Chapter 17
A Dialogue, Part tt, Tract tine, as we read in the Decreta, 23, q. 5, Prodest, "In both punishing and pardoning this alone is well done, that the life of men is corrected."
Chapter 17 Student If we dealt at length with the other virtues and characteristics with which it is appropriate for an emperor to be adorned we would make our work too prolix. Therefore, since,
I judge, those two, namely skill or discretion or prudence, and justice, are most of all necessary to an emperor for ruling his subjects usefully — indeed, they seem practically sufficient, since those cannot be separated from the others when they are appropriate — let us pass
: very briefly over the others, so that we may come more quickly to more hidden things that have been examined less by others, especially since in the work Concerning the Best Way of Learning, in the tract "On the Way of Learning Moral Philosophy" and the tract "On the Way of Learning Legal Matters," those who have them will have been able to find many things about the virtues necessary to Tulers. First, therefore, let us see briefly about wuth," which it befits an emperor to maintain. Say, therefore, whether according to some opmion an emperor should be outstanding by such great truth that, just as it is not permissible for him to assert something false or to promise deceitfully or fraudulently anything he does not intend to perform, so it would not be permissible for him to revoke in any way something promised, or not fulfill it, or postpone it.
Master Some think {that}, aithough the emperor should not fulfill things promised badly or things he promised licitly and afterwards considers are beginning to be harmful but should rescind them
Gust as, also, if he learns something better than things he had said before, he should not be at all ashamed to correct them suitably and should not wait to be corrected by others), yet he should not in any way revoke other promises or postpone them without manifest reason. He should also take care not to assert or promise anything quickly or lightly unless he is certain that it should be asserted or promised.
" This work has not been identified.
" That is, both telling the truth and being true ta one's word.
William of Ockham Student Let us see about power, riches, and liberality together, whether they are appropriate to an emperor. For it seems that liberality conflicts with riches, because it pertains to a liberal man to pour out riches, and by this riches are exhausted.
Master Some think that without riches the imperial office cannot be well administered, for if "jurisdiction without coercion must be counted as nothing," Extra, De officio iudicis delegati, c. Pastaralis, and c. Ex fteris, much more is imperial authority nothing without coercion: and coercion cannot be exercised without power; therefore power is required in an emperor. And power seems most of all to be strengthened by riches, because power without friends, or at least without people who are obedient, does not seem able to last; and friends and people who obey are acquired by riches, as Solomon testifies. In Proverbs 19[:4} he says: "Riches make many friends, but from the poor man even those he had depart"; and in the same chapter he says: "Many honor the person of him that is mighty, and are friends of him thar giveth gifts; the brothers of the poor man hate him, moreover his friends also have departed far from him.'? And in Ecclesiastes 6° we read: "Wisdom is more useful with riches... for as wisdom is a defense, so money is a defense"; and in chapter ro it is said that all things obey money.
Riches are therefore appropriate to the imperial excellence for the sake of acquiring friends and people who obey. But friends and people who obey are not acquired and held by riches unless they are liberally poured out, for if riches are not poured out they do not make friends; but if they are unreasonably consumed by prodigality the friends are quickly lost. Therefore liberality seems appropriate to the imperial majesty for acquiring and holding friends and people who are obedient.** Student Is courage necessary to an emperor?
Master The courage that is a virtue of the soul should be outstanding in an emperor, but physical fortitude, which is strength of body, is not so necessary in an emperor; for although it is very appropriate for an emperor to excel in physical fortitude and in skill in battle, it is, however, not simply necessary and should not # Proverbs 19:6.
* Liberality is intermediate between meanness and pradigaliry; see Aristotle, Wicontathean Ethics, (.1.