Strona 352 z 1391

In the early days of his tyranny he smiles and beams upon

everybody; he is not a 'dominus,' no, not he: he has only come to

put an end to debt and the monopoly of land. Having got rid of

foreign enemies, he makes himself necessary to the State by

always going to war. He is thus enabled to depress the poor by

heavy taxes, and so keep them at work; and he can get rid of

bolder spirits by handing them over to the enemy. Then comes

unpopularity; some of his old associates have the courage to

oppose him. The consequence is, that he has to make a purgation

of the State; but, unlike the physician who purges away the bad,

he must get rid of the high-spirited, the wise and the wealthy;

for he has no choice between death and a life of shame and

dishonour. And the more hated he is, the more he will require

trusty guards; but how will he obtain them? 'They will come

flocking like birds-for pay.' Will he not rather obtain them on

the spot?