ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 1.91k
"The only design of the Utopians in war is to obtain that by force which,
if it had been granted them in time, would have prevented the war; or, if
that cannot be done, to take so severe a revenge on those that have
injured them that they may be terrified from doing the like for the time
to come. By these ends they measure all their designs, and manage them
so, that it is visible that the appetite of fame or vainglory does not
work so much on there as a just care of their own security.

"As soon as they declare war, they take care to have a great many
schedules, that are sealed with their common seal, affixed in the most
conspicuous places of their enemies' country. This is carried secretly,
and done in many places all at once. In these they promise great rewards
to such as shall kill the prince, and lesser in proportion to such as
shall kill any other persons who are those on whom, next to the prince
himself, they cast the chief balance of the war. And they double the sum
to him that, instead of killing the person so marked out, shall take him
alive, and put him in their hands. They offer not only indemnity, but
rewards, to such of the persons themselves that are so marked, if they
will act against their countrymen. By this means those that are named in
their schedules become not only distrustful of their fellow-citizens, but
are jealous of one another, and are much distracted by fear and danger;
for it has often fallen out that many of them, and even the prince
himself, have been betrayed, by those in whom they have trusted most; for
the rewards that the Utopians offer are so immeasurably great, that there
is no sort of crime to which men cannot be drawn by them. They consider
the risk that those run who undertake such services, and offer a
recompense proportioned to the danger--not only a vast deal of gold, but
great revenues in lands, that lie among other nations that are their
friends, where they may go and enjoy them very securely; and they observe
the promises they make of their kind most religiously. They very much
approve of this way of corrupting their enemies, though it appears to
others to be base and cruel; but they look on it as a wise course, to
make an end of what would be otherwise a long war, without so much as
hazarding one battle to decide it. They think it likewise an act of
mercy and love to mankind to prevent the great slaughter of those that
must otherwise be killed in the progress of the war, both on their own
side and on that of their enemies, by the death of a few that are most
guilty; and that in so doing they are kind even to their enemies, and
pity them no less than their own people, as knowing that the greater part
of them do not engage in the war of their own accord, but are driven into
it by the passions of their prince.

"If this method does not succeed with them, then they sow seeds of
contention among their enemies, and animate the prince's brother, or some
of the nobility, to aspire to the crown. If they cannot disunite them by
domestic broils, then they engage their neighbours against them, and make
them set on foot some old pretensions, which are never wanting to princes
when they have occasion for them. These they plentifully supply with
money, though but very sparingly with any auxiliary troops; for they are
so tender of their own people that they would not willingly exchange one
of them, even with the prince of their enemies' country.

"But as they keep their gold and silver only for such an occasion, so,
when that offers itself, they easily part with it; since it would be no
convenience to them, though they should reserve nothing of it to
themselves. For besides the wealth that they have among them at home,
they have a vast treasure abroad; many nations round about them being
deep in their debt: so that they hire soldiers from all places for
carrying on their wars; but chiefly from the Zapolets, who live five
hundred miles east of Utopia. They are a rude, wild, and fierce nation,
who delight in the woods and rocks, among which they were born and bred
up. They are hardened both against heat, cold, and labour, and know
nothing of the delicacies of life. They do not apply themselves to
agriculture, nor do they care either for their houses or their clothes:
cattle is all that they look after; and for the greatest part they live
either by hunting or upon rapine; and are made, as it were, only for war.
They watch all opportunities of engaging in it, and very readily embrace
such as are offered them. Great numbers of them will frequently go out,
and offer themselves for a very low pay, to serve any that will employ
them: they know none of the arts of life, but those that lead to the
taking it away; they serve those that hire them, both with much courage
and great fidelity; but will not engage to serve for any determined time,
and agree upon such terms, that the next day they may go over to the
enemies of those whom they serve if they offer them a greater
encouragement; and will, perhaps, return to them the day after that upon
a higher advance of their pay. There are few wars in which they make not
a considerable part of the armies of both sides: so it often falls out
that they who are related, and were hired in the same country, and so
have lived long and familiarly together, forgetting both their relations
and former friendship, kill one another upon no other consideration than
that of being hired to it for a little money by princes of different
interests; and such a regard have they for money that they are easily
wrought on by the difference of one penny a day to change sides. So
entirely does their avarice influence them; and yet this money, which
they value so highly, is of little use to them; for what they purchase
thus with their blood they quickly waste on luxury, which among them is
but of a poor and miserable form.

"This nation serves the Utopians against all people whatsoever, for they
pay higher than any other. The Utopians hold this for a maxim, that as
they seek out the best sort of men for their own use at home, so they
make use of this worst sort of men for the consumption of war; and
therefore they hire them with the offers of vast rewards to expose
themselves to all sorts of hazards, out of which the greater part never
returns to claim their promises; yet they make them good most religiously
to such as escape. This animates them to adventure again, whenever there
is occasion for it; for the Utopians are not at all troubled how many of
these happen to be killed, and reckon it a service done to mankind if
they could be a means to deliver the world from such a lewd and vicious
sort of people, that seem to have run together, as to the drain of human

"The only design of the Utopians in war is to obtain that by force which,

if it had been granted them in time, would have prevented the war; or, if

that cannot be done, to take so severe a revenge on those that have

injured them that they may be terrified from doing the like for the time

to come. By these ends they measure all their designs, and manage them

so, that it is visible that the appetite of fame or vainglory does not

work so much on there as a just care of their own security.

"As soon as they declare war, they take care to have a great many

schedules, that are sealed with their common seal, affixed in the most

conspicuous places of their enemies' country. This is carried secretly,

and done in many places all at once. In these they promise great rewards

to such as shall kill the prince, and lesser in proportion to such as

shall kill any other persons who are those on whom, next to the prince

himself, they cast the chief balance of the war. And they double the sum

to him that, instead of killing the person so marked out, shall take him

alive, and put him in their hands. They offer not only indemnity, but

rewards, to such of the persons themselves that are so marked, if they

will act against their countrymen. By this means those that are named in

their schedules become not only distrustful of their fellow-citizens, but

are jealous of one another, and are much distracted by fear and danger;

for it has often fallen out that many of them, and even the prince

himself, have been betrayed, by those in whom they have trusted most; for

the rewards that the Utopians offer are so immeasurably great, that there

is no sort of crime to which men cannot be drawn by them. They consider

the risk that those run who undertake such services, and offer a

recompense proportioned to the danger--not only a vast deal of gold, but

great revenues in lands, that lie among other nations that are their

friends, where they may go and enjoy them very securely; and they observe

the promises they make of their kind most religiously. They very much

approve of this way of corrupting their enemies, though it appears to

others to be base and cruel; but they look on it as a wise course, to

make an end of what would be otherwise a long war, without so much as

hazarding one battle to decide it. They think it likewise an act of

mercy and love to mankind to prevent the great slaughter of those that

must otherwise be killed in the progress of the war, both on their own

side and on that of their enemies, by the death of a few that are most

guilty; and that in so doing they are kind even to their enemies, and

pity them no less than their own people, as knowing that the greater part

of them do not engage in the war of their own accord, but are driven into

it by the passions of their prince.

"If this method does not succeed with them, then they sow seeds of

contention among their enemies, and animate the prince's brother, or some

of the nobility, to aspire to the crown. If they cannot disunite them by

domestic broils, then they engage their neighbours against them, and make

them set on foot some old pretensions, which are never wanting to princes

when they have occasion for them. These they plentifully supply with

money, though but very sparingly with any auxiliary troops; for they are

so tender of their own people that they would not willingly exchange one

of them, even with the prince of their enemies' country.

"But as they keep their gold and silver only for such an occasion, so,

when that offers itself, they easily part with it; since it would be no

convenience to them, though they should reserve nothing of it to

themselves. For besides the wealth that they have among them at home,

they have a vast treasure abroad; many nations round about them being

deep in their debt: so that they hire soldiers from all places for

carrying on their wars; but chiefly from the Zapolets, who live five

hundred miles east of Utopia. They are a rude, wild, and fierce nation,

who delight in the woods and rocks, among which they were born and bred

up. They are hardened both against heat, cold, and labour, and know

nothing of the delicacies of life. They do not apply themselves to

agriculture, nor do they care either for their houses or their clothes:

cattle is all that they look after; and for the greatest part they live

either by hunting or upon rapine; and are made, as it were, only for war.

They watch all opportunities of engaging in it, and very readily embrace

such as are offered them. Great numbers of them will frequently go out,

and offer themselves for a very low pay, to serve any that will employ

them: they know none of the arts of life, but those that lead to the

taking it away; they serve those that hire them, both with much courage

and great fidelity; but will not engage to serve for any determined time,

and agree upon such terms, that the next day they may go over to the

enemies of those whom they serve if they offer them a greater

encouragement; and will, perhaps, return to them the day after that upon

a higher advance of their pay. There are few wars in which they make not

a considerable part of the armies of both sides: so it often falls out

that they who are related, and were hired in the same country, and so

have lived long and familiarly together, forgetting both their relations

and former friendship, kill one another upon no other consideration than

that of being hired to it for a little money by princes of different

interests; and such a regard have they for money that they are easily

wrought on by the difference of one penny a day to change sides. So

entirely does their avarice influence them; and yet this money, which

they value so highly, is of little use to them; for what they purchase

thus with their blood they quickly waste on luxury, which among them is

but of a poor and miserable form.

"This nation serves the Utopians against all people whatsoever, for they

pay higher than any other. The Utopians hold this for a maxim, that as

they seek out the best sort of men for their own use at home, so they

make use of this worst sort of men for the consumption of war; and

therefore they hire them with the offers of vast rewards to expose

themselves to all sorts of hazards, out of which the greater part never

returns to claim their promises; yet they make them good most religiously

to such as escape. This animates them to adventure again, whenever there

is occasion for it; for the Utopians are not at all troubled how many of

these happen to be killed, and reckon it a service done to mankind if

they could be a means to deliver the world from such a lewd and vicious

sort of people, that seem to have run together, as to the drain of human