第8页 / 共310页

Upon this, one has to remark that men ought either to be well

treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter

injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury

that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one

does not stand in fear of revenge.

But in maintaining armed men there in place of colonies one

spends much more, having to consume on the garrison all the

income from the state, so that the acquisition turns into a loss,

and many more are exasperated, because the whole state is

injured; through the shifting of the garrison up and down all

become acquainted with hardship, and all become hostile, and they

are enemies who, whilst beaten on their own ground, are yet able

to do hurt. For every reason, therefore, such guards are as

useless as a colony is useful.