Quod utilius est multitudinem hominum simul viventium regi per unum quam per plures
The Purpose of Rule
The ruler's proper aim is the safety of the people, which consists in preserving the unity of peace, and this goal itself is not open to deliberation.
Given what's just been laid out, we need to ask what's more beneficial for a province or a city-state: to be ruled by many or by one. This can be considered from the very purpose of governance itself. For the intention of any ruler ought to be directed toward this: that he secure the safety of the people he has undertaken to govern. For it belongs to a helmsman to steer the ship, guarding it against the dangers of the sea, and bring it unharmed to the harbor of safety. But the good and safety of a gathered community lies in this: that its unity — which is called peace — be preserved; and once that is removed, the benefit of social life perishes, and instead a community at odds with itself becomes a burden. This, then, is what a ruler of the community should especially focus on: securing the unity of peace. Nor does one deliberate rightly about whether to bring peace to the community subject to him, any more than a physician does about whether to heal the sick person entrusted to him. No one ought to deliberate about the goal they ought to aim at, but about the means that lead to that goal.
One Is More Fit Than Many
Because the effectiveness of rule is measured by its preservation of peace, and what is one by nature produces unity more effectively than many, rule by one is more useful than rule by several.
For this reason the apostle, commending the unity of the faithful people, says: 'Be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.'✦ The more effective a rule is at keeping peace in unity, the more useful it is. We say something is more useful because it leads more to the end. But it's clear that what is one through itself can bring about unity more than several can. Just as the most effective cause of heating is what is hot through itself. Therefore the rule of one is more useful than that of several. Furthermore, it's clear that several would in no way keep a multitude together if they completely disagreed. For among several a certain union is needed so that they may in some way be able to rule: since many would not pull a ship toward one part unless they were joined together in some way.
Nature Points to One
In every natural order — from the body's members to the soul's powers, from bees to the whole universe — rule originates in one, and since every multitude derives from one, natural governance confirms the superiority of single rule.
Now many things are said to be united through their approach to one. Therefore one rules better than many, because they all draw near to the one. Furthermore, those things that belong to nature hold together best; for in each individual nature produces what is best. Every natural rule, then, comes from one. For in the multitude of limbs there is one thing that moves them all — the heart — and in the parts of the soul one power presides above the rest: reason. There is also one king among bees, and in the whole universe one God — maker and ruler of all things. And this is reasonable. For every multitude is derived from one.
Art Imitates Nature
Since art imitates nature, the best condition for a human multitude is to be governed by one, as confirmed by the dissensions of divided provinces and the peace, justice, and prosperity enjoyed under a single king, and as promised by God through the prophets.
So if the things that belong to art imitate the things that belong to nature, and a work of art is all the better the more closely it achieves a likeness to what is found in nature, then it's necessary that the best condition for a human multitude is to be governed by one person. This is also clear from experience. For provinces or states that are not governed by one person suffer from dissensions and fluctuate without peace, so that what the Lord complains of through the prophet seems to be fulfilled: 'Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard.'✦ On the other hand, provinces and states that are governed under one king rejoice in peace, flourish in justice, and delight in an abundance of resources. That is why the Lord, as a great gift, promises through the prophets to his people that he would set one head for himself, and that one ruler would be in their midst.
Read the original Latin
His autem praemissis requirere oportet quid provinciae vel civitati magis expedit: utrum a pluribus regi, vel uno. Hoc autem considerari potest ex ipso fine regiminis. Ad hoc enim cuiuslibet regentis ferri debet intentio, ut eius quod regendum suscepit salutem procuret. Gubernatoris enim est, navem contra maris pericula servando, illaesam perducere ad portum salutis. Bonum autem et salus consociatae multitudinis est ut eius unitas conservetur, quae dicitur pax, qua remota, socialis vitae perit utilitas, quinimmo multitudo dissentiens sibi ipsi sit onerosa. Hoc igitur est ad quod maxime rector multitudinis intendere debet, ut pacis unitatem procuret. Nec recte consiliatur, an pacem faciat in multitudine sibi subiecta, sicut medicus, an sanet infirmum sibi commissum. Nullus enim consiliari debet de fine quem intendere debet, sed de his quae sunt ad finem.
Propterea apostolus commendata fidelis populi unitate: solliciti, inquit, sitis servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis. Quanto igitur regimen efficacius fuerit ad unitatem pacis servandam, tanto erit utilius. Hoc enim utilius dicimus, quod magis perducit ad finem. Manifestum est autem quod unitatem magis efficere potest quod est per se unum, quam plures. Sicut efficacissima causa est calefactionis quod est per se calidum. Utilius igitur est regimen unius, quam plurium. Amplius, manifestum est quod plures multitudinem nullo modo conservant, si omnino dissentirent. Requiritur enim in pluribus quaedam unio ad hoc, quod quoquo modo regere possint: quia nec multi navem in unam partem traherent, nisi aliquo modo coniuncti.
Uniri autem dicuntur plura per appropinquationem ad unum. Melius igitur regit unus quam plures ex eo quod appropinquant ad unum. Adhuc: ea, quae sunt ad naturam, optime se habent: in singulis enim operatur natura, quod optimum est. Omne autem naturale regimen ab uno est. In membrorum enim multitudine unum est quod omnia movet, scilicet cor; et in partibus animae una vis principaliter praesidet, scilicet ratio. Est etiam apibus unus rex, et in toto universo unus Deus factor omnium et rector. Et hoc rationabiliter. Omnis enim multitudo derivatur ab uno.
Quare si ea quae sunt secundum artem, imitantur ea quae sunt secundum naturam, et tanto magis opus artis est melius, quanto magis assequitur similitudinem eius quod est in natura, necesse est quod in humana multitudine optimum sit quod per unum regatur. Hoc etiam experimentis apparet. Nam provinciae vel civitates quae non reguntur ab uno, dissensionibus laborant et absque pace fluctuant, ut videatur adimpleri quod dominus per prophetam conqueritur, dicens: pastores multi demoliti sunt vineam meam. E contrario vero provinciae et civitates quae sub uno rege reguntur, pace gaudent, iustitia florent, et affluentia rerum laetantur. Unde dominus pro magno munere per prophetas populo suo promittit, quod poneret sibi caput unum, et quod princeps unus erit in medio eorum.
Scripture echoes
On Kingship, to the King of Cyprus (De regno ad regem Cypri) companion
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