Spirit hastily to get up and spread. So are there States, great in Territorie, and yet not apt[1] to Enlarge or Command; And some that have but a small Dimension of Stemme, and yet apt to be the Foundations of Great Monarchies.
Walled Townes, Stored Arcenalls and Armouries, Goodly Races of Horse, Chariots of Warre, Elephants, Ordnance, Artillery, and the like; All this is but a Sheep in a Lion's Skin, except the Breed and disposition of the People be stout[2] and warlike. Nay, Number (it selfe) in Armies importeth not much[3], where the People is of weake Courage: For (as Virgil saith) It never troubles a Wolfe, how many the sheepe be. The Armie of the Persians, in the Plaines of Arbela, was such a vast Sea of People as[4] it did somewhat astonish the Commanders in Alexander's Armie; Who came to him therefore, and wisht him to set upon them by Night; But hee answered, He would not pilfer the Victory. And the Defeat was Easie. When Tigranes the Armenian, being incamped upon a Hill with 400000 Men, discovered the Armie of the Romans, being not above 14000 Marching towards him, he made himselfe Merry with it, and said; Yonder Men are too Many for an Ambassage[5], and too Few for a Fight. But before the Sunne sett, he found them enough to give him the Chace with infinite Slaughter. Many are the Examples of the great oddes between Number and Courage[6]: So that a Man may truly make a Judgement, That the Principal Point of Greatnesse in any State is to have a Race of Military Men. Neither is Money the Sinewes of Warre, (as it is trivially[7] said), where the Sinewes of Men's Armes, in Base and Effeminate People, are failing. For Solon said well to Crœsus (when in Ostentation he shewed him his Gold), Sir, if any Other come, that hath better Iron then you, he will be Master of all this Gold. Therfore, let any Prince or State thinke soberly[8] of his Forces, except his Militia[9] of Natives be of good and
