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Essay XXXVI: Of Ambition
Essay XXXVI: Of Ambition
Ambition is like choler; which is an humor ^1 that maketh men active,
earnest, full of alacrity, and stirring, if it be not stopped. But if it be
stopped, and cannot have his way, it becometh adust, ^2 and thereby malign and
venomous. So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and
still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they be checked
in their desires, they become secretly discontent, and look upon men and
matters with an evil eye, and are best pleased when things go backward; which
is the worst property in a servant of a prince or state. Therefore it is good
for princes, if they use ambitious men, to handle it so as they be still
progressive and not retrograde; which because it cannot be without
inconvenience, it is good not to use such natures at all. For if they rise not
with their service, they will take order to make their service fall with them.
But since we have said it were good not to use men of ambitious natures,
except it be upon necessity, it is fit we speak in what cases they are of
necessity. Good commanders in the wars must be taken, be they never so
ambitious; for the use of their service dispenseth with the rest; and to take
a soldier without ambition is to pull off his spurs. There is also great use
of ambitious men in being screens to princes in matters of danger and envy;
for no man will take that part, except he be like a seeled ^3 dove, that
mounts and mounts because he cannot see about him. There is use also of
ambitious men in pulling down the greatness of any subject that overtops; as
Tiberius used Macro in the pulling down of Sejanus. Since therefore they must
be used in such cases, there resteth to speak how they are to be bridled, that
they may be less dangerous. There is less danger of them if they be of mean
birth, than if they be noble; and if they be rather harsh of nature, than
gracious and popular: and if they be rather new raised, than grown cunning and
fortified in their greatness. It is counted by some a weakness in princes to
have favorites; but it is of all others the best remedy against ambitious
great-ones. For when the way of pleasuring and displeasuring lieth by the
favorite, it is impossible any other should be over-great. Another means to
curb them is to balance them by others as proud as they. But then there must
be some middle counsellors, to keep things steady; for without that ballast
the ship will roll too much. At the least, a prince may animate and inure ^4
some meaner persons, to be as it were scourges to ambitious men. As for the
having of them obnoxious ^5 to ruin; if they be of fearful natures, it may do
well; but if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate their designs, and
prove dangerous. As for the pulling of them down, if the affairs require it,
and that it may not be done with safety suddenly, the only way is the
interchange continually of favors and disgraces; whereby they may not know
what to expect, and be as it were in a wood. ^6 Of ambitions, it is less
harmful, the ambition to prevail in great things, than that other, to appear
in every thing; for that breeds confusion, and mars business. But yet it is
less dangerous to have an ambitious man stirring in business, than great in
dependences. He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men hath a great task;
but that is ever good for the public. But he that plots to be the only figure
amongst ciphers is the decay of a whole age. Honor hath three things in it:
the vantage ground to do good; the approach to kings and principal persons;
and the raising of a man`s own fortunes. He that hath the best of these
intentions, when he aspireth, is an honest man; and that prince that can
discern of these intentions in another that aspireth, is a wise prince.
Generally, let princes and states choose such ministers as are more sensible
of duty than of rising; and such as love business rather upon conscience than
upon bravery, ^7 and let them discern a busy nature from a willing mind.
[Footnote 1: According to the old physiology, the body contained four humors -
blood, phlegm, choler (red bile), melancholy (black bile) - the varying
combination of which determined the individual temperament.]
[Footnote 2: Scorched, overheated.]
[Footnote 3: With the eyelids sewed together.]
[Footnote 4: Accustom.]
[Footnote 5: Liable.]
[Footnote 6: Maze.]
[Footnote 7: Ostentation.]
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