CHAP. XI.
Of the Manners of a conquered People.
Book X.
Chap. 11, & 12.IT is not sufficient in those conquests to let the conquered nation enjoy their own laws; it is perhaps more necessary to leave them also their manners, because people generally know, love, and defend their manners better than their laws.
The French have been driven nine times out of Italy, because, as historian say[1], of their insolent familiarities with the fair sex. It is too much for a nation to be obliged to bear not only with the pride of conquerors, but with their incontinence and indiscretion; these are, without doubt, most grievous and intolerable, as they are source of infinite outrages.
CHAP. XII.
Of a Law of Cyrus.
FAR am I from thinking that a good law which Cyrus to oblige the Lydians to practise none but mean or infamous professions. It is true, he directed his attention to what was of the greatest impotence; he thought of revolts, and not of invasions: but invasions will soon come; for the Persians and Lydians unite and corrupt each other. I would therefore much rather support by laws the simplicity and rudeness of the conquering nation, than the effeminacy of the conquered.
Aristodemus, tyrant of Cumæ[2], used all his endeavours to banish courage and to enervate the minds of youth. He ordered that boys should let
