Princes of Peace
As part of the office of the good prince, to establish laws and ordinances for people to live in ease and peace. To live with dignity and without danger toward the end, tranquillity. There have been many prosperous princes and republics great in war. But, as soon as they achieved peace, they lost their greatness, splendor and came to ruin like iron in the rain. This due to nothing other than not having been trained in peace and not knowing how to enjoy good rest. To always be at war without sight of the goal, peace, is not right.
Though some princes think their chief aim is to dominate their neighbors. They incite their people to a warlike ferocity in stripping of possessions, killing and dispensing rewards to encourage this and, yet, call it virtue. All these things done to make men warlike, for the sole purpose to dominate others, which can never end short of subjugating the entire world. We'd want reason according to the law of nature, nothing pleases us in others that is not pleasing in ourselves.
The Book of the Courtier
Baldesar Castiglione
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