The Secret of Secrets of Aristotle

the possessions and gathered money of the subjects by sparing and showing mercy. But the internal cause is the secret of the philosophers and rulers whom the glorious God has pre-elected and to whom He has commended science. And I commend this secret to you, with certain others which you will find under diverse titles of this book as doctrine. Indeed, the internal final cause which is intended is contained there, for therein is your principal and final purpose. Therefore, when you have perceived the meanings of the words and the enigmas of the examples, then you will fully and perfectly achieve your desired purpose. May the most wise and most glorious God illuminate your reason and declare your intellect to perceive the sacrament of this science, so that you may deserve to become my heir and faithful successor in it, with the help of Him who pours His riches abundantly into the souls of the wise and grants grace of knowledge to students, to whom nothing is difficult, without whom nothing can be possessed.

Of the ways of kings concerning generosity and avarice.

There are four types of kings: A king generous to his subjects and generous to himself. A king avaricious to his subjects and avaricious to himself. A king avaricious to himself and generous to his subjects. A king generous to himself and avaricious to his subjects. The Italici Italians have said that it is not a vice in a king if he is avaricious to himself and generous to his subjects. The Indi Indians have said a king who is avaricious to himself is good. But the Perses Persians, asserting the contrary and contradicting the Indians and Italians, said that a king who is not generous to himself and his subjects is worth nothing. But among these, in my judgment, the one who is generous to himself and avaricious to his subjects is the worst and to be condemned, because that kingdom will quickly be destroyed. We must, therefore, inquire subtly into these virtues and vices, and show what generosity is and what avarice is, and where the error of generosity lies, and what evil follows from the abstinence of generosity. It is plain, indeed, that qualities are to be condemned when they depart much from the mean, and we know that the observation of generosity is difficult, and its transgression is easy; and it is easy for anyone to exercise avarice and prodigality, and difficult to maintain generosity. If you wish, therefore, to acquire the virtue of generosity, consider your means, the times, the necessities, and the merits of men. You ought, therefore, to give gifts...