Pagina 67 di 310

Some may wonder how it can happen that Agathocles, and his like,

after infinite treacheries and cruelties, should live for long

secure in his country, and defend himself from external enemies,

and never be conspired against by his own citizens; seeing that

many others, by means of cruelty, have never been able even in

peaceful times to hold the state, still less in the doubtful

times of war. I believe that this follows from severities[2]

being badly or properly used. Those may be called properly used,

if of evil it is possible to speak well, that are applied at one

blow and are necessary to one's security, and that are not

persisted in afterwards unless they can be turned to the

advantage of the subjects. The badly employed are those which,

notwithstanding they may be few in the commencement, multiply

with time rather than decrease. Those who practise the first

system are able, by aid of God or man, to mitigate in some degree

their rule, as Agathocles did.