V. Nor if the things be of no use in War.
Fourthly, there are some things of so innocent a Nature, that they neither cause a War, nor prolong it; which things, though the War continue, yet common reason should perswade us to spare. Thus do the Rhodians plead with Demetrius, who in mere envy had besieged their City, and threatned to burn it for that exquisite piece of Art, the Picture of Jalysus drawn by Protogenes,* 1.1 as it is recited by Aulus Gellius, whose words sound to this sense, What reason (say they) canst thou give for destroying so famous a Pi∣cture, by firing the house wherein it is? If thou canst conquer us, the whole City, together with that Picture safe and unblemished, will by thine own; but if thou fail in that design, con∣sider what a dishonour it will be to thee, when it shall be said, that although thou couldst not conquer the Rhodians,* 1.2 yet thou hadst made War against Protogenes a dead Painter. Poly∣bius thought it an Act of the highest madness to seek to destroy those things, which being destroyed weakned not the Enemy, nor brought any advantage to those that de∣stroyed them;* 1.3 such as are Churches, Statues, Schools, and Religious Houses. Cicero highly extols Marcellus for the care he took to preserve all the fair Buildings in Syracuse, both publick and private, Quasi ad ea defendenda cum exercitu non expugnanda venisset; As if he had been sent with his Army to defend the City and not to take it. And a little after he gives this reason, Our Ancestors did ever leave unto the Conquered such things as to them were pleasant, but to the Conquerours of no great use or benefit.