These, then, are the three objects
which the inclinations of tyrants desire to see accomplished; for all
their tyrannical plans tend to promote one of these three ends, that
their people may neither have mutual confidence, power, nor spirit.
This, then, is one of the two methods of preserving tyrannies: the other
proceeds in a way quite contrary to what has been already described,
and which may be discerned from considering to what the destruction of
a kingdom is owing; for as one cause of that is, making the government
approach near to a tyranny, so the safety of a tyranny consists in
making the government nearly kingly; preserving only one thing, namely
power, that not only the willing, but the unwilling also, must be
obliged to submit; for if this is once lost, the tyranny is at an end.
This, then, as the foundation, must be preserved: in other particulars
carefully do and affect to seem like a king; first, appear to pay a
great attention [1314b] to what belongs to the public; nor make such
profuse presents as will offend the people; while they are to supply
the money out of the hard labour of their own hands, and see it given
in profusion to mistresses, foreigners, and fiddlers; keeping an exact
account both of what you receive and pay; which is a practice some
tyrants do actually follow, by which means they seem rather fathers of
families than tyrants: nor need you ever fear the want of money while
you have the supreme power of the state in your own hands. It is also
much better for those tyrants who quit their kingdom to do this than to
leave behind them money they have hoarded up; for their regents will
be much less desirous of making innovations, and they are more to be
dreaded by absent tyrants than the citizens; for such of them as he
suspects he takes with him, but these regents must be left behind. He
should also endeavour to appear to collect such taxes and require such
services as the exigencies of the state demand, that whenever they are
wanted they may be ready in time of war; and particularly to take care
that he appear to collect and keep them not as his own property, but the
public's. His appearance also should not be severe, but respectable, so
that he should inspire those who approach him with veneration and not
fear; but this will not be easily accomplished if he is despised. If,
therefore, he will not take the pains to acquire any other, he ought to
endeavour to be a man of political abilities, and to fix that opinion of
himself in the judgment of his subjects. He should also take care not to
appear to be guilty of the least offence against modesty, nor to suffer
it in those under him: nor to permit the women of his family to treat
others haughtily; for the haughtiness of women has been the ruin of many
tyrants. With respect to the pleasures of sense, he ought to do directly
contrary to the practice of some tyrants at present; for they do not
only continually indulge themselves in them for many days together, but