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How the Romans gave the Commanders of their armies free and large Commissions.
I Think it fit for him (that by reading of Li∣vies story would make advantage thereof) wel to consider all the waies of the people and Senate of Romes proceedings: and among other things that merite consideration, his is one, to see with what authority they sent forth their Con∣suls, Dictators, & Commanders of armies, which we see was very great, and the Senate reserved
thing else to themselves, but a power to make new wars, and to confirme peace, but they referred every thing else to the arbitrement and power of the Consul: for when the people and the Senate had once resolved on the war, (as for example sake against the Latines) they left all the rest to the Consuls discretion, who had free power either to fight a batttel, or to leave it, and to besiege either this, or any o∣ther town else as he pleas'd. Which things by many examples are verified, and especially by that which fell out in an expedition against the Tuscans: for Fabius the Consul having over∣come them near unto Sutrium, and intending with his army to pass the wood Cimina, and go into Tuscany, he did not onely not advise with the Senate, but gave them no notice at all of it, though he was to make the war in a new countrey full of doubts and dangers: which is witnessed by a resolution of the Se∣nate taken directly against this very course; who having understood of the victory Fabius had gotten, and doubting he would venture to pass the said woods into Tuscany, thinking it would be well not to try that war, nor ruin that hazzard, sent two Deputies unto Fabius, to give him notice, they would not have him pass into Tuscany: who came thither, when he had already past, and gotten the victory, and in liew of hindring the war, they returned Ambassadors of his conquest and victory gotten. And whosoever considers these termes, will find them discreetly used: for if the Senate would have had the Consull to proceed on forwards in the war, onely as they gave him order, they had made him less circumspect,
and slower in his actions: for he would have thought, that the glory of the victory had not bin wholly his, but that the Senate had parti∣cipated with him, by whose counse he had bin governed. Besides this, the Senate then obliged themselves to advise in things they could not have the means to understand. For, notwithstanding than among them there were men exceedingly well experienced in the wars, yet being they were not upon the place, and therefore ignorant of very many particu∣lars, which are needfull for him to know that will advise well, by interposing their Coun∣cell, they would have committed many errors. And for this cause they suffered the Consul to do all of himself, and that the glory thereof should be entirely his, the love of which they thought would provoke and encourage him to do well. I have the more willingly marked this place, because I see that the Republiques now adayes, as the Venetian and the Floren∣tine, understand it not so: and if their Com∣manders, Proveditours, and Commissioners are to plant any battery, they will know it first, and advise thereupon. Which course deserves the same praise the others do, which altoge∣ther have brought them into those miseries they now suffer.