Let no man therefore murmur
at the actions of the prince, who is placed so far above him. If he
offend, he hath his discoverer. God hath a height beyond him. But
where the prince is good, Euripides saith, "God is a guest in a
human body."
Tyranni.--Sejanus.--There is nothing with some princes sacred above
their majesty, or profane, but what violates their sceptres. But a
prince, with such a council, is like the god Terminus, of stone, his
own landmark, or (as it is in the fable) a crowned lion. It is
dangerous offending such a one, who, being angry, knows not how to
forgive; that cares not to do anything for maintaining or enlarging
of empire; kills not men or subjects, but destroyeth whole
countries, armies, mankind, male and female, guilty or not guilty,
holy or profane; yea, some that have not seen the light. All is
under the law of their spoil and licence. But princes that neglect
their proper office thus their fortune is oftentimes to draw a
Sejanus to be near about them, who at last affect to get above them,
and put them in a worthy fear of rooting both them out and their
family. For no men hate an evil prince more than they that helped
to make him such.
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