In this section, however, Machiavelli goes into some detail describing the conflict between the Latins and the Samnites, as neighbors of the Romans in the days of Alexander the Great. Kings commit fraud all the time, he asserts, and deceive in all sorts of ways but, he says, even Livy knew that the Republic was not above deception, if it led to the growth of the state. The author of the famous earlier twentieth century translation of the Discoursi, Leslie J Walker did not think that Machiavelli had made his case to prove the truism that this chapter heading seemed to assert. Or, at least, the reference to a speech in Livy was not enough to prove the assertion true.
The speech itself as written in Livy (viii, 4) was probably modeled after the one in Thucydides , when the Corcyreans came to Athens to ask for protection. This speech in Livy comes from a Latin praetor acting as ambassador to the Senate in Rome, representing interests of herself and her neighbors, both seeking and not seeking help. This passage in Livy and since has excited scholars in almost every age. There is still debate over what Machiavelli extracts from this, or, whether Livy meant to agree or not with Annius Setinus, the embassy speaker, or if the encounter, or start of the war, even happened this way. But more simply, could this speech merely be a bald acceptance of the sometimes fraudulent access to power, thru immoral means of deception, if such a means becomes the more practical route?
The reason this is an issue at all is because of the oft-vaunted glory of Rome and its Republic. Livy and Machiavelli both had reasons to show Rome as setting a very high bar, an exemplar for the right methods of rule, for the virtues of a state. Again and again in both authors, Roman wisdom, prudence and military glory are often continually praised. This rare exception where Livy shows some of the lengths Rome let itself go, so to speak, Machiavelli casually accepts and then pushes the envelope further.
In a chapter or subject heading such as "Pride In Others is Not Overcome by Humility in Oneself", ther fourteenth, a bit of hubris might be suspected. But Machiavelli seems quite clear reiterating his point that, in some public circumstances, humility in action may no longer win the day, the battle, or the war. Here he is drawing out the point, as he says Livy describes the start of the Roman-Samnite Wars, in Livy's History.
"There are to be found numerous cases in which humility is not only no help, but is a hindrance, especially when used in dealing with arrogant men who, either out of envy or for some other cause, have come to hate you."This was the lesson, Macchiavelli says 'our historian' Livy assures "...was the cause of the war between the Romans and the Samnites...". But a proper response to this situation, for any leader, Machiavelli tells us, is to
"... never forget his dignity, nor ... should he ever waive a point agreed upon unless he can enforce it, or thinks he can enforce it."The practical problem in not following this advice, the counter argument Macchiavelli offers, is that of the ever-weakening slippery slope with regard to strength, power and control of the situation.
"... if you yield to a threat, you do so in order to avoid war, and more often than not, you do not avoid war. For those before whom you have thus openly demeaned yourself by yielding, will not stop there, but will seek to extort further concessions, and the less they esteem you the more incensed will they become against you."If, in the event force is used, even a little show early on can be used as an advantageous bit of leverage.
"But, ... if you prepare to use force, even though your forces be inferior to his, he will begin to respect you.... This applies to where you have but one enemy. If you have more, the wiser course is to hand over some of your possessions ... to win him to your side."Returning then to how this might be applied to the situation with the Latins and the Campanians aluded to in the end of chapter thirteen, Machiavelli makes a summation.
"... when the power of the Romans was first beginning to grow, they did not fail to use fraud; of which it is always necessary that those should make use who from small beginnings wish to rise to sublime heights, and the better they conceal it, as the Romans did, the less blameworthy it is."________________________________________
Niccolo Machiavelli: The Discourses on the First Ten Books of Livy Edited by Bernard Crick, translated by Leslie J Walker, thrird revision by Brian Richardson, Penguin Books, London, 1970, 2003
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