"To make wars with small forces is no husbandry, but a waste,
a disease, a lingering and painful consumption of men and money
the Romans making theirs thick, made them short, and had little
regard to money, as that which they who have men enough can
command where it is fittest that it should be levied. All the
ancient monarchies by this means got on wing, and attained to
vast riches. Whereas your modern princes being dear purchasers of
small parcels, have but empty pockets. But it may be some will
accuse the order of rashness, in that it commits the sole conduct
of the war to the general; and the custom of Venice by her
proveditori, or checks upon her commanders-in-chief, may seem to
be of greater prudence; but in this part of our government
neither Venice nor any nation that makes use of mercenary forces
is for our instruction. A mercenary army, with a standing
general, is like the fatal sister that spins; but proper forces,
with an annual magistrate, are like her that cuts the thread.
Their interests are quite contrary, and yet you have a better
proveditor than the Venetian, another strategus sitting with an
army standing by him; whereupon that which is marching, if there
were any probability it should, would find as little possibility
that it could recoil, as a foreign enemy to invade you.
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