignissimus, Dei timorem semper prae oculis habens, et secundum Omnipotentis decreta iusta perpensans iudicia, qui dat salutem regibus et omnia quaecumque vult facit in caelo et in terra et in omni creatura, quia ipse est dominus omnium, cui omne genu flectit caelestium, terrestrium et infernorum, in cuius manu est omnis potestas in caelo et in terra, qui est rex regum et spes gloriae iuste et pie dominantium.
Qui regit affectus animi, rex iure vocatur Et, fluxas carnis qui domat illecebras. Quamvis, qui fulvum superat virtute leonem, Rex teneat clarum laudis honore locum. Sed plus est laudum fastus calcare superbos, Iram ceu rabidam mitificare feram. Magnus et ille fuit saevos qui triverit hostes, Lauriger ac victor clara trophea refert; Gloria sed maior comptum caelestibus armis Hostes aereos vincere posse ducem. Est magis imperium mentem frenare per artem, Quam si quis habeat triplicis orbis opes; Nam templum Domini iusti mens regia fulget, Fit thronus excelsi iudicis ipsa dei. Comitur illa domus flavo speciosior auro, Iustitiae solem gaudet habere suum.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Phil.2.10 — so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- ↩Ps.144.10 — who gives victory to kings, who rescues his servant David from the evil sword
- ↩Rev.19.16;1Tim.6.15 — And on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords. 1Tim.6.15 — which he will display in his own time—the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of those who reign and Lord of those who rule.
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