# 23. Upon what Account Camillus was banished from Rome

We have just reached the conclusion that anyone who behaves like Valerius does harm both to his country and to himself, but that if he behaves as Manlius did he helps his country and sometimes harms himself. This is borne out to a large extent by the case of Camillus, whose behaviour was more like that of Manlius than Valerius. Hence Titus Livy says of him that ‘the soldiers both hated and admired his virtue’.

It was his solicitude, his prudence, his magnanimity and the good discipline he maintained in his administration and command of the army, that caused him to be so much admired. It was because he was more severe in chastizing than generous in rewarding that he came to be hated. For this hatred Titus Livy ascribes the following reasons. First, he assigned the money which had been obtained from the sale of goods taken from the Veientes, to the public use, instead of distributing it with the booty. Secondly, at his triumph he caused his triumphal chariot to be drawn by four white horses, which they said was due to his pride and to his desire to emulate the Sun. Thirdly, he made a vow to give a tenth part of the Veientian booty to Apollo, and, in order to fulfil this vow, had to deprive the soldiers of booty on which they had already laid their hands.

From this it may clearly and easily be seen what kind of thing makes a prince odious to his people. Of such things the chief is to deprive them of what they value. This is a matter of considerable importance because, when a man is deprived of something which possesses intrinsic value, he never forgets it, and you are reminded of it every time you in any way need it; and, since such need is of daily occurrence, you are reminded of it every day. The other thing is to be proud and puffed up in your bearing; than which nothing is more odious to the populace, especially when that populace is free. And even should this pride and ostentation cause them no inconvenience, they none the less hate him who displays it. Hence a ruler should avoid this as he would a rock, for to draw hatred down on your head without deriving thence any profit is an extremely rash and in no wise a prudent policy.





Book Three



[DISCOURSES 24–30]


[Internal Security]