His conduct
should be the very reverse of nearly everything which has been said
before about tyrants. He ought to adorn and improve his city, as
though he were not a tyrant, but the guardian of the state. Also he
should appear to be particularly earnest in the service of the Gods;
for if men think that a ruler is religious and has a reverence for the
Gods, they are less afraid of suffering injustice at his hands, and
they are less disposed to conspire against him, because they believe
him to have the very Gods fighting on his side. At the same time his
religion must not be thought foolish. And he should honor men of
merit, and make them think that they would not be held in more honor
by the citizens if they had a free government. The honor he should
distribute himself, but the punishment should be inflicted by officers
and courts of law. It is a precaution which is taken by all monarchs
not to make one person great; but if one, then two or more should be
raised, that they may look sharply after one another. If after all
some one has to be made great, he should not be a man of bold
spirit; for such dispositions are ever most inclined to strike. And if
any one is to be deprived of his power, let it be diminished
gradually, not taken from him all at once. The tyrant should abstain
from all outrage; in particular from personal violence and from wanton
conduct towards the young.
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