Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n
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A62350
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A School for princes, or, Political reflections upon three conspiracies preceding the death of Alexander the Great translated out of French by A.O.
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A. O.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing S883; ESTC R14690
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43,281
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190
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is oppos'd to the Admiral the Affection of the People to the Souldier's Rebellion but if a Minister be General of an Army Superintendent of the Treasury Admiral or if these Charges are at his disposal what is there that he cannot do if faithful he is formidable if unfaithful he is King Parmenio and Philotas were Masters of the Empire one General of the Cavalry the other of a whole Army the former Governor of several Provinces Superintendent of the Treasury having in all Battels the command of one Wing the latter awing the great Ones a Favorite and Arbiter of his Prince's Life The immense Riches of Philotas the great number of Creatures of all sorts and conditions inseparably linked to his Fortune his Authority in the Armies almost equalling the King's might well induce him young as he was cruel full of delicacy and pride to conspire the death of Alexander the only Let to him in his way to the highest pitch of Grandeur Add to these the Love of a Woman the true cause of his destruction Antigone of a noble Birth an excellent Beauty a sweet Nature a lively pleasant charming Spirit was one of those illustrious Prisoners that the Governor of Damascus delivered to Permenio with all the Treasures Darius had committed to his disloyal custody This fair Slave made her self Mistress of Philotas his Liberty he forgot that he had all power over her and shamefully submitted himself to her Laws That pride that contempt that made him but a little before despise Darius his Nobles the chiefest of the Macedonians and equal himself to his King chang'd it self immediately into submissions to his own Captive he became fearful as are the greatest part of Lovers and thought himself unworthy of her because he was not Alexander The violence of his Passion rouzes in his Heart a vehement desire of making himself King impatient of enjoying Antigone he despairs of possessing her unless he share the Empire with her At the Wars egg'd on with great Love and Courage he exposes himself to dangers more than ordinary he is liberal to prodigality gentle affable gains the Hearts of his Souldiers cloaths himself like them accommodates himself to their Manners protects them is belov'd and reigns already over the whole Army But so many good Qualities were produc'd by Love which being blind can never guide Lovers in their Conduct and in his Reason and Prudence had no share At Table in his Bed in the midst of good Cheer and Imbracements he begins to celebrate his Actions Alexander could not recompence them with a Kingdom large enough for his Ambition Philotas looks on him no longer as his Benefactor accuses him of Injustice speaks insolently of him debases this great Monarch ascribes all his Conquests to Parmenio le ts scape some injurious Language the most clear-sighted penetrate into his Designs and suspect his Loyalty Perhaps he might think that he discharg'd his Heart into the Bosom of a Woman amorous and discreet A strange thing that so many Examples of Infidelity cannot make Lovers suspicious of the usual Inconstancy of their Mistresses Fickle Antigone ceases to love Philotas and betrays him She must destroy him to preserve her new Lover She thinks it her securest way to acquaint Alexander with the imminent danger threatning him Craterus whom the King honour'd particularly with his Favour jealous of Philotas his Glory and an Enemy to his Grandeur seeks occasion to ruin him which Antigone proffers him and tells him all that miserable Wretch had discover'd to her of his Mind during the most tender moments of their privacy As it is impossible that the Dust cast into the Wind should not be scatter'd so it is very difficult for a Secret intrusted with a Woman young handsom and amorous not to be divulg'd She longs to know that that 's kept from her and when she knows it desires as much to publish it She is ardent in her Pursuit treacherous after Enjoyment cruel in her new Love No kindness can retain her the remembrance of a Man she has lov'd tenderly and amorously embrac'd affects her not like the Earth that darkens the Sun from whence it receives its warmth But if there be any thing firm in the tenderness of her Sentiments happy is the Man that has her she is an inexhaustible Sourse of Pleasures Craterus glad to destroy his Enemy by preserving the Life of his King runs to Alexander and gives him an account of what he had heard Antigone is call'd and is not asham'd to publish her own Infamy and the secret of a Man that so intirely lov'd her The King nevertheless dissembles whether it were that the consideration of Parmenio's great Services his unbyass'd Friendship his incorrupted Loyalty inclin'd him to Clemency or whether it were that he thought Philotas innocent or feared too lightly to condemn upon the bare testimony of a slave the fidelity of an ancient Servant most passionate for his Glory one of his chief Captains and Confidents adored by the Souldiers for his Liberality and Magnificence But Fortune that took a particular care of Alexander and prepar'd for him new Conquests discover'd the whole Intreigue of a most horrid Plot. Dymnus one in no great Authority at Court but of a stout Heart and great Spirit was one of those that had conspir'd the King's Death he was so in love with a young Youth call'd Nicomachus that he could not but intrust him with a Secret upon which depended his own safety and that of so many Persons of Quality who were concern'd in the Enterprize He declares it to him and endeavours to perswade him to make one as well from the consideration of their Friendship as from that of his future Grandeur after the Attempt He Weeps Caresses Threatens Urges and sometimes promising him a Kingdom sometimes setting the Image of Death before his Eyes if he refuse to hold with them Would'st thou have says he my dear Nichomachus a greater Testimony of my Affection I trust my Life to thy Faith and I call thee to be a sharer in the Empire of all Asia This young Youth bearing a great love towards his King was seized with horror at a Crime so full of cruelty he protests he 'l never be wanting to his Duty to the Loyalty he owes his Master that all he can do for his Friend is not to ruin him if he 'l repent of so great a wickedness Dymnus stood wavering between Love and Fear at length setting his Sword at his Friend's Brest calling him sometimes Coward sometimes Traitor he was going to begin with him the execution of his Design but that the young Man in a fright promis'd more than he was ask'd He feigned therefore a resolution to execute the Enterprize and desired to know the number and quality of the Conspirators Dymnus full of joy that he had gain'd him names Peucolaus Nicanor Aphaebetus Loceus Demetrius Dioxenus Archepolis and Amyntas 'T is certain he made no mention of Philotas who I am
examine in this Conqueror's Conduct all that 's most remarkable that Princes may form themselves according to so excellent a Model The Actions of Alexander and the Intreigues of the Conspirators will teach them to defend themselves from Domestick Treasons and to elevate themselves by Justice Clemency and Liberality as much above the Vulgar as they exceed them in Grandeur and the advantages of Birth I will begin with the Conspiracy of Philotas so much the more blameable for conspiring the Death of his Master and his King as he was indebted to him for his Fortune THE CONSPIRACY OF PHILOTAS ALexander was arriv'd to the highest pitch of Grandeur Darius was dead and his Army vanquish'd Asia had chang'd her Master who seeing himself in the Persian Throne and finding nothing more on Earth to satisfy his Ambition would have had his Subjects given him Divine Worship The luster of too great Majesty is so far from attracting Respect and Fear that it excites great Ones to Envy and makes them aspire to wear the Diadem and whosoever equals himself to the Gods is unworthy to live among Men. And hence it came that Philotas one in Alexander's Army that could not support his Pride endeavoured to dispatch him Of all Vices Ambition is the most dangerous because it bears a resemblance of Virtue it has apparently the same end the desire of Glory is inseparable to them both and of this Philotas was as greedy as Alexander Virtue and Ambition have their original from the same Source from grandeur of Courage from a noble bold and undertaking Spirit the difference I find between them is this Justice limits bounds to Virtue Ambition knows none has no Faith no Friendship no Honesty it dares all things neither the fear of Danger nor the power of Justice can detain it it generates those criminal thoughts that strike at Royalty the hatred jealousie and revenge of great Ones Three sorts of Persons commonly conspire the Death of Princes Certain melancholy People who at any price whatsoever though it be at the expence of their Lives enterprise extraordinary Actions to eternise their Memory to Posterity not much caring whether it be honourable or held in abomination such was he that burnt the Temple of Diana the Jacobin that kill'd Henry III and many others Some transported with an abominable desire of Revenge care not to survive an Injury receiv'd as he that stab'd Henry IV. And almost all great Ones in the Revolution of a State hope for some change of Fortune For this last reason the common People are to be feared when a Government is changed from a Democracy to a Monarchy the Nobility when it has bin an Aristocracy the Princes of the Blood if a Kingdom be Hereditary the Ministers and Favorites if Elective The Kingdom of Macedonia descended for several Ages from Father to Son and whilst there were Successors no one dar'd enterprise any thing against his King's Life Alexander labour'd to secure himself immortality by Actions of an Heroick Courage by the grandeur of his Enterprizes he was enflam'd with a desire of Glory little minding the preservation of his Life and less the leaving a Successor to his Empire He prefer'd Bagoas before Barsine Roxane known to be great with Child at his Death could not keep the Macedonian Captains from dividing among themselves those vast and lovely Provinces into as many Kingdoms The Scepter of Alexander therefore being to fall into strange Hands his Nobles pretended to his Crown which there was no appearance of their arriving to the King being young and vigorous therefore they were to hasten their Expectations by the means of Ingratitude of Treachery of a Crime horrid and detestable Nothing retains Ambition but the fear of a lawful Successor in which consists the security of a Prince for there 's none will form any Design contrary to his Faith and Duty unless he be supported by more than ordinary hopes Alexander's Death would have made almost as many Kings as were Macedonian Captains what wonder then if he were continually expos'd to the murmuring of his Souldiers to the Infidelity of his Friends to Domestick Treacheries I am much mistaken if it were not this that first gave Philotas thoughts of advancing himself to Royalty Parmenios's Valour Merit and Esteem who commanded a puissant Army in Media confirm'd him in his Design and his own Grandeur finish'd his Resolve 'T is dangerous to suffer any to approach too near to that whose Possession can make them happy that Husband may blame himself that shews his Wife to another who after falls in love with her Royalty has greater Charms 't is like a polish'd Glass dull'd with the least Breath of those are near it or like the Fountain of Narcissus the transcendent Beauty appearing in it is so charming that there 's none can see it and live without the enjoyment A Prince that gives too great preferment to a Favorite a Minister or a great Captain nourishes a Rival a cruel Enemy a Competitor for his Empire that has but one step to mount into his Throne We read in the Histories of all Ages of several Kings Favorites of an obscure Birth incapable of great Matters who coming into an entire possession of their Master's Favours oftentimes by ways shameful and wicked have dar'd to aspire to their Crowns What may we not then expect from a great Captain Generous Liberal Ambitious of an illustrious Birth Head of a powerful Army belov'd of the Souldiers and the common People I own it pleasant for a Monarch to discharge himself of the weighty Burthen of State-Affairs on the capacity of some Minister to repose himself from the Glory of his Armies upon the valour of a great Captain to intrust his most secret Thoughts with the Wisdom and Discretion of a Favorite But this Favorite this Minister this Captain should be only Executors and not Masters of their Prince's Will and this Prince should as far exceed them in discerning Merit in understanding of Affairs in judicious Fore-sight in eminency of Capacity as in Power and Grandeur Such exquisite Parts are to be feared in a Favorite his Fidelity is shaken by so great Advantages and we have seen in this Age a King formidable to his Enemies implore the Assistance of another King against his Favorite If a Prince must needs spend his Generosity if he must needs heap up Favours upon his Subjects let him take heed not to bestow them all in one Place or on several Persons united in Friendship or Blood who may have the same Desires the same Will Be a Minister never so powerful if he have but one Employ one Charge in an Empire he can have no more Creatures than his Authority reaches Should he meditate any Design destructive to the State he would meet with a thousand Obstacles A General of an Army who is neither Master of the Treasury nor has Intelligence with a Superintendent is not at all to be feared He that commands the Land-Forces