The Book of the Courtier
be called a Courtier, but deserves a greater name,—I say that I do not
deny this difficulty, since it is not less difficult to find so
excellent a Courtier than to attain such an end. Yet methinks there is
no impossibility, even in the case that you cited: for if the Courtier
is too young to know that which we have said he ought to know, we need
not speak of him, since he is not the Courtier we are presupposing, nor
is it possible that one who has to know so many things should be very
young.
“And if, indeed, the prince shall chance to be so wise and good by
nature that he has no need of precepts and counsel from others (although
everyone knows how difficult this is), it will be enough for the
Courtier to be such a man as could make the prince virtuous if he had
need of it. And then the Courtier will be at least able to perform the
other part of his duty,—not to allow his prince to be deceived, always
to make known the truth about everything, and to set himself against
flatterers and slanderers and all those who plot to debase his prince’s
mind with unworthy pleasures. And in this way he will also attain his
end in great part, although he cannot put everything in practice: which
will not be a reason for finding fault with him, since he refrains
therefrom for so good a cause. For if an excellent physician were to
find himself in a place where everyone was in health, it would not for
that reason be right to say that this physician failed in his aim,
although he healed no sick. Thus, just as the physician’s aim ought to
be men’s health, so the Courtier’s ought to be his prince’s virtue; and
it is enough for them both to have their aim latent within their power,
if their failure to attain it openly in acts arises from the subject to
which the aim is directed.
“But if the Courtier were so old that it would not become him to
practise music, festivals, games, arms, and the other personal
accomplishments, still we cannot say that it is impossible for him to
win his prince’s favour by that road. For if his age prevents his
practising those things, it does not prevent his understanding them, and
if he has practised them in his youth, it does not prevent his having
the more perfect judgment regarding them, and his knowing the more
perfectly how to teach them to his prince, in proportion as years and
experience bring more knowledge of everything. Thus, although the old
Courtier does not practise the accomplishments ascribed to him, he will
yet attain his aim of instructing his prince rightly.
47.—“And if you are unwilling to call him Courtier, it does not trouble
me; for nature has not set such limit upon human dignities that a man
may not mount from one to another. Thus, common soldiers often become
captains; private persons, kings; and priests, popes; and pupils,
masters; and thus, together with the dignity, they acquire the name
also. Hence perhaps we might say that to become his prince’s instructor
was the Courtier’s aim. However, I do not know who would refuse this
name of perfect Courtier, which in my opinion is worthy of very great
praise. And it seems to me that just as Homer described two most
excellent men as patterns of human life,—the one in deeds (which was
Achilles), the other in sufferings and endurance (which was Ulysses),—so
also he described a perfect Courtier (which was Phœnix), who, after
narrating his loves and many other youthful affairs, says that he was
sent to Achilles by the latter’s father, Peleus, as a companion and to
teach the youth how to speak and act: which is naught else but the aim
which we have marked out for our Courtier.[466]
“Nor do I think that Aristotle and Plato would have scorned the name of
perfect Courtier, for we clearly see that they performed the works of
Courtiership and wrought to this end,—the one with Alexander the Great,
the other with the kings of Sicily. And since the office of a good
Courtier is to know the prince’s character and inclinations, and thus to
enter tactfully into his favour according to need and opportunity, as we
have said, by those ways that afford safe access, and then to lead him
towards virtue,—Aristotle so well knew the character of Alexander, and
tactfully fostered it so well, that he was loved and honoured more than
a father by Alexander.[467] Thus, among many other tokens that Alexander
gave him of good will, the king ordered the rebuilding of his native
city, Stagira, which had been destroyed;[468] and besides directing
Alexander to that most glorious aim,—which was the desire to make the
world as one single universal country, and all men as a single people to
live in amity and mutual concord under a single government and a single
law, which should shine equally on all like the light of the
sun,[469]—Aristotle so instructed him in the natural sciences and in the
virtues of the mind as to make him most wise, brave, continent, and a
true moral philosopher, not only in words but in deeds; for a nobler
philosophy cannot be imagined than to bring into civilized living such
savage people as those who inhabited Bactria and Caucasia, India,
Scythia;[470] and to teach them marriage, agriculture, honour to their
fathers, abstention from rapine, murder and other evil ways; to build so
many very noble cities in distant lands;—so that countless men were by
his laws reduced from savage life to civilization. And of these
achievements of Alexander the author was Aristotle, using the means of a
good Courtier: which Callisthenes knew not how to do, although Aristotle
showed him;[471] for in his wish to be a pure philosopher and austere
minister of naked truth, without mingling Courtiership therewith, he
lost his life and brought not help but rather infamy to Alexander.
“By these same means of Courtiership, Plato schooled Dio of
Syracuse;[472] and having afterwards found the tyrant Dionysius like a
book all full of faults and errours and in need of complete erasure
rather than of any change or correction (since it was not possible to
remove from him that tinge of tyranny wherewith he had so long been
stained), Plato was unwilling to practise the ways of Courtiership upon
him, thinking that they all would surely be in vain. Which our Courtier
also ought to do, if by chance he finds himself in the service of a
prince of so evil a disposition as to be inveterate in vice, like
consumptives in their malady; for in such case he ought to escape that
bondage, in order not to receive blame for his lord’s evil deeds, and in
order not to feel that distress which all good men feel who serve the
wicked.”
48.—Here my lord Ottaviano having ceased speaking, my lord Gaspar said:
“I did not in the least suspect that our Courtier was so honoured; but
since Aristotle and Plato are his fellows, I think that no one ought
henceforth to scorn this name. Still I am far from sure whether I
believe that Aristotle and Plato ever danced or made music in their
lives, or performed any other acts of chivalry.”
My lord Ottaviano replied:
“It is hardly permitted to think that these two divine spirits did not
know everything, and hence we may believe that they practised what
pertains to Courtiership, for on occasion they write of it in such
fashion that the very masters of the subjects written of by them
perceive that they understood the same to the marrow and deepest roots.
Wherefore there is no ground for saying that all the accomplishments
ascribed to him by these gentlemen do not befit a Courtier (or
instructor of the prince, as you like to call him) who contributes to
that good end which we have mentioned, even though he were a very stern
philosopher and most saintly in his behaviour, because they are not at
variance with goodness, discretion, wisdom, worth, at every age and in
every time and place.”
49.—Then my lord Gaspar said:
“I remember that in discussing the accomplishments of the Courtier last
evening, these gentlemen desired that he should be in love; and since,
by reviewing what has thus far been said, we might conclude that a
Courtier who has to allure his prince to virtue by his worth and
authority, must almost of necessity be old (because knowledge very
rarely comes before years, and especially in those things that are
learned by experience),—I do not know how becoming it is for him (being
advanced in age) to be in love. For as has been said this evening, love
does not sit well upon old men, and those things which in young men are
delights, courtesies and elegances very pleasing to women, in old men
are extravagances and ridiculous incongruities, and for him who
practises them win hatred from women and derision from others.
“So if your friend Aristotle, the old Courtier, were in love, and did
those things which young lovers do, like some whom we have seen in our
days,—I fear he would forget to instruct his prince, and perhaps
children would mock at him behind his back, and women would get little
pleasure from him except to deride him.”
Then my lord Ottaviano said:
“As all the other accomplishments ascribed to the Courtier befit him
although he be old, methinks we ought by no means to deprive him of this
enjoyment of loving.”
“Nay,” said my lord Gaspar, “to deprive him of love is to give him an
added perfection, and to make him live at ease remote from misery and
calamity.”
50.—Messer Pietro Bembo said:
“Do you not remember, my lord Gaspar, that although he is little skilled
in love, yet in his game the other evening my lord Ottaviano seemed to
know that there are some lovers who call sweet the scorns and ires and
warrings and torments which they have from their ladies; whence he asked
to be taught the cause of this sweetness? Therefore if our Courtier,
although old, were inflamed with those loves that are sweet without
bitterness, he would feel no calamity or misery in them; and if he were
wise, as we suppose him to be, he would not deceive himself by thinking
that all was befitting to him which befits young men; but if he loved,
perhaps he would love in a way that would bring him not only no blame,
but much praise and highest happiness unaccompanied by any pain, which
rarely and almost never happens with young men; and thus he would not
fail to instruct his prince, nor would he do aught to deserve the
mockery of children.”
Then my lady Duchess said:
“I am glad, messer Pietro, that you have had little fatigue in our
discussion this evening, for now we shall with more assurance impose on
you the burden of speaking, and of teaching the Courtier this love which
is so happy that it brings with it neither blame nor discomfort; for
perhaps it will be one of the most important and useful attributes that
have thus far been ascribed to him: therefore tell us, on your faith,
all you know about it.”
Messer Pietro laughed, and said:
“I should be sorry, my Lady, that my saying it is permissible for old
men to love should be a reason for these ladies to regard me as old;
therefore please to give this task to someone else.”[473]
My lady Duchess replied:
“You ought not to shun being reputed old in wisdom, even if you are
young in years; so speak on, and make no more excuse.”
Messer Pietro said:
“Indeed, my Lady, if I must talk about this matter, I should need to go
take counsel with my Lavinello’s Hermit.”[474]
Then my lady Emilia said, half vexed:
“Messer Pietro, there is no one in the company who is more disobedient
than you; therefore it will be well for my lady Duchess to inflict some
chastisement upon you.”
Messer Pietro said, again smiling:
“Be not angry with me, my Lady, for love of God; for I will tell what
you wish.”
“Then tell it at once,” replied my lady Emilia.
51.—Whereupon messer Pietro, having first remained silent awhile, then
settled himself a little as if about to speak of something important,