Secret of Secrets

...he spends his riches on them wisely, and exercises liberality toward them, rewarding the merits of each one. And with all this, it is necessary for kings to have another precaution, of which I shall make mention to you in what follows: namely, in the chapter concerning riches and aids. Second, to induce minds to operations; and this precedes, and is in the first degree. But that second one has two causes: namely, intrinsic and extrinsic. The extrinsic cause is that the king should exercise justice concerning the possessions and acquired money of the subjects by sparing and pitying them. The intrinsic cause, however, is the secret of the philosophers and the righteous whom the glorious God has pre-chosen and entrusted with knowledge; and I entrust this secret to you, along with certain others which you will find under the diverse titles of this book, in which you will find the greatest philosophy and doctrine externally. Internally, however, the final cause which is intended is contained; for there is your principal and final purpose. When, therefore, you have perceived the significations of the sayings and the enigmas of the examples, then you will fully and perfectly attain the desired purpose. May God, therefore, most wise and most glorious, illuminate your reason and declare your intellect to the perceiving of the sacrament of this science, so that in it you may deserve to be my heir and faithful successor, with Him assisting who pours out His riches abundantly into the souls of the wise, and grants to those who study the grace of knowing—to whom nothing is difficult, without whom nothing is possible to be possessed.

Three Annotations.

First. When he prays to God that He may confirm Alexander in the way of knowing himself, that precept seems to be implied which is enjoined by the Pythian Apollo and is promulgated by the public voice of the herald, namely: "Know thyself." If anyone desires to perceive the meaning of this, let him seek the sixth book of Juan Luis Vives on the causes of the corruption of the arts.