ing a matter that deserves attention, because in deceiving
themselves men often injure their country, I desire to illustrate it by
particular instances, ancient and recent, since mere argument might not
place it in so clear a light.

After routing the Romans at Cannae, Hannibal sent messengers to Carthage
to announce his victory, and to ask support. A debate arising in the
Carthaginian senate as to what was to be done, Hanno, an aged and wise
citizen, advised that they should prudently take advantage of their
victory to make peace with the Romans, while as conquerors they might
have it on favourable terms, and not wait to make it after a defeat;
since it should be their object to show the Romans that they were strong
enough to fight them, but not to peril the victory they had won in
the hope of winning a greater. This advice was not followed by the
Carthaginian senate, but its wisdom was well seen later, when the
opportunity to act upon it was gone.

When the whole East had been overrun by Alexander of Macedon, the
citizens of Tyre (then at the height of its renown, and very strong from
being built, like Venice, in the sea), recognizing his greatness, sent
ambassadors to him to say that they desired to be his good servants, and
to yield him all obedience, yet could not consent to receive either him
or his soldiers within their walls. Whereupon, Alexander, displeased
that a single city should venture to close its gates against him to whom
all the rest of the world had thrown theirs open, repulsed the Tyrians,
and rejecting their overtures set to work to besiege their town. But as
it stood on the water, and was well stored with victual and all other
munitions needed for its defence, after four months had gone, Alexander,
perceiving that he was wasting more time in an inglorious attempt to
reduce this one city than had sufficed for most of his other conquests,
resolved to offer terms to the Tyrians, and to make them those
concessions which they themselves had asked. But they, puffed up by
their success, not merely refused the terms offered, but put to death
the envoy sent to propose them. Enraged by this, Alexander renewed the
siege, and with such vigour, that he took and destroyed the city, and
either slew or made slaves of its inhabitants.

In the year 1512, a Spanish army entered the Florentine territory, with
the object of restoring the Medici to Florence, and of levying a subsidy
from the town; having been summoned