Tully's three books of offices, in English with notes explaining the method and meaning of the author.

CHAP. XXI.

To do any thing Dishonest for the sake of Power and Authority, not Profitable. A most detestable Max∣im of Caesar's. Not Profitable to make himself King in a Free City. The Unhappiness of a Ty∣rant's Life.

AGain, a 1.1 Those who contemn all Justice and Ho∣nesty for the sake of Power, don't they do the same thing that b 1.2 a certain Man did, when he chose to be Son-in-law to none but one, by whose daring Boldness he might encrease his own Authority? He thought it a very great Advantage no question, to en∣large his own Greatness, by drawing Hatred upon a∣nother; but he never consider'd how great a Disservice he did to his Country, and how much Scandal and Discredit he brought upon himself. As for the Father,

he had always a couple of Greek Verses in his Mouth, taken out of c 1.3 Euripides's Tragedy of Phae∣nissae; which I'll endeavour to translate as well as I am able, perhaps it may be aukwardly, but how∣ever so as to make their Sence appear,

If ever we may break the Ties of Right, 'Tis when a Kingdom is the glorious Prize: In other things be strictly Just—

'Twas a villanous thing in d 1.4 Eteocles, or rather in Eu∣ripides indeed, to exempt e 1.5 that one Breach of Right from being criminal, which is certainly of all others the most wicked and detestable. Why do we stop then at Examples of lesser Rogueries, such as ma∣king one's self Heir by Cunning and Spells; Cheats about Buying, Selling, &c? Here's f 1.6 a Man for you, that has made no scruple of desiring to make himself King of the Roman People, and Lord and Governour of the whole Earth; nay, and which is worse, hath accomplish'd his Desire. If any Man call this an honest Ambition, he must be out of his Wits; for he justifies the Subversion of our Laws and Liberties, and counts the most base and detest∣able Oppression of 'em, a virtuous, laudable and glorious Action: But if any Man, confessing that

'tis not Honest, to get the Dominion in that Repub∣lick, which has been and ought to be always free, will yet say, 'Tis Profitable for him that can do it; what Reproofs shall I use, or what Reproaches ra∣ther, to recal such a one from so dangerous an Er∣ror? Good Gods! Can it be suppos'd then ever to be any Man's Interest, by the heinousest and most un∣natural Wickedness upon Earth, to ruin and de∣stroy his own Native Country; tho' perhaps the Man, who is guilty of it, may afterwards be stil'd by his poor oppress'd Citizens, g 1.7 The Father of it? Interest therefore should always be measur'd by Ju∣stice and Honesty, so that these two Words, tho' of different Sounds, should yet be understood to mean one and the same Thing. I know the common People are apt to imagin, that nothing in the World can be better than to Govern; but when I consider the real Truth and Reason of the thing it self, I find on the contrary that nothing can be worse, when People arrive at it by unlawful Means. Can it possibly be Profitable for any Man then, to live in perpetual Cares and Anxieties? to be Day and Night rack'd and tormented with Fears, in a Life full of nothing but Treacheries and Dangers? Ma∣ny are Treacherous and Unfaithful to Kings, says Ac∣cius, and but few are Faithful. But of what sort of Kings did he speak this? Was it not of those, who by lawful Succession had receiv'd the Royal Scepter from h 1.8 Tantalus and Pelops? How many more then must we suppose to be unfaithful to that King, who with an Army of Romans had oppress'd and

enslav'd the Roman People it self? and had forc'd that City, which was not only Free, but even Em∣press of the whole World, to submit her Neck to his tyrannical Yoke? What Uneasiness of Mind must such a one, think you, be continually under? What Wounds and Twitches of Conscience must he needs feel? How, in short, can that Life be an Advantage to any Man, which has this Inconveni∣ence inseparably annex'd to it, that whoever is so happy as to take it away, will obtain the greatest Glory and Good-will from all the World? And if these things, which seem most of all to be Profita∣ble, yet are found to be the contrary when Un∣worthy and Dishonest; this certainly ought to con∣vince us all, That nothing can be Profitable, which is not Honest.

Notes

• a 1.1

  In the last Chapter he shew'd, That no Trick can be Pro∣fitable, if contrary to Honesty and true Prudence, tho' it should procure a Man never so much Honour: Here he shews the same as to Power.
• b 1.2

  Pompey the Great, who chose to be Caesar's Son-in-law, marrying his Daughter Julia.
• c 1.3

  A famous Greek Tragedian, Cotemporary and Rival of Sophocles; very well known by his Plays, which are still (a great many of 'em) extant.
• d 1.4

  A King of Thebes, Brother to Polynices; who were both of 'em Sons of Oedipus by Jocasta his own Mother. They agreed to Reign by turns, and the Elder Eteocles began first, but when his Year was out, would not resign to Polynices. Hence arose a War, in which the two Brothers kill'd one a∣nother. The Verses here quoted agree very well with the Person of Eteocles, who for the sake of Reigning, broke his Faith and Agreement with his Brother.
• e 1.5

  Viz. For the sake of a Kingdom.
• f 1.6

  Julius Caesar.
• g 1.7

  Caesar was call'd so, notwithstanding his Oppressions. See Sueton. chap. 76, 85.
• h 1.8

  King of Phrygia, whom the Poets make Son of Jupiter, and tell us he serv'd his Son Pelops up to Table to the Gods. But they (except Ceres, who eat a Shoulder) abhorring the Banquet, restor'd Pelops to Life, and sent Tantalus into Hell, where he was tormented with Hunger in the midst of Plen∣ty. Pelops afterwards married Hippodamia, Daughter of O Enomaus, and became King of that part of Greece, which afterwards from him was call'd Peloponnesus, now Morea. His Descendants were Atreus, Thyestes, Agamemnon, &c.