Men are haughty,
but by reason of an appointment for a year; how much more then nobles,
that have their honours eternal! But their arrogance is glossed over
with importance, luxury, profusion, and a kind of harmony of vices, and
a certain cultivated folly, and elegant villainy, so that vices, each of
which looked at separately is foul and vile, because it is then most
conspicuous, appear to the inexperienced and untaught honourable and
becoming. "The mob, too, if it is not frightened, inspires no little
fear;" yes, for liberty and slavery are not easily mingled. Lastly, as
for the populace being devoid of truth and judgment, that is nothing
wonderful, since the chief business of the dominion is transacted behind
its back, and it can but make conjectures from the little, which cannot
be hidden. For it is an uncommon virtue to suspend one's judgment. So it
is supreme folly to wish to transact everything behind the backs of the
citizens, and to expect that they will not judge ill of the same, and
will not give everything an unfavourable interpretation. For if the
populace could moderate itself, and suspend its judgment about things
with which it is imperfectly acquainted, or judge rightly of things by
the little it knows already, it would surely be more fit to govern, than
to be governed. But, as we said, all have the same nature. All grow
haughty with rule, and cause fear if they do not feel it, and everywhere
truth is generally transgressed by enemies or guilty people; especially
where one or a few have mastery, and have respect in trials not to
justice or truth, but to amount of wealth.
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