, first, as touching its origin, I say, that all cities have been
founded either by the people of the country in which they stand, or by
strangers. Cities have their origins in the former of these two ways
when the inhabitants of a country find that they cannot live securely if
they live dispersed in many and small societies, each of them unable,
whether from its situation or its slender numbers, to stand alone
against the attacks of its enemies; on whose approach there is no time
left to unite for defence without abandoning many strongholds, and thus
becoming an easy prey to the invader. To escape which dangers, whether
of their own motion or at the instance of some of greater authority
among them, they restrict themselves to dwell together in certain
places, which they think will be more convenient to live in and easier
to defend.

Among many cities taking their origin in this way were Athens and
Venice; the former of which, for reasons like those just now mentioned,
was built by a scattered population under the direction of Theseus. To
escape the wars which, on the decay of the Roman Empire daily renewed in
Italy by the arrival of fresh hordes of Barbarians, numerous refugees,
sheltering in certain little islands in a corner of the Adriatic Sea,
gave beginning to Venice; where, without any recognized leader to direct
them, they agreed to live together under such laws as they thought best
suited to maintain them. And by reason of the prolonged tranquility
which their position secured, they being protected by the narrow sea and
by the circumstance that the tribes who then harassed Italy had no ships
wherewith to molest them, they were able from very small beginnings to
attain to that greatness they now enjoy.

In the second case, namely of a city being founded by strangers, the
settlers are either wholly independent, or they are controlled by
others, as where colonies are sent forth either by a prince or by a
republic, to relieve their countries of an excessive population, or to
defend newly acquired territories which it is sought to secure at small
cost. Of this sort many cities were settled by the Romans, and in all
parts of their dominions. It may also happen that such cities are
founded by a prince merely to add to his renown, without any intention
on his part to dwell there, as Alexandria was built by Alexander the
Great. Cities like these, not having had their beginning in freedom,
seldom make such progress as t