When Veii fell, the commons of Rome took up the notion that it would be to the advantage of their city were half their number to go and dwell there. For they argued\u00a0that as Veii lay in a fertile country and was a well-built city, a moiety of the Roman\u00a0people might in this way be enriched; while, by reason of its vicinity to Rome, the
\nmanagement of civil affairs would in no degree be affected. To the senate, however,\u00a0and the wiser among the citizens, the scheme appeared so rash and mischievous that\u00a0they publicly declared they would die sooner than consent to it. The controversy\u00a0continuing, the commons grew so inflamed against the senate that violence and\u00a0bloodshed must have ensued; had not the senate for their protection put forward\u00a0certain old and esteemed citizens, respect for whom restrained the populace and put a\u00a0stop to their violence.<\/p>\n
Two points are here to be noted. First, that a people deceived by a false show of\u00a0advantage will often labour for its own destruction; and, unless convinced by some\u00a0one whom it trusts, that the course on which it is bent is pernicious, and that some\u00a0other is to be preferred, will bring infinite danger and injury upon the State. And \u00a0should it so happen, as sometimes is the case, that from having been deceived before,\u00a0either by men or by events, there is none in whom the people trust, their ruin is\u00a0inevitable. As to which Dante, in his treatise “De Monarchia,” observes that the
\npeople will often raise the cry, “Flourish our death and perish our life.” From\u00a0which distrust it arises that often in republics the right course is not followed; as\u00a0when Venice, as has been related, on being attacked by many enemies, could not,\u00a0until her ruin was complete, resolve to make friends with any one of them by\u00a0restoring those territories she had taken from them, on account of which war had\u00a0been declared and a league of princes formed against her.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In considering what courses it is easy, and what it is difficult to persuade a people to\u00a0follow, this distinction may be drawn: Either what you would persuade them to,\u00a0presents on the face of it a semblance of gain or loss, or it seems a spirited course or\u00a0a base one. When any proposal submitted to the people holds out promise of\u00a0advantage, or seems to them a spirited course to take, though loss lie hid behind, nay, though the ruin of their country be involved in it, they will always be easily led to\u00a0adopt it; whereas it will always be difficult to persuade the adoption of such courses
\nas wear the appearance of disgrace or loss, even though safety and advantage be\u00a0bound up with them. The truth of what I say is confirmed by numberless examples\u00a0both Roman and foreign, modern and ancient. Hence grew the ill opinion entertained\u00a0in Rome of Fabius Maximus, who could never persuade the people that it behoved\u00a0them to proceed warily in their conflict with Hannibal, and withstand his onset\u00a0without fighting. For this the people thought a base course, not discerning the\u00a0advantage resulting from it, which Fabius could by no argument make plain to them.\u00a0And so blinded are men in favour of what seems a spirited course, that although the\u00a0Romans had already committed the blunder of permitting Varro, master of the\u00a0knights to Fabius, to join battle contrary to the latter’s desire, whereby the army must\u00a0have been destroyed had not Fabius by his prudence saved it, this lesson was not
\nenough; for afterwards they appointed this Varro to be consul, for no other reason\u00a0than that he gave out, in the streets and market-places, that he would make an end of\u00a0Hannibal as soon as leave was given him to do so. Whence came the battle and\u00a0defeat of Cann\u00e6, and well-nigh the destruction of Rome.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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\nDISCOURSES ON LIVY<\/strong><\/em>
\nNicolo Machiavelli<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n