Seite 116 von 310

[1] Philopoemen, "the last of the Greeks," born 252 B.C., died

183 B.C.

But to exercise the intellect the prince should read histories,

and study there the actions of illustrious men, to see how they

have borne themselves in war, to examine the causes of their

victories and defeat, so as to avoid the latter and imitate the

former; and above all do as an illustrious man did, who took as

an exemplar one who had been praised and famous before him, and

whose achievements and deeds he always kept in his mind, as it is

said Alexander the Great imitated Achilles, Caesar Alexander,

Scipio Cyrus. And whoever reads the life of Cyrus, written by

Xenophon, will recognize afterwards in the life of Scipio how

that imitation was his glory, and how in chastity, affability,

humanity, and liberality Scipio conformed to those things which

have been written of Cyrus by Xenophon.