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; then it is quite necessary for him to disregard the reputationof cruelty; for without it he would never hold his army united ordisposed to its duties。Among the wonderful deeds of Hannibal this one is enumerated: thathaving led an enormous army; posed of many various races of men; tofight in foreign lands; no dissensions arose either among them oragainst the prince; whether in his bad or in his good fortune。 Thisarose from nothing else than his inhuman cruelty; which; with hisboundless valour; made him revered and terrible in the sight of hissoldiers; but without that cruelty; his other virtues were notsufficient to produce this effect。 And shortsighted writers admire hisdeeds from one point of view and from another condemn the principalcause of them。 That it is true his other virtues would not have beensufficient for him may be proved by the case of Scipio; that mostexcellent man; not of his own times but within the memory of man;against whom; nevertheless; his army rebelled in Spain; this arose fromnothing but his too great forbearance; which gave his soldiers morelicence than is consistent with military discipline。 For this he wasupbraided in the Senate by Fabius Maximus; and called the corrupter ofthe Roman soldiery。 The Locrians were laid waste by a legate of Scipio;yet they were not avenged by him; nor was the insolence of the legatepunished; owing entirely to his easy nature。 Insomuch that someone inthe Senate; wishing to excuse him; said there were many men who knewmuch better how not to err than to correct the errors of others。 Thisdisposition; if he had been continued in the mand; would havedestroyed in time the fame and glory of Scipio; but; he being under thecontrol of the Senate; this injurious characteristic not only concealeditself; but contributed to hi
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