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"And now, since nature is putting a period to my life, I exhort and conjure you, by this right hand, and by the fidelity which you owe to my kingdom,By the fidelity which you owe to my kingdom] Per regni fidem. This seems to be the best of all the explanations that have been offered of these words. "Per fidem quam tu rex (futurus) mihi regi præstare debes."Burnouf. "Per fidem quæ decet in regno, i.e. regem."Dietsch. "Per eam fidem, quâ esse decet eum qui regnum obtinet."Kritzius. to regard these princes, who are your cousins by birth, and your brothers by my generosity, with sincere affection; and not to be more anxious to attach to yourself strangers, than to retain the love of those connected with you by blood. It is not armies, or treasures,It is not armies, or treasures, etc.] "It is not this golden scepter that can preserve a kingdom; but numerous friends are to princes their trust and safest scepter." Xen. Cyrop, viii. 7, 14. that form the defenses of a kingdom, but friends, whom you can neither command by force nor purchase with gold; for they are acquired only by good offices and integrity. And who can be a greater friend than one brother to another?And who can be a greater friend than one brother to another?] Quis autem amicior, quam frater fratri? "Νόμιζ' ἀδελφοὺσ τοὺσ ἀληθινοὺσ φίλους. Menander."Wasse. Or what stranger will you find faithful, if you are at enmity with your own family? I leave you a kingdom, which will be strong if you act honorably, but weak, if you are ill-affected to each other; for by concord even small states are increased, but by discord, even the greatest fall to nothing.