394 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



kept a standing army, though not always in the same part of 

 the country. 



The dominion of the sea is an epitome of monarchy. 

 Cicero, in a letter to Atticus, writing of Pompey s prepara 

 tion against Caosar, says, the designs of Pompey are like 

 those of Themistocles ; for he thinks they who command 

 the sea command the empire. 19 And doubtless Pompey 

 would have wearied Csesar out, and brought him under, had 

 he not, through a vain confidence, abandoned his design. It 

 is plain, from many examples, of how great consequence sea- 

 fights are. The fight at Actium decided the empire of the 

 world; the fight of Lepanto struck a hook in the nose of 

 the Turk; and it has frequently happened that victories or 

 defeats at sea have put a final end to the war, that is, when 

 the whole fortune of it has been committed to them. Doubt 

 less the being master of the sea leaves a nation at great lib 

 erty to act, and to take as much or as little of the war as it 

 pleases, while those who are superior in land forces have 

 yet numerous difficulties to struggle with. And at present, 

 among the European nations, a naval strength, which is the 

 portion of Great Britain, is more than ever of the greatest 

 importance to sovereignty, as well because most of the king 

 doms of Europe are not continents, but in good measure sur 

 rounded by the sea, as because the treasures of both Indies 

 seem but an accessory to the dominion of the seas. 



The wars of later times seem to have been waged in the 

 dark, compared with the variety of glory and honor usually 

 reflected upon the military men of former ages. It is true, 

 we have at this day certain military honors designed per 

 haps as incentives to courage, though common to men of the 

 gown as well as the sword; we have also some coats- of -arms 

 and public hospitals, for soldiers worn out and disabled in 

 the service; but among the ancients, when a victory was 

 obtained, there were trophies, funeral orations, and magnifi 

 cent monuments for such as died in the wars. Civic crowns 

 and military garlands were bestowed upon all the soldiers. 



12 B. 10, ep. 8. 



