Camillus, he was forthwith commanded to march against Tusculum
which doing accordingly, he found the Tusculan fields full of
husbandmen, that stirred not otherwise from the plough than to
furnish his army with all kinds of accommodations and victuals.
Drawing near to the city, he saw the gates wide open, the
magistrates coming out in their gowns to salute and bid him
welcome; entering, the shops were all at work, and open, the
streets sounded with the noise of schoolboys at their books;
there was no face of war. Whereupon Camillus, causing the Senate
to assemble, told them, that though the art was understood, yet
had they at length found out the true arms whereby the Romans
were most undoubtedly to be conquered, for which cause he would
not anticipate the Senate, to which he desired them forthwith to
send, which they did accordingly; and their dictator with the
rest of their ambassadors being found by the Roman senators as
they went into the house standing sadly at the door were sent for
in as friends, and not as enemies; where the dictator having
said, "If we have offended, the fault was not so great as is our
penitence and your virtue," the Senate gave them peace forthwith,
and soon after made the Tusculans citizens of Rome.
But putting the case, of which the world is not able to show
an example, that the forfeiture of a populous nation, not
conquered, but friends, and in cool blood, might be taken, your
army must be planted in one of the ways mentioned. To plant it in
the way of absolute monarchy, that is, upon feuds for life, such
as the Timars, a country as large and fruitful as that of Greece,
would afford you but 16,000 Timariots, for that is the most the
Turk (being the best husband that ever was of this kind) makes of
it at this day: and if Oceana, which is less in fruitfulness by
one-half, and in extent by three parts, should have no greater a
force, whoever breaks her in one battle, may be sure she shall
never rise; for such (as was noted by Machiavel) is the nature of
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