# CHAPTER XXIII.—_That in chastising their Subjects when circumstances required it the Romans always avoided half-measures._

“Such _was now the state of affairs in Latium, that peace and war
seemed alike intolerable_.” No worse calamity can befall a prince or
commonwealth than to be reduced to such straits that they can neither
accept peace nor support war; as is the case with those whom it would
ruin to conclude peace on the terms offered, while war obliges them
either to yield themselves a spoil to their allies, or remain a prey to
their foes. To this grievous alternative are men led by evil counsels
and unwise courses, and, as already said, from not rightly measuring
their strength. For the commonwealth or prince who has rightly measured
his strength, can hardly be brought so low as were the Latins, who made
war with the Romans when they should have made terms, and made terms
when they should have made war, and so mismanaged everything that the
friendship and the enmity of Rome were alike fatal. Whence it came
that, in the first place, they were defeated and broken by Manlius
Torquatus, and afterwards utterly subdued by Camillus; who, when he had
forced them to surrender at discretion to the Roman arms, and had
placed garrisons in all their towns, and taken hostages from all,
returned to Rome and reported to the senate that the whole of Latium
now lay at their mercy.

And because the sentence then passed by the senate is memorable, and
worthy to be studied by princes that it may be imitated by them on like
occasion, I shall cite the exact words which Livius puts into the mouth
of Camillus, as confirming what I have already said touching the
methods used by the Romans to extend their power, and as showing how in
chastising their subjects they always avoided half-measures and took a
decided course. For government consists in nothing else than in so
controlling your subjects that it shall neither be in their power nor
for their interest to harm you. And this is effected either by making
such sure work with them as puts it out of their power to do you
injury, or else by so loading them with benefits that it would be folly
in them to seek to alter their condition. All which is implied first in
the measures proposed by Camillus, and next in the resolutions passed
on these proposals by the senate. The words of Camillus were as
follows: “_The immortal gods have made you so entirely masters in the
matter you are now considering, that_ _it lies with you to pronounce
whether Latium shall or shall not longer exist. So far as the Latins
are concerned, you can secure a lasting peace either by clemency or by
severity. Would you deal harshly with those whom you have conquered and
who have given themselves into your hands, you can blot out the whole
Latin nation. Would you, after the fashion of our ancestors, increase
the strength of Rome by admitting the vanquished to the rights of
citizenship, here you have opportunity to do so, and with the greatest
glory to yourselves. That, assuredly, is the strongest government which
they rejoice in who obey it. Now, then, is your time, while the minds
of all are bent on what is about to happen, to obtain an ascendency
over them, either by punishment or by benefits._”

Upon this motion the senate resolved, in accordance with the advice
given by the consul, to take the case of each city separately, and
either destroy utterly or else treat with tenderness all the more
important of the Latin towns. To those cities they dealt with
leniently, they granted exemptions and privileges, conferring upon them
the rights of citizenship, and securing their welfare in every
particular. The others they razed to the ground, and planting colonies
in their room, either removed the inhabitants to Rome, or so scattered
and dispersed them that neither by arms nor by counsels was it ever
again in their power to inflict hurt. For, as I have said already, the
Romans never, in matters of moment, resorted to half-measures. And the
sentence which they then pronounced should be a pattern for all rulers,
and ought to have been followed by the Florentines when, in the year
1502, Arezzo and all the Val di Chiana rose in revolt. For had they
followed it, they would have established their authority on a surer
footing, and added much to the greatness of their city by securing for
it those lands which are needed to supply it with the necessaries of
life. But pursuing that half-hearted policy which is most mischievous
in executing justice, some of the Aretines they outlawed, some they
condemned to death, and all they deprived of their dignities and
ancient importance in their town, while leaving the town itself
untouched. And if in the councils then held any Florentine recommended
that Arezzo should be dismantled, they who thought themselves wiser
than their fellows objected, that to do so would be little to the
honour of our republic, since it would look as though she lacked
strength to hold it. Reasons like this are of a sort which seem sound,
but are not really so; for, by the same rule, no parricide should be
put to death, nor any other malefactor, however atrocious his crimes;
because, forsooth, it would be discreditable to the ruler to appear
unequal to the control of a single criminal. They who hold such
opinions fail to see that when men individually, or entire cities
collectively, offend against the State, the prince for his own safety,
and as a warning to others, has no alternative but to make an end of
them; and that true honour lies in being able and in knowing how to
chastise such offenders, and not in incurring endless dangers in the
effort to retain them. For the prince who does not chastise offenders
in a way that puts it out of their power to offend again, is accounted
unwise or worthless.

How necessary it was for the Romans to execute Justice against the
Latins, is further seen from the course took with the men of Privernum.
And here the text of Livius suggests two points for our attention:
first, as already noted, that a subjugated people is either to be
caressed or crushed; and second, how much it is for our advantage to
maintain a manly bearing, and to speak the truth fearlessly in the
presence of the wise. For the senate being met to determine the fate of
the citizens of Privernum, who after rebelling had been reduced to
submission by the Roman arms, certain of these citizens were sent by
their countrymen to plead for pardon. When these had come into the
presence of the senate, one of them was asked by a senator, “_What
punishment he thought his fellow citizens deserved?_” To which he of
Privernum answered, “_Such punishment as they deserve who deem
themselves worthy of freedom._” “_But,_” said the consul, “_should we
remit your punishment, what sort of peace can we hope to have with
you?_” To which the other replied, “_If granted on fair terms, a firm
and lasting peace; if on unfair, a peace of brief duration._” Upon
this, though many of the senators were displeased, the wiser among them
declared “_that they had heard the voice of freedom and manhood, and
would never believe that the man or people who so spoke ought to remain
longer than was needful in a position which gave them cause for shame;
since that was a safe peace which was accepted willingly; whereas good
faith could not be looked for where it was sought to impose
servitude._” So saying, they decided that the people of Privernum
should be admitted to Roman citizenship, with all the rights and
privileges thereto appertaining; declaring that “_men whose only
thought was for freedom, were indeed worthy to be Romans._” So pleasing
was this true and high answer to generous minds, while any other must
have seemed at once false and shameful. And they who judge otherwise of
men, and of those men, especially, who have been used to be free, or so
to think themselves, are mistaken; and are led through their mistake to
adopt courses unprofitable for themselves and affording no content to
others. Whence, the frequent rebellions and the downfall of States.

But, returning to our subject, I conclude, as well from this instance
of Privernum, as from the measures followed with the Latins, that when
we have to pass sentence upon powerful States accustomed to live in
freedom, we must either destroy them utterly, or else treat them with
much indulgence; and that any other course we may take with them will
be unprofitable. But most carefully should we avoid, as of all courses
the most pernicious, such half-measures as were followed by the
Samnites when they had the Romans shut up in the Caudine Forks, and
would not listen to the counsels of the old man who urged them either
to send their captives away with every honourable attention, or else
put them all to death; but adopted a middle course, and after disarming
them and making them pass under the yoke, suffered them to depart at
once disgraced and angered. And no long time after, they found to their
sorrow that the old man’s warning was true, and that the course they
had themselves chosen was calamitous; as shall, hereafter, in its place
be shown.