The works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel, citizen and secretary of Florence written originally in Italian, and from thence newly and faithfully translated into English.

CHAP. III.

It contributed much to the grandeur of the City of Rome, that they ruined the neighbouring Cities, and admitted strangers to their own dignities and priviledges.

CRescit interea Roma, Albae ruinis; The ruine of Alba was the rise of the Romans. 'Twas the saying of Livy, and 'tis true; for who-ever would make any City great, and apt for dominion, must endeavour with all industry to throng it with inhabitants, otherwise it will be impossible to bring it to any great perfection. And this is done two ways, by love and by force: the first by giving passage and security to all persons that will come and in∣habit there, that every man shall be free; the second by destroying the neighbour Cities, and forcing the people to come and dwell in yours. The Romans observed both ways, and grew so numerous upon it, that in the time of their sixth King they had 80000 men in the Town able to bear Arms, proceeding in some respects like the Country-man, who to make his plant larger, and more fruitful, cuts off its first shoots, that the juyce and virtue which otherwise would dilate into the branches, being kept close to the trunk, might break out with more vigor afterwards, and make it more beautiful and fertile. And that this way is necessary for the propagation of the strength and authority of a City, appears by the example of Athens and Sparta, which Cities, though they were both free, numerous in Men, and happy in their Laws; yet they could never arrive at the grandeur of the Ro∣mans, though Rome seemed more tumultuous, and not so well governed as they, and all for the reason abovesaid: for Rome having by both those ways encreased the number of their Citizens, was able to set out an Army at one time of 280000 men, whereas Sparta and Athens could never exceed 20000. which is not to be attributed to the excellence of the situation of Rome; but to the diversity of their Conduct; for Lycurgus the Founder of the Spartan Commonwealth, conceiving nothing could be more pernitious to it, nor more easily abro∣gate his Laws, than intermixing with new inhabitants, he provided with all possible in∣dustry that his Citizens should have no commerce or conversation with strangers. To

that end he not only prohibited the admission of foreigners, and their marrying with them, but that there might be no encouragement or occasion of entercourse betwixt them, he put out a certain Mony of Leather, so pitifully inconsiderable, that he presumed no Mer∣chants would trouble themselves to import any foreign Commodities for it; by which means that City was never in a capacity of being very populous: And because all human affairs do hold some proportion and analogy with Nature; and it is impossible that a slen∣der trunk, should bear vast and ponderous branches, it is not to be expected that a small Commonwealth consisting of a small number of Citizens, should subdue, or at least keep and maintain greater and more populous States than themselves; and if it should happen that they should conquer them at any time, upon every slight accident they would be sub∣ject to lose them, like the tree it would be too weak for its boughs, and every puff of wind apt to blow it down. And thus it fell out with Sparta, though it had conquered all Greece, made it self absolute thorow that whole Province; yet Thebes no sooner rebelled, but all the rest of the Cities revolted, and having lost its great Empire in a moment, it remained like a Tree destitute of its Branches. But with Rome it was otherwise, its Root and Trunk was strong enough to support its Branches how heavy and spacious soever; and this was the great cause of the greatness of the Roman Empire, which Livy expressed in two words, when he said, Crescit interea Roma, Alvae ruinis.