Among the Iberians, a warlike nation, the number of
enemies whom a man has slain is indicated by the number of obelisks
which are fixed in the earth round his tomb; and there are numerous
practices among other nations of a like kind, some of them established
by law and others by custom. Yet to a reflecting mind it must appear
very strange that the statesman should be always considering how he
can dominate and tyrannize over others, whether they will or not.
How can that which is not even lawful be the business of the statesman
or the legislator? Unlawful it certainly is to rule without regard
to justice, for there may be might where there is no right. The
other arts and sciences offer no parallel a physician is not
expected to persuade or coerce his patients, nor a pilot the
passengers in his ship. Yet most men appear to think that the art of
despotic government is statesmanship, and what men affirm to be unjust
and inexpedient in their own case they are not ashamed of practicing
towards others; they demand just rule for themselves, but where
other men are concerned they care nothing about it. Such behavior is
irrational; unless the one party is, and the other is not, born to
serve, in which case men have a right to command, not indeed all their
fellows, but only those who are intended to be subjects; just as we
ought not to hunt mankind, whether for food or sacrifice, but only the
animals which may be hunted for food or sacrifice, this is to say,
such wild animals as are eatable.
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