e honourable terms, pointing
out that his severity in putting his son to death brought the Roman army
to that pitch of discipline which enabled it to prevail against the
Latins, nay, he goes so far in his praises that after describing the
whole order of the battle, comparing the strength of both armies, and
showing all the dangers the Romans ran, and the difficulties they had to
surmount, he winds up by saying, that it was the valour of Manlius which
alone gained for them this great victory, and that whichever side had
Manlius for its leader must have won the day. So that weighing all that
the historians tell us of these two captains, it might be difficult to
decide between them.

Nevertheless, not to leave the question entirely open, I say, that for
a citizen living under a republic, I think the conduct of Manlius more
deserving of praise and less dangerous in its consequences. For methods
like his tend only to the public good and in no way subserve private
ends. He who shows himself harsh and stern at all times and to all men
alike, and is seen to care only for the common welfare, will never gain
himself partisans, since this is not the way to win personal friends, to
whom, as I said before, the name of partisans is given. For a republic,
therefore, no line of conduct could be more useful or more to be desired
than this, because in following it the public interest is not neglected,
and no room is given to suspect personal ambition.

But the contrary holds as to the methods followed by Valerius. For
though the public service they render be the same, misgivings must needs
arise that the personal good-will which, in the course of a prolonged
command, a captain obtains from his soldiers, may lead to consequences
fatal to the public liberty. And if this was not found to happen in the
case of Valerius, it was because the minds of the Roman people were not
yet corrupted, and because they had never remained for a long time and
continuously under his command.

Had we, however, like Xenophon, to consider what is most for the
interest of a prince, we should have to give up Manlius and hold by
Valerius; for, undoubtedly, a prince should strive to gain the love of
his soldiers and subjects, as well as their obedience. The latter he
can secure by discipline and by his reputation for valour. But for the
former he will be indebted to his affability, kindliness, gentleness,
and all those other like qualities which were possessed by