ken in, is externally unequal; and though every commonwealth that
holds provinces must in that regard be such, yet not to that degree.
Nevertheless, Venice internally, and for her capacity, is by far the
most equal, though it has not, in my judgment, arrived at the full
perfection of equality; both because her laws supplying the defect of
an agrarian are not so clear nor effectual at the foundation, nor
her superstructures, by the virtue of her ballot or rotation, exactly
librated; in regard that through the paucity of her citizens her
greater magistracies are continually wheeled through a few hands, as is
confessed by Janotti, where he says, that if a gentleman comes once
to be Savio di terra ferma, it seldom happens that he fails from
thenceforward to be adorned with some one of the greater magistracies,
as Savi di mare, Savi di terra ferma, Savi Grandi, counsellors, those
of the decemvirate or dictatorian council, the aurogatori, or censors,
which require no vacation or interval. Wherefore if this in Venice, or
that in Lacedaemon, where the kings were hereditary, and the Senators
(though elected by the people) for life, cause no inequality (which is
hard to be conceived) in a commonwealth for preservation, or such a one
as consists of a few citizens; yet is it manifest that it would cause
a very great one in a commonwealth for increase, or consisting of the
many, which, by engrossing the magistracies in a few hands, would be
obstructed in their rotation.

But there be who say (and think it a strong objection) that, let a
commonwealth be as equal as you can imagine, two or three men when all
is done will govern it; and there is that in it which, notwithstanding
the pretended sufficiency of a popular State, amounts to a plain
confession of the imbecility of that policy, and of the prerogative of
monarchy; forasmuch as popular governments in difficult cases have had
recourse to dictatorian power, as in Rome.

To which I answer, that as truth is a spark to which objections are like
bellows, so in this respect our commonwealth shines; for the eminence
acquired by suffrage of the people in a commonwealth, especially if
it be popular and equal, can be ascended by no other steps than the
universal acknowledgment of virtue: and where men excel in virtue, the
commonwealth is stupid and unjust, if accordingly they do not excel in
authority. Wherefore this is both the advantage of virtue, which has her
due encouragement, and of