# CHAPTER XXIII —_Why Camillus was banished from Rome._

CHAPTER XXIII.—_Why Camillus was banished from Rome._


It has been shown above how methods like those of Valerius are hurtful
to the citizen who employs them and to his country, while methods like
those of Manlius are advantageous for a man’s country, though sometimes
they be hurtful to the man himself. This is well seen in the example of
Camillus, whose bearing more nearly resembled that of Manlius than that
of Valerius, so that Titus Livius, in speaking of him, says, “_His
virtues were at once hated and admired by his soldiers._” What gained
him their admiration was his care for their safety, his prudence, his
magnanimity, and the good order he maintained in conducting and
commanding them. What made him hated was his being more stern to punish
than bountiful to reward; and Livius instances the following
circumstances as giving rise to this hatred. First, his having applied
the money got by the sale of the goods of the Veientines to public
purposes, and not divided it along with the rest of the spoils. Second,
his having, on the occasion of his triumph, caused his chariot to be
drawn by four white horses, seeking in his pride, men said, to make
himself the equal of the sun god. And, third, his having vowed to
Apollo a tenth of the Veientine plunder, which, if he was to fulfil his
vow, he had to recover from his soldiers, into whose hands it had
already come.

Herein we may well and readily discern what causes tend to make a
prince hateful to his people; the chief whereof is the depriving them
of some advantage. And this is a matter of much importance. For when a
man is deprived of what is in itself useful, he never forgets it, and
every trifling occasion recalls it to his mind; and because such
occasions recur daily, he is every day reminded of his loss. Another
error which we are here taught to guard against, is the appearing
haughty and proud, than which nothing is more distasteful to a people,
and most of all to a free people; for although such pride and
haughtiness do them no hurt, they nevertheless hold in detestation any
who display these qualities. Every show of pride, therefore, a prince
should shun as he would a rock, since to invite hatred without
resulting advantage were utterly rash and futile.