[Sca-cooks] OT: Let the people hate, as long as they also fear

[Chris Stanifer]

--- tgl at mailer.uni-marburg.de wrote:
> <<
> > Let the people hate, as long as they also fear.
>
> I have an apron that says this, with attributions...
>         (...)
>         "Let them hate me, so long as they fear me."
>                 Gaius Lucius Germanicus Caligula,
> third emperor of Rome
> >>
>
> The original passage is: "Oderint, dum metuant" (May
> they hate, if they
> only/as long as they fear). It is reported by Sueton
> in his chapter on
> Caligula, see:

Machiavelli would have said it this way: "Let the
people fear, so long as they do not hate."  His
philosophy was pretty much the opposite of those
mentioned above, though it has been interpreted
incorrectly many times.  He felt that over-kindness
was the downfall of many previous rulers.  Consider:
A populace which knows only kindness from a ruler is
shocked and horrified when he finally shows cruelty.
However, a populace which is used to cruelty from
their sovreign sees a sudden act of mercy as a
blessing worthy of thanks and admiration.

Balthazar of Blackmoor

=====
Let the people hate, as long as they also fear.

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