Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editor's preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- Editor's introduction
- Glossary
- List of subsequent editions and translations
- VINDICIAE, CONTRA TYRANNOS
- Preface
- The First Question
- The Second Question
- The Third Question
- The Fourth Question
- Postscriptal poem by Alphonsus Menesius Benavides
- Index of Roman and canon law citations
- General index
Preface
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 November 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editor's preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- Editor's introduction
- Glossary
- List of subsequent editions and translations
- VINDICIAE, CONTRA TYRANNOS
- Preface
- The First Question
- The Second Question
- The Third Question
- The Fourth Question
- Postscriptal poem by Alphonsus Menesius Benavides
- Index of Roman and canon law citations
- General index
Summary
A despiser of the gods, known by the name of Poxy Pelt, an Etruscan buffoon, a long-winded sophist, the gravest pestilence to Christians, instituted harpies of the people and savage tyrants by evil artifice. In this little book, Junius defines true kings and leading men and teaches peoples their rights [iura]. Of course, he makes kings the head in the great civil body, and the people its other members. But when the members are exhausted by resisting the head, will the head which oppresses its members be healthy either, O Tuscan? Consequently kings should be laws to the people in practice as well as by covenant [foedus], and fathers and leaders of justice in name and deed. The whole world is fashioned after the example of the king: the king should know that it is in this way that he is head of the people. Let kings obtain this triumph in the ancient way, namely as both fathers of the country and associates [socii] of the people.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Brutus: Vindiciae, contra tyrannosOr, Concerning the Legitimate Power of a Prince over the People, and of the People over a Prince, pp. 7 - 13Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1994