army it was customary to do. And, since the customs of
that army were good customs, they sufficed to gain him honour, while at
the same time their maintenance cost him no effort, nor threw on him the
burthen of punishing transgressors; as well because there were none who
trangressed, as because had there been any, they would, as I have said,
have imputed their punishment to the ordinary rules of discipline, and
not to the severity of their commander. In this way Valerius had room
to exercise that humane disposition which enabled him at once to gain
influence over his soldiers and to content them. Hence it was that both
these captains obtaining the same obedience, could, while following
different methods, arrive at the same ends. Those, however, who seek to
imitate them may chance to fall into the errors of which I have already
spoken, in connection with Hannibal and Scipio, as breeding contempt
or hatred, and which are only to be corrected by the presence of
extraordinary valour, and not otherwise.

It rests now to determine which of these two methods is the more to be
commended. This, I take it, is matter of dispute, since both methods
have their advocates. Those writers, however, who have laid down rules
for the conduct of princes, describe a character approaching more nearly
to that of Valerius than to that of Manlius; and Xenophon, whom I have
already cited, while giving many instances of the humanity of Cyrus,
conforms closely to what Livius tells us of Valerius. For Valerius being
made consul against the Samnites, on the eve of battle spoke to his men
with the same kindliness with which he always treated them; and Livius,
after telling us what he said, remarks of him: "_Never was there a
leader more familiar with his men; cheerfully sharing with the meanest
among them every hardship and fatigue. Even in the military games,
wherein those of the same rank were wont to make trial of their
strength or swiftness, he would good-naturedly take a part, nor disdain
any adversary who offered; meeting victory or defeat with an unruffled
temper and an unchanged countenance. When called on to act, his bounty
and generosity never fell short. When he had to speak, he was as mindful
of the feelings of others as of his own dignity. And, what more than
anything else secures the popular favour, he maintained when exercising
his magistracies the same bearing he had worn in seeking them._"

Of Manlius also, Titus Livius speaks in lik