of the highest courage, to whom, making
him their head, they tendered obedience. Next arose the knowledge of
such things as are honourable and good, as opposed to those which are
bad and shameful. For observing that when a man wronged his benefactor,
hatred was universally felt for the one and sympathy for the other, and
that the ungrateful were blamed, while those who showed gratitude were
honoured, and reflecting that the wrongs they saw done to others might
be done to themselves, to escape these they resorted to making laws and
fixing punishments against any who should transgress them; and in this
way grew the recognition of Justice. Whence it came that afterwards, in
choosing their rulers, men no longer looked about for the strongest, but
for him who was the most prudent and the most just.

But, presently, when sovereignty grew to be hereditary and no longer
elective, hereditary sovereigns began to degenerate from their
ancestors, and, quitting worthy courses, took up the notion that princes
had nothing to do but to surpass the rest of the world in sumptuous
display and wantonness, and whatever else ministers to pleasure so that
the prince coming to be hated, and therefore to feel fear, and passing
from fear to infliction of injuries, a tyranny soon sprang up.
Forthwith there began movements to overthrow the prince, and plots and
conspiracies against him undertaken not by those who were weak, or
afraid for themselves, but by such as being conspicuous for their birth,
courage, wealth, and station, could not tolerate the shameful life of
the tyrant. The multitude, following the lead of these powerful men,
took up arms against the prince and, he being got rid of, obeyed these
others as their liberators; who, on their part, holding in hatred the
name of sole ruler, formed themselves into a government and at first,
while the recollection of past tyranny was still fresh, observed the
laws they themselves made, and postponing personal advantage to the
common welfare, administered affairs both publicly and privately with
the utmost diligence and zeal. But this government passing, afterwards,
to their descendants who, never having been taught in the school of
Adversity, knew nothing of the vicissitudes of Fortune, these not
choosing to rest content with mere civil equality, but abandoning
themselves to avarice, ambition, and lust, converted, without respect to
civil rights what had been a government of the best into a govern