y thousand men, horse and foot. So that had there
been a spark of valour in Venice, or any soundness in her military
system, she might easily have renewed her armies, and again confronting
fortune have stood prepared either to conquer, or, if she must fall, to
fall more gloriously; and at any rate might have obtained for herself
more honourable terms. But a pusillanimous spirit, occasioned by the
defects of her ordinances in so far as they relate to war, caused her to
lose at once her courage and her dominions. And so will it always happen
with those who behave like the Venetians. For when men grow insolent in
good fortune, and abject inn evil, the fault lies in themselves and
in the character of their training, which, when slight and frivolous,
assimilates them to itself; but when otherwise, makes them of another
temper, and giving them better acquaintance with the world, causes them
to be less disheartened by misfortunes and less elated by success.

And while this is true of individual men, it holds good also of a
concourse of men living together in one republic, who will arrive at
that measure of perfection which the institutions of their State permit.
And although I have already said on another occasion that a good militia
is the foundation of all States, and where that is wanting there can
neither be good laws, nor aught else that is good, it seems to me not
superfluous to say the same again; because in reading this history of
Titus Livius the necessity of such a foundation is made apparent in
every page. It is likewise shown that no army can be good unless it be
thoroughly trained and exercised, and that this can only be the case
with an army raised from your own subjects. For as a State is not and
cannot always be at war, you must have opportunity to train your army in
times of peace; but this, having regard to the cost, you can only have
in respect of your own subjects.

When Camillus, as already related, went forth to meet the Etruscans, his
soldiers on seeing the great army of their enemy, were filled with
fear, thinking themselves too to withstand its onset. This untoward
disposition being reported to Camillus, he showed himself to his men and
by visiting their tents, and conversing with this and the other among
them, was able to remove their misgivings; and, finally, without other
word of command, he bade them "_each do his part as he had learned and
been accustomed_." Now, any one who well considers the met