"For
whenever men are not obliged to fight from necessity, they fight
from ambition; which is so powerful in human breasts, that it
never leaves them no matter to what rank they rise. The reason
is that nature has so created men that they are able to desire
everything but are not able to attain everything: so that the
desire being always greater than the acquisition, there results
discontent with the possession and little satisfaction to themselves
from it. From this arises the changes in their fortunes; for
as men desire, some to have more, some in fear of losing their
acquisition, there ensues enmity and war, from which results
the ruin of that province and the elevation of another."