The illustrious Hugo Grotius Of the law of warre and peace with annotations, III parts, and memorials of the author's life and death.

CVII. Against wars, which have not justisick causes, or not truly such.

BUt the greatest part of those that go to war have suasory causes, and those, ei∣ther without justifick causes, or with them. Some care not at all for justisick

causes: of whom that may be said, which is in the Roman Lawyers, He is a Rob∣ber * 1.1, who being asked of the cause of pos∣sessing, brings no other, but that he doth possess. Aristotle, of those that perswade to war: Men, that oftentimes regard not at all, whether it be just or no, to subdue their harmless neighbours. Such a one † 1.2 was Brennus, who said, Let the strongest * 1.3 take all. Such a one was Annibal in Si∣lius, Whose right was his sword. Such also was Attila; and such are all, that use these words:

No matter how the war begins, If we can bring it to our ends.

To these men, you may fitly apply that of Augustin: To wage war against the neerest, and thence march on to others, and out of a desire of rule to conquer Nation•…•… that provoke you not, what is it to be na∣med, but Great Robbery? In Cicero * 1.4 we read: The height of mind, which is disco∣verd in dangers and labours, if it want ju∣stice, is so far from vertue, that 'tis ra∣ther immanity † 1.5, and an enemy to all hu∣manity. Andronicus Rhodius; Who, for to gain much, receive whence they ought not, these are call'd evil, impious and unjust;

such as are tyrants * 1.6, and the Plunderers of Cities. Others do allege causes, as it were, justifick; which being weighed in the scale of right reason are found unjust: and it appears, as Livy speaks, not a con∣tention about right, but an offer of vio∣lence. Many Kings, saith * 1.7 Plutarch, use the two names of Peace and war, not to that which is just, but to that which is expedient.

Notes

• * 1.1

  L. pro haerede. sect. ult. & seq. leg. D. de haered petit Ta∣lis Herulorum in Longobardos, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, bellum sine praetexiu.
• † 1.2

  Talis Silio Annibal, cui—pro faedere, pro{que} Justitia est ensis. Talis Attila, & qui∣bus illud in ore est, Quaeritur belli exitus, Non causa. Et: Haec acies vi∣ctum factura nocentem est. Et: In sumnia fo tuna, id ae∣quius quod va∣lidius.
• * 1.3

  Galli apud Livium 5. in armis •…•…e jus ferre, & omnia fortiu•…•… viro∣rum est. Lib. 4. de Civi•…•…. Dei c. 6 De •…•…alib. bellis Velleius: Bella non causis ini∣ta, sed prour eorum me ces suit.
• * 1.4

  Offic. 1.
• † 1.5

  Agathias lib. 2. Qui vero aut lu∣cri causa aut caeco odio, nullam habentes justam querelam, alienas terras inva •…•…unt, innoxiis noxii, hi homines sunt & superbi & improbi. Exemplum nobis dat illustre Menander Protector: Baja∣nus Avarorum Chaganus, nulla occasione aut obtentu, ne cona∣tu•…•… quidem causam vel falsam contra Romanos Comminisci, in∣verecunde plane{que} barbarum in morem exuit pacta.
• * 1.6

  Bene Philo ad Decalo∣gum: Qui ve∣ro furum vires nacti sunt, hi to∣tas praedantur urbes, paenarum securi, quod su∣pra leges emi∣nere videantur. Tales sunt homines ingenio minime civili, dominatuum & potentatus avidi, magna surta committentes, qui puleris nominibus magistratuum & imperiorum id obtegunt quod verius latrocinium ap∣pelletur.
• * 1.7

  Pyrrho.