THE KING'S MIRROR 



king ought to reflect upon at night when he is done with 

 sleep, for then fewer matters will come upon him una- 

 wares during the day, when the needs of the land are 

 presented to him. 



XLV 



CONCERNING THE MODERATION WHICH A KING MUST OB- 

 SERVE IN HIS JUDICIAL SENTENCES AND PENALTIES, 

 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS DRAWN FROM THE STORY OF 

 GOD'S JUDGMENT IN THE CASE OF ADAM AND 

 EVE, IN WHICH CASE TRUTH AND JUSTICE 

 WERE ASSOCIATED WITH PEACE AND MERCY 



Son. It is evident that a king must possess great 

 constraint and an even greater sense of justice, as you 

 remarked earlier, if he is to find the true mean in meting 

 out punishment so as to be neither too lenient nor too 

 severe. And now I wish to ask whether there are any 

 examples which may guide him toward this moderation, 

 inasmuch as you have stated that every king should 

 have knowledge of all the examples that are to be found. 



Father. I repeat what I said then that no man needs 

 to be more learned or better informed in all subjects 

 than a king, for both he and his subjects have great 

 need of this. But one who has a thorough knowledge of 

 past events will meet but few contingencies that are 

 really unexampled. Now the following examples are very 

 ancient, and every king should keep them frequently 

 before his eyes and seek guidance from them for the 

 government of his kingdom. 



When God had created the entire world and had 

 beautified it with grass and other herbage, as well as 

 with birds and beasts, He appointed two human beings, 



