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part of mankind, and so must be kept in severely by many restraints, that
it may not break out beyond the bounds that are set to it; the other is
the peculiar virtue of princes, which, as it is more majestic than that
which becomes the rabble, so takes a freer compass, and thus lawful and
unlawful are only measured by pleasure and interest. These practices of
the princes that lie about Utopia, who make so little account of their
faith, seem to be the reasons that determine them to engage in no
confederacy. Perhaps they would change their mind if they lived among
us; but yet, though treaties were more religiously observed, they would
still dislike the custom of making them, since the world has taken up a
false maxim upon it, as if there were no tie of nature uniting one nation
to another, only separated perhaps by a mountain or a river, and that all
were born in a state of hostility, and so might lawfully do all that
mischief to their neighbours against which there is no provision made by
treaties; and that when treaties are made they do not cut off the enmity
or restrain the licence of preying upon each other, if, by the
unskilfulness of wording them, there are not effectual provisoes made
against them; they, on the other hand, judge that no man is to be
esteemed our enemy that has never injured us, and that the partnership of
human nature is instead of a league; and that kindness and good nature
unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any agreements
whatsoever, since thereby the engagements of men's hearts become stronger
than the bond and obligation of words.






OF THEIR MILITARY DISCIPLINE


They detest war as a very brutal thing, and which, to the reproach of
human nature, is more practised by men than by any sort of beasts. They,
in opposition to the sentiments of almost all other nations, think that
there is nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained by war;
and therefore, though they accustom themselves daily to military
exercises and the discipline of war, in which not only their men, but
their women likewise, are trained up, that, in cases of necessity, they
may not be quite useless, yet they do not rashly engage in war, unless it
be either to defend themselves or their friends from any unjust
aggressors, or, out of good nature or in compassion, assist an oppressed
nation in shaking off the yoke of tyranny. They, indeed, help their
friends not only in defensive but also in offensive wars; but they never
do that unless they had been consulted before the breach was made, and,
being satisfied with the grounds on which they went, they had found that
all demands of reparation were rejected, so that a war was unavoidable.
This they think to be not only just when one neighbour makes an inroad on
another by public order, and carries away the spoils, but when the
merchants of one country are oppressed in another, either under pretence
of some unjust laws, or by the perverse wresting of good ones. This they
count a juster cause of war than the other, because those injuries are
done under some colour of laws. This was the only ground of that war in
which they engaged with the Nephelogetes against the Aleopolitanes, a
little before our time; for the merchants of the former having, as they
thought, met with great injustice among the latter, which (whether it was
in itself right or wrong) drew on a terrible war, in which many of their
neighbours were engaged; and their keenness in carrying it on being
supported by their strength in maintaining it, it not only shook some
very flourishing states and very much afflicted others, but, after a
series of much mischief ended in the entire conquest and slavery of the
Aleopolitanes, who, though before the war they were in all respects much
superior to the Nephelogetes, were yet subdued; but, though the Utopians
had assisted them in the war, yet they pretended to no share of the
spoil.

"But, though they so vigorously assist their friends in obtaining
reparation for the injuries they have received in affairs of this nature,
yet, if any such frauds were committed against themselves, provided no
violence was done to their persons, they would only, on their being
refused satisfaction, forbear trading with such a people. This is not
because they consider their neighbours more than their own citizens; but,
since their neighbours trade every one upon his own stock, fraud is a
more sensible injury to them than it is to the Utopians, among whom the
public, in such a case, only suffers, as they expect no thing in return
for the merchandise they export but that in which they so much abound,
and is of little use to them, the loss does not much affect them. They
think, therefore, it would be too severe to revenge a loss attended with
so little inconvenience, either to their lives or their subsistence, with
the death of many persons; but if any of their people are either killed
or wounded wrongfully, whether it be done by public authority, or only by
private men, as soon as they hear of it they send ambassadors, and demand
that the guilty persons may be delivered up to them, and if that is
denied, they declare war; but if it be complied with, the offenders are
condemned either to death or slavery.

"They would be both troubled and ashamed of a bloody victory over their
enemies; and think it would be as foolish a purchase as to buy the most
valuable goods at too high a rate. And in no victory do they glory so
much as in that which is gained by dexterity and good conduct without
bloodshed. In such cases they appoint public triumphs, and erect
trophies to the honour of those who have succeeded; for then do they
reckon that a man acts suitably to his nature, when he conquers his enemy
in such a way as that no other creature but a man could be capable of,
and that is by the strength of his understanding. Bears, lions, boars,
wolves, and dogs, and all other animals, employ their bodily force one
against another, in which, as many of them are superior to men, both in
strength and fierceness, so they are all subdued by his reason and
understanding.

part of mankind, and so must be kept in severely by many restraints, that

it may not break out beyond the bounds that are set to it; the other is

the peculiar virtue of princes, which, as it is more majestic than that

which becomes the rabble, so takes a freer compass, and thus lawful and

unlawful are only measured by pleasure and interest. These practices of

the princes that lie about Utopia, who make so little account of their

faith, seem to be the reasons that determine them to engage in no

confederacy. Perhaps they would change their mind if they lived among

us; but yet, though treaties were more religiously observed, they would

still dislike the custom of making them, since the world has taken up a

false maxim upon it, as if there were no tie of nature uniting one nation

to another, only separated perhaps by a mountain or a river, and that all

were born in a state of hostility, and so might lawfully do all that

mischief to their neighbours against which there is no provision made by

treaties; and that when treaties are made they do not cut off the enmity

or restrain the licence of preying upon each other, if, by the

unskilfulness of wording them, there are not effectual provisoes made

against them; they, on the other hand, judge that no man is to be

esteemed our enemy that has never injured us, and that the partnership of

human nature is instead of a league; and that kindness and good nature

unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any agreements

whatsoever, since thereby the engagements of men's hearts become stronger

than the bond and obligation of words.

OF THEIR MILITARY DISCIPLINE

They detest war as a very brutal thing, and which, to the reproach of

human nature, is more practised by men than by any sort of beasts. They,

in opposition to the sentiments of almost all other nations, think that

there is nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained by war;

and therefore, though they accustom themselves daily to military

exercises and the discipline of war, in which not only their men, but

their women likewise, are trained up, that, in cases of necessity, they

may not be quite useless, yet they do not rashly engage in war, unless it

be either to defend themselves or their friends from any unjust

aggressors, or, out of good nature or in compassion, assist an oppressed

nation in shaking off the yoke of tyranny. They, indeed, help their

friends not only in defensive but also in offensive wars; but they never

do that unless they had been consulted before the breach was made, and,

being satisfied with the grounds on which they went, they had found that

all demands of reparation were rejected, so that a war was unavoidable.

This they think to be not only just when one neighbour makes an inroad on

another by public order, and carries away the spoils, but when the

merchants of one country are oppressed in another, either under pretence

of some unjust laws, or by the perverse wresting of good ones. This they

count a juster cause of war than the other, because those injuries are

done under some colour of laws. This was the only ground of that war in

which they engaged with the Nephelogetes against the Aleopolitanes, a

little before our time; for the merchants of the former having, as they

thought, met with great injustice among the latter, which (whether it was

in itself right or wrong) drew on a terrible war, in which many of their

neighbours were engaged; and their keenness in carrying it on being

supported by their strength in maintaining it, it not only shook some

very flourishing states and very much afflicted others, but, after a

series of much mischief ended in the entire conquest and slavery of the

Aleopolitanes, who, though before the war they were in all respects much

superior to the Nephelogetes, were yet subdued; but, though the Utopians

had assisted them in the war, yet they pretended to no share of the

spoil.

"But, though they so vigorously assist their friends in obtaining

reparation for the injuries they have received in affairs of this nature,

yet, if any such frauds were committed against themselves, provided no

violence was done to their persons, they would only, on their being

refused satisfaction, forbear trading with such a people. This is not

because they consider their neighbours more than their own citizens; but,

since their neighbours trade every one upon his own stock, fraud is a

more sensible injury to them than it is to the Utopians, among whom the

public, in such a case, only suffers, as they expect no thing in return

for the merchandise they export but that in which they so much abound,

and is of little use to them, the loss does not much affect them. They

think, therefore, it would be too severe to revenge a loss attended with

so little inconvenience, either to their lives or their subsistence, with

the death of many persons; but if any of their people are either killed

or wounded wrongfully, whether it be done by public authority, or only by

private men, as soon as they hear of it they send ambassadors, and demand

that the guilty persons may be delivered up to them, and if that is

denied, they declare war; but if it be complied with, the offenders are

condemned either to death or slavery.

"They would be both troubled and ashamed of a bloody victory over their

enemies; and think it would be as foolish a purchase as to buy the most

valuable goods at too high a rate. And in no victory do they glory so

much as in that which is gained by dexterity and good conduct without

bloodshed. In such cases they appoint public triumphs, and erect

trophies to the honour of those who have succeeded; for then do they

reckon that a man acts suitably to his nature, when he conquers his enemy

in such a way as that no other creature but a man could be capable of,

and that is by the strength of his understanding. Bears, lions, boars,

wolves, and dogs, and all other animals, employ their bodily force one

against another, in which, as many of them are superior to men, both in

strength and fierceness, so they are all subdued by his reason and

understanding.