the greatness of cities-第15章

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en　would　content　themselves　with　that　which　justly　doth　belong　unto　them；　haply　the　judgment　of　the　ancient　law…makers　were　worthy　to　be　embraced。　But　experience　shows；　through　the　corruption　of　human　nature；　that　force　prevails　above　reason；　and　arms　above　laws；　and　teacheth　us　besides　the　opinion　of　the　Romans　must　be　preferred　before　the　Grecians；　inasmuch　as　we　see　the　Athenians　and　the　Lacedemonians　（not　to　speak　of　other　commonweals　of　the　Grecians）　came　to　present　ruin　upon　a　very　small　discomfiture　and　loss　of　a　thousand　and　seven　hundred　citizens　or　little　more　where；　on　the　other　side；　the　Romans　triumphed　in　the　end　though　many　times　they　lost　an　infinite　number　of　their　people　in　their　attempts　and　enterprises。　For　it　is　clear　more　Romans　perished　in　the　wars　they　had　against　Pyrrhus；　the　Carthaginians；　Numantians；　Viriathus；　Sertorius　and　others；　than　fell　without　comparison　of　all　their　enemies。　And　yet　for　all　that　they　rested　always　conquerors　by　means　of　their　unexhausted　multitude；　with　the　which；　supplying　their　loss　from　time　to　time；　they　overcame　their　enemies　as　much；　though　they　were　strong　and　fierce；　as　with　their　fortitude　and　strength。　In　these　former　books　I　have　sufficiently　declared　the　ways　and　means　whereby　a　city　may　increase　to　that　magnificency　and　greatness　that　is　to　be　desired；　so　that　I　have　no　further　to　speak　thereunto；　but　only　to　propound　one　thing　more　that　I　have　thought　upon；　not　for　the　necessity　so　much　of　the　matter　as　that　because　I　think　it　will　be　an　ornament　unto　the　work；　and　give　a　very　good　light　unto　it。　And　therefore　let　us　now　consider。

　2。　What　the　reason　is　that　cities　once　grown　to　a　greatness　increase　not　onward　according　to　that　proportion

　　　　Let　no　man　think　the　ways　and　means　aforesaid；　or　any　other　that　may　be　any　way　devised；　can　work　or　effect　it　that　a　city　may　go　on　in　increase　without　ceasing。　And　therefore　it　is　in　truth　a　thing　worth　the　consideration　how　it　comes　to　Pass　that　cities　grown　to　a　point　of　greatness　and　power　pass　no　further；　but　either　stand　at　that　stay；　or　else　return　back　again。　Let　us　take　for　our　example　Rome。　　　　　Rome；　at　her　beginning；　when　she　was　founded　and　built　by　Romulus　（as　Dionysius　of　Halicarnassus　writeth）　was　able　to　make　out　three　thousand　three　hundred　fit　men　for　the　wars。　Romulus　reigned　thirty…seven　years；　within　the　compass　of　which　time　the　city　was　increased　even　to　forty…seven　thousand　persons　fit　to　bear　arms。　About　one　hundred　and　fifty　years　after　the　death　of　Romulus；　in　the　time　of　Servius　Tullius；　there　were　numbered　in　Rome　eighty　thousand　persons　fit　for　arms。　The　number　in　the　end；　by　little　and　little；　grew　to　four　hundred　and　fifty　thousand。　　　　　My　question　therefore　is；　how　it　comes　to　pass　that　from　three　thousand　and　three　hundred　men　of　war　the　people　grew　to　four　hundred　and　fifty　thousand；　and　from　four　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　they　went　no　further。　And　in　like　matter；　since　it　is　four　hundred　years　since　Milan　and　Venice　made　as　many　people　as　they　do　at　this　day；　how　it　doth　also　come　to　pass　that　the　multiplication　goes　not　onward　accordingly。　　　　　Some　answer　the　cause　hereof　is　the　plagues；　the　wars；　the　dearths　and　other　suchlike　causes。　But　this　gives　no　satisfaction。　For　plagues　have　ever　been；　and　wars　have　been　more　common　and　more　bloody　in　former　times　than　now。　For　in　those　days　they　came　to　hand　strokes　by　and　by；　and　to　a　main　pitched　battle　in　the　field；　where　there　were　within　three　or　four　hours　more　people　slain　than　are　in　these　days　in　many　years。　For　war　is　now　drawn　out　of　the　field　to　the　walls；　and　the　mattock　and　the　spade　are　now　more　used　than　the　sword。　The　world　besides　was　never　without　alteration　and　change　of　plenty　and　of　dearth；　of　health　and　of　plagues。　thereof　I　shall　not　need　to　bring　examples；　because　the　histories　are　full。　　　Now　if　cities　with　all　these　accidents　and　chances　begun　at　first　with　a　few　people　increase　to　a　great　number　of　inhabitants；　how　comes　it　that　proportionably　they　do　not　increase　accordingly？　　　　　Some　others　say　it　is　because　God　the　Governor　of　all　things　doth　so　dispose。　No　man　doth　doubt　of　that；　but　forasmuch　as　the　infinite　wisdom　of　God；　in　the　administration　and　the　government　of　nature；　worketh　secondary　causes；　my　question　is　with　what　means　that　Eternal　Providence　maketh　little　to　multiply；　and　much　to　stand　at　a　stay　and　go　no　further。　　　　　Now　to　answer　this　propounded　question　I　say；　the　selfsame　question　may　be　also　made　of　all　mankind；　forasmuch　as　within　the　compass　of　three　thousand　years　it　multiplied　in　such　sort　from　one　man　and　one　woman　as　the　provinces　of　the　whole　continent　and　the　islands　of　the　sea　were　full　of　people。　thence　it　doth　proceed　that　from　those　three　thousand　years　to　this　day　this　multiplication　hath　not　exceeded　further。　　　　　Now　that　I　may　the　better　resolve　this　doubt　I　purpose　to　answer　it；　as　mine　answer　may　not　only　serve　for　the　cities；　but　also　for　the　universal　theatre　of　the　world。　　　　　I　say　then；　that　the　augmentation　of　cities　proceedeth　partly　out　of　the　virtue　generative　of　men；　and　partly　out　of　the　virtue　nutritive　of　the　cities。　The　virtue　generative　is　without　doubt　to　this　day　the　very　same；　or　at　least　such　as　it　was　before　three　thousand　years　were　passed；　forasmuch　as　men　are　at　this　day　as　apt　for　generation　as　they　were　in　the　times　of　David　or　of　Moses。　So　that　if　there　were　no　other　impediment　or　let　therein；　the　propagation　of　mankind　would。　increase　without　end；　and　the　augmentation　of　cities　would　be　without　term。　And　if　it　do　not　increase　in　infinite　I　must　needs　say　it　proceedeth　of　the　defect　of　nutriment　and　sustenance　sufficient　for　it。　　　　　Now　nutriment　and　victuals　are　gotten　either　out　of　the　territories　belonging　to　the　city　or　out　of　foreign　countries。　To　have　a　city　great　and　populous　it　is　necessary　that　victuals　may　be　brought　from　far　unto　it。　And　that　victuals　may　be　brought　from　remote　and　foreign　parts　unto　it　it　behoves　that　her　virtue　attractive　be　of　such　power　and　strength　as　it　be　able　to　overcome　the　hardness　and　the　sharpness　of　the　regions；　the　height　of　the　mountains；　the　descent　of　the　valleys；　the　swiftness　of　the　rivers；　the　rage　of　the　seas；　the　dangers　of　the　pirates；　the　uncertainty　of　the　winds；　the　greatness　of　the　charge；　the　evil　passage　of　the　ways；　the　envy　of　the　bordering　neighbours；　the　hatred　of　enemies；　the　emulation　of　competitors；　the　length　of　the　time　that　is　required　for　transportation；　the　dearths　and　necessities　of　the　places　from　whence　they　must　be　brought；　the　natural　dissension　of　nations；　the　contrariety　of　sects　and　opinions　in　religion；　and　other　suchlike　things；　all　which　increase　as　the　people　increase　and　the　affairs　of　the　city：　to　conclude；　that　it　grow　to　be　so　mighty　and　so　great　as　it　can　overcome　all　the　diligence　and　all　the　industry　that　man　can　use　whatsoever。　For　how　shall　merchants　be　persuaded　they　can　bring　corn；　for　example；　out　of　the　Indies　or　Cathay　to　Rome；　or　the　Romans　expect　to　have　it　thence？　But　admit　that　either　of　them　could　so　persuade　themselves；　who　can　yet　assure　them　the　seasons　will　be　always　good　for　corn；　that　the　people　stand　to　peace　and　quietness；　that　the　passages　be　open　and　the　ways　be　safe？　Or　what　form　or　what　course　can　be　taken　to　bring　provision　to　Rome　by　so　long　a　way　by　land；　in　such　sort　and　manner　as　the　conductors　thereof　may　be　able　to　endure　the　travel　and　to　wield　the　charge　thereof？　Now　any　one　of　these　impediments　or　lets；　without　adding　more　to　overthwart　and　cross　it　more；　is　enough　to　dissipate　and　scatter　quite　asunder　the　people　of　a　city　destitute　of　help　and　subject　to　so　many　accidents　and　chances。　Even　one　dearth；　one　famine；　one　violence　of　war；　one　interruption　or　stay　of　trade　and　traffic；　one　common　loss　to　the　merchants；　or　other　suchlike　accident　will　make　（as　winter　doth　the　swallows）　the　people　to　seek　another　country。　　　　　The　ordinary　greatness　of　a　city　consisteth　in　these　terms；　with　which　it　can　hardly　be　contented。　For　the　greatness　that　dependeth　upon　remote　causes　or　hard　means　cannot　long　endure。　For　every　man　will　seek　his　commodity　and　ease　where　he　may　find　it　best。　We　must　also　add　to　these　things　aforesaid　that　great　cities