with as many subordinates (drawn from the knights and from your freedmen) as the needs of the case demand, is sufficient for every separate form of business in the City and for each province outside.  You need to have these assistants along with them in order that your service may contain a prize of excellence, and that you may not lack persons from whom you may learn the truth even contrary to the wishes of their superiors, in case there is anything irregular happening.

“If any one of the knights after passing through many forms of service distinguishes himself enough to become a senator, his age ought not to hinder him at all from being enrolled in the senate.  Let some of those even be registered who have held the post of company leaders in citizen forces, unless it be one who has served in the rank and file; for it is both a shame and a reproach to have on the list of the senate any of these persons who have carried loaded panniers and charcoal baskets.  But in the case of such as were originally centurions there is nothing to prevent the most distinguished of them from being advanced to a better class.

[-26-] “With regard to the senators and the knights this is my advice to you.  And, by Jupiter, I have this to say further.  While they are still children they should attend schools, and when they come out of childhood into youth they should turn their minds to horses and arms and have paid public teachers in each of these two departments.  In this way from very boyhood they will both learn and practice all that they must themselves do on becoming men, and so they will prove far more serviceable to you for every work.  The best ruler, who is of any value, must not only himself perform all his required tasks, but also look forward to see how the rest shall become also as excellent as possible.  And this name can be yours, not if you allow them to do whatever they please and then censure those who err, but if before any mistakes occur you teach them everything which, when practiced, will render them more useful both to themselves and to you.  And afford nobody any excuse whatever, either wealth or birth, or anything else that accompanies excellence, for affecting indolence or effeminacy or any other behavior that is not genuine.  Many persons, fearing that on account of some such possession they may incur jealousy or danger, do much that is unworthy of themselves, expecting by such behavior to live in greater security.  As a consequence they commiserate themselves, believing themselves wronged in this very particular, that they are not allowed to appear to live aright.  Their ruler also suffers a loss because he is deprived of the services of good men, and suffers ill repute for the censure imposed upon them.  Therefore never permit this to be done, and have no fears that any one brought up and educated as I propose will ever adopt a rebellious policy.  Quite the reverse; it is only the ignorant and licentious that you need suspect.  Such persons