De clementia
The Royal Virtue of Clemency
The author establishes clemency as the foundational virtue that secures a king's throne and brings life to his people.
Remember that you must exercise zeal for what is right in such a way that you don't abandon the duty of humility and clemency. Listen to what is written: "Clemency prepares life, and the pursuit of evil prepares death." For it is not a virtue to take lightly, but one to seek with all your strength and hold firmly—the virtue that prepares immortal and eternal life for us. For you must not arrange everything with a turbulent spirit, but with clemency. So even if you gleam with gold and purple, you must not cast off the clemency that humility requires; even if you shine with royal splendor, don't step away from humble clemency; even if throngs of people surround you, still hold to devout clemency—for it is a royal virtue, and the guardian of good kings.1 For by guarding it, their children will be kept safe, and their throne will be made firm. For so it is written: "Mercy and truth guard the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency."✦2 For it is clemency that makes peoples serve the king with glad hearts; it is clemency that most delightfully lights up the king's face, as Solomon says: "In the brightness of the king's face is life; his clemency is like a late rain."✦
The Joy of a Merciful Household
Clemency is presented as the source of warmth, joy, and love within the royal palace, serving as a model for the king's personal conduct.
She is the one who brings delight and joy to everyone in the king's palace; she multiplies generous gifts for all the king's children; she gladdens the little ones, the young, and the old alike; she sets the children running happily through every corner of the palace; she gives kisses to some and embraces to most. So then, most clement king, I want the virtue of clemency to keep shining continually on your face as well—the virtue that brings joy to everyone and love to everyone.
Read the original Latin
Memento quia sic debes exercere rectitudinis zelum, ut humilitatis atque clementiae non relinquas officium. Audi quod scriptum est: Clementia praeparat vitam: et sectatio malorum, mortem. Non enim parvipendenda est, sed summopere quaerenda, firmiterque tenenda virtus, quae nobis immortalem et aeternam praeparat vitam. Non enim turbulento animo, sed cum clementia debes disponere cuncta. Quamvis ergo auro nitescas et purpura, humilitatis non debes abjicere clementiam; quamvis regali cultu resplendeas, ab humilitatis clementia non recedas; quamvis populorum sis circumdatus multitudine, tu tamen piam clementiam tene: regalis enim virtus est, et bonorum regum custos est. Illam enim custodiendo, illorum proles servabitur, et thronus illorum solidabitur. Sic enim scriptum est: Misericordia et veritas cusiodiunt regem, et roboratur clementia thronus ejus. Ipsa est enim quae laetos regi facit servire populos: ipsa est quae jucundissime regis facit hilarescere vultum, sicut Salomon ait: In hilaritate vultus regis, vita: clementia ejus sicut imber serotinus.
Ipsa est quae omnibus in palatio regis jucunditatem ministrat atque laetitiam; ipsa est quae cunctis pueris regis larga dona multiplicat; ipsa est quae parvulos et juvenes senesque laetificat; ipsa est quae per cunctos palatii angulos laetos facit discurrere natos; ipsa est quae nonnullis oscula, plerisque ministrat amplexus. Volo ergo, clementissime rex, ut et in tuo jugiter vultu resplendeat clementiae virtus, quae cunctis laetitiam cunctisque ministret amorem.
Scripture echoes
Notes
Via Regia (The Royal Road) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit