the greatness of cities-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


y　allure　the　people　（who　are　of　nature　indifferent　to　be　here　or　there）　to　the　choice　of　one　place　before　another　to　make　their　habitations　in；　and　what　causeth　commerce　and　traffic。　And　let　us　first　declare　the　proper　means　the　Romans　took；　and　then　afterward　the　means　that　generally　were　common　to　them　and　others。

　1。　The　proper　means　of　the　Romans

　　　　The　first　means　the　Romans　used　was　the　opening　of　the　sanctuary　and　giving　liberty　and　freedom　to　all　that　would　to　come　unto　them；　which　Romulus　did　to　the　end　（his　neighbours　at　that　time　evil　entreated　by　tyrants；　and　the　country　swarming　full　with　discontented　persons）　Rome　might　by　that　means　be　the　sooner　peopled　through　the　benefit　of　their　safety　they　were　sure　to　find　there；　neither　was　he　therein　deceived　a　whit；　for　thither　flocked　with　their　goods　a　number　of　people　that　were　either　thrust　out　of　their　habitations；　or　unsafe　and　unsure　of　their　lives　in　their　countries。　But　when　they　found　afterward　a　want　of　women　necessary　for　propagation；　Romulus　proclaimed　certain　great　and　solemn　feasts　at　which　he　stole　and　held　away　by　force　the　greatest　part　of　the　youngest　women　that　did　resort　to　see　them：　so　that　it　is　no　marvel　if　out　of　so　fierce　and　stout　a　people　there　rose　so　fierce　and　stout　an　issue。　　　　　The　very　same　reason　in　a　matter　in　these　our　days　hath　increased　so　much　the　city　of　Geneva；　forasmuch　as　it　hath　offered　entertainment　to　all　comers　out　of　France　and　Italy　that　have　either　forsaken　or　been　exiled　their　countries　for　religion's　sake。　And　the　same　country　of　Germany　（they　call　Francorum　Vallem）　by　the　sufferance　of　Casimir；　one　of　the　Counts　Palatine　of　the　Rhine；　later　erected　by　the　Belgians　that　were　for　religion　thrust　out　of　their　countries　have　done　the　like。　　　　　Cosimo　the　Great　Duke　of　Tuscany；　to　appopulate　the　port　Ferraio；　gave　protection　to　such　as　would　fly　thither；　and　confined　a　number　that　for　their　offences　had　worthy　deserved　punishment；　which　course　the　Great　Duke　Francis　his　son　observed　afterward　for　the　peopling　of　Pisa　and　Livorno。　But　as　we　have　afore　said；　it　is　neither　strength　nor　necessity　that　have　power　to　make　a　city　frequented；　or　to　raise　it　unto　greatness。　For　a　people　enforced　and　violently　driven　to　rest　in　one　place　is　like　unto　seed　sown　in　the　sands；　wherein　it　never　taketh　root　to　grow　to　ripeness。　　　　　But　let　us　return　unto　our　sanctuary。　It　cannot　be　denied　but　that　a　moderate　liberty　and　a　lawful　place　of　safety　very　greatly　helpeth　to　draw　a　multitude　of　people　to　a　resting　place。　And　hereof　it　comes　that　free　cities　are　in　comparison　of　other　places　more　famous　and　more　replenished　with　people　than　cities　subject　unto　princes　and　to　monarchies。　　　　　The　second　means　wherewith　Rome　increased　was　that　they　made　the　towns　that　well　deserved　of　them　（which　they　after　called　municipia）　to　be　partakers　of　their　franchises　and　of　their　offices。　For　these　honours；　to　be　citizens　of　Rome；　and　to　enjoy　the　great　privileges　annexed　to　their　enfranchisement；　drew　into　the　city　all　such　as　through　adherency；　through　favour　or　through　service　done　unto　the　commonwealth　might　have　any　hope　to　bear　office　or　rule　therein；　and　such　as　looked　not　so　high　resorted　yet　thither　to　serve　their　kinsmen's　turns　or　their　friends　with　their　voices；　to　advance　them　to　some　good　office。　And　thus　Rome　was　frequented　and　enriched　with　concourse　of　an　infinite　sight　of　people；　both　noble　and　rich；　that　in　particular　or　in　common　which　were　honoured　with　the　enfranchisement　and　freedom　of　Rome。　　　　　The　third　means　was　the　continual　entertainment　the　Romans　gave　to　curiosity；　and　that　was　the　great　number　of　admirable　things　they　did　in　Rome。　The　triumphs　of　the　victorious　captains；　the　wonderful　buildings；　the　battles　on　the　water；　the　fights　of　sword　players；　the　hunting　of　wild　beasts；　the　public　shows　and　sights；　the　plays　of　Apollo；　the　Seculars　and　others；　which　were　performed　with　unspeakable　pomp　and　preparation；　and　many　other　suchlike　things　that　drew　the　curious　people　unto　Rome。　And　forasmuch　as　these　alluring　sights　were；　as　it　were；　perpetual；　Rome　was　also；　as　it　were；　perpetually　full　of　strangers　and　foreign　people。

　2。　Of　colonies

　　　　What　shall　we　say　of　colonies？　Were　they　a　good　help　to　the　greatness　of　Rome　or　not？　That　they　were　a　great　help　to　the　increase　of　the　power　it　cannot　be　doubted；　but　that　they　multiplied　also　the　number　of　inhabitants　it　is　a　thing　somewhat　doubtful。　Howbeit；　for　mine　own　opinion　I　should　think　they　were　a　great　help　and　means　unto　it。　For　if　any　man　think　by　taking　the　people　out　and　sending　them　to　colonies　elsewhere　that　the　city　thereby　comes　rather　to　diminish　than　increase；　haply　for　all　that　the　contrary　may　happen。　For　as　plants　cannot　prosper　so　well　nor　multiply　so　fast　in　a　nursery　where　they　are　set　and　planted　near　together　as　where　they　are　transplanted　into　an　open　ground；　even　so　men　make　no　such　fruitful　propagation　of　children　where　they　are　enclosed　and　shut　up　within　the　walls　of　the　city　they　are　bred　and　born　in　as　they　do　abroad　in　divers　other　parts　where　they　are　sent　unto。　For　sometimes　the　plague　or　other　contagious　sickness　or　disease　consumeth　them；　sometimes　famine　enforceth　them　to　change　their　habitations；　sometimes　foreign　wars　take　out　of　the　world　the　stoutest　men　amongst　them；　sometimes　civil　wars　make　the　quietest　sort　forsake　their　dwellings；　and　from　many　poverty　and　misery　taketh　away　the　mind；　the　means　and　the　spirit　to　wed　or　think　on　propagation。　　　　　Now　they　that　might　have　died　in　Rome　with　the　aforesaid　evils；　and　without　children；　being　removed　to　other　places　escape　the　foresaid　perils；　and；　being　bestowed　in　colonies　and　provided　for　both　of　house　and　ground　to　it；　betake　themselves　to　wives　and　children　and　to　propagate　and　breed　them　up　and　so　increase　infinitely；　and　of　ten　become　an　hundred。　　　　　But　what　is　this　to　the　purpose；　may　some　man　say？　Let　us　suppose　that　they　that　are　sent　into　colonies　would　not　increase　their　country　if　they　tarried　at　home　how　should　they　then　increase　it　when　they　are　sent　thence　abroad　to　other　places？　Well　enough。　First；　because　colonies　with　their　mother　out　of　which　they　issued　make；　as　it　were；　but　one　body。　Then　next；　because　the　love　of　our　original　country；　which　every　man　affecteth；　and　the　dependence　thereof　（which　many　ways　help）　and　the　desire　and　hope　to　aspire　to　dignity　and　honour　which　evermore　draw　unto　it　the　worthiest　and　most　noble　minds。　By　which　means　the　country　grows　to　be　more　populous　and　rich。　　　　　Who　can　deny　but　that　the　colonies　that　issued；　as　it　were；　out　of　one　stock；　from　Alba　Longa；　and　so　many　besides　as　Rome　hath　sent　out；　brought　not　much　magnificence　and　greatness；　both　to　the　one　and　the　other？　And　that　the　Portuguese　issued　out　of　Lisbon；　to　possess　and　inhabit　the　islands　of　Azores；　Cape　Verde；　Madeira　and　others　have　not　amplified　and　increased　Lisbon　a　great　deal　more　than　if　they　had　never　removed　thence　to　those　same　islands？　　　　　Howbeit；　true　it　is　if　colonies　must　increase　their　mother；　it　is　very　necessary　that　they　be　near　neighbours；　otherwise　through　long　distance　of　place　love　waxeth　cold；　and　all　commerce　is　cut　off　clean。　And　therefore　the　Romans　for　the　space　of　six　hundred　years　sent　not　a　colony　out　of　Italy；　and　the　first　were　Carthage　and　Narbonne；　as　is　at　large　before　declared　in　my　sixth　book　of　Reason　of　State；　in　the　chapter　of　Colonies。　　　　　And　these　be　the　means　wherewith　the　Romans；　either　through　their　singular　dexterity　or　excellent　wits；　have　drawn　strange　nations　unto　their　city。　Let　us　now　speak　of　the　means　that　other　nations　also　as　well　as　they　have　used　in　this　case；　where　it　shall　not　be　from　the　purpose　that　we　begin　at　religion　first　as　at　the　thing　that　ought　to　be　the　head　and　spring　of　all　our　works　and　actions。

　3。　Of　Religion

　　　　Religion　and　the　worship　of　God　is　a　thing　so　necessary　and　of　such　importance　as　without　all　doubt　it　not　only　draweth　a　number　of　people　with　it　but　also　causeth　much　commerce　together。　And　the　cities　that　in　this　kind　excel　and　flourish　in　authority　and　reputation　above　all　others　have　also　the　better　means　to　increase　their　power　and　glory。　　　　　Jerusalem；　as　Pliny　writeth；　was　the　chiefest　and　most　flourishing　city　of　all　the　East　and　principally　for　religion　whereof　he　was　the　Metropolitan；　as　also　of　the　kingdom。　The　high　priests；　the　prelates　and　the　Levites　kept　their　residence；　there　offered　they　their　beasts；　there　celebrated　they　their　sacrifices　and　rendered　unto　God　their　prayers　and　petitions；　thither　repaired　thrice　a　year　all　the　people　almost　of　Israel。　Insomuch　as　Josephus　reckoneth　that　at　the　time　that　Titus　Vespasian　laid　his　siege　unto　it　there　were　in　the　city　two　millions　and　a　half　of　people；　a　number　in　truth　very　strange；　that　I　may　not　say　incredible；　in　respect　the　city　was　not　much　above　four　miles　about。　But　it　is　written　by　a　man　that　might　have　perfect　knowledge　of　it；　and　had　no　cause　to　lie。　　　　　Jeroboam；　when　he　was　chosen　king　of　Israel；　advisedly　considering　his　subjects　could　not　live　without　exercise　of　religion　and　use　of　sacrifice；　and　that　if　they　should　repair　to　Jerusalem　to　celebrate　and　make　their　sacrifice　his　people　would　soon　unite　themselves　with　the　tribe　of　Judah　and　the　House　of　David；　casting　religion　off　he　set　up　straight　idolatry。　For　he　caused　to　be　made　two　calves　of　gold；　and　sending　them　to　the　uttermost　parts　of　his　kingdom；　turning　to　his　people　he　said　unto　them：　Nolite　ultra　ascendere　in　Hierusalem；　ecce　dii　tui　Israel　qui　te　eduxerunt　de　terra　Aegypti。　　　　　Religion　is　of　such　force　and　might　to　amplify　cities；　to　amplify　dominions；　and　of　such　a　virtue　attractive　that　Jeroboam；　to　give　no　place　to　his　Competitor　in　this　part　of　allurement　and　entertainment　of　the　company；　impiously　brought　in　idolatry　in　place　of　true　religion。　And　this　man　was　the　first　that　for　desire　to　reign　did　openly　tread　down　the　law　and　all　due　worship　unto　God；　and　thereof　gave　a　lewd　example　to　posterity。　A　notable　note　in　truth；　not　so　much　of　folly　as　of　extreme　impiety。　　　　　Some　that　arrogate　too　much　wisdom　to　themselves　in　matters　of　state　and　government　spare　not　to　say　and　teach　that　to　hold　the　subjects　in　due　obedience　to　their　prince　m