lodge himself there for a long
time. But should you lose some pass which you had reckoned on holding,
and on the defence of which your country and army have relied, there
commonly follows such panic among your people and among the troops which
remain to you, that you are vanquished without opportunity given for
any display of valour, and lose everything without bringing all your
resources into play.

Every one has heard with what difficulty Hannibal crossed the Alps
which divide France from Lombardy, and afterwards those which separate
Lombardy from Tuscany. Nevertheless the Romans awaited him, in the first
instance on the banks of the Ticino, in the second on the plain of
Arezzo, preferring to be defeated on ground which at least gave them a
chance of victory, to leading their army into mountain fastnesses where
it was likely to be destroyed by the mere difficulties of the ground.
And any who read history with attention will find, that very few capable
commanders have attempted to hold passes of this nature, as well for the
reasons already given, as because to close them all were impossible.
For mountains, like plains, are traversed not only by well-known and
frequented roads, but also by many by-ways, which, though unknown to
strangers, are familiar to the people of the country, under whose
guidance you may always, and in spite of any opposition, be easily
conducted to whatever point you please. Of this we have a recent
instance in the events of the year 1515. For when Francis I. of France
resolved on invading Italy in order to recover the province of Lombardy,
those hostile to his attempt looked mainly to the Swiss, who it was
hoped would stop him in passing through their mountains. But this hope
was disappointed by the event. For leaving on one side two or three
defiles which were guarded by the Swiss, the king advanced by another
unknown pass, and was in Italy and upon his enemies before they knew.
Whereupon they fled terror-stricken into Milan; while the whole
population of Lombardy, finding themselves deceived in their expectation
that the French would be detained in the mountains, went over to their
side.

CHAPTER XXIV.--_That well-ordered States always provide Rewards and
Punishments for their Citizens; and never set off Deserts against
Misdeeds_.

The valour of Horatius in vanquishing the Curiatii deserved the highest
reward. But in slaying his sister he had been guilty of a heinous crime.
And so disp