《智慧书·第一辑·一至五十》第42则
Born to Command. It is a secret force of superiority not to have to get on by artful trickery but by an inborn power of rule. All submit to it without knowing why, recognising the secret vigour of connatural authority. Such magisterial spirits are kings by merit and lions by innate privilege. By the esteem which they inspire, they hold the hearts and minds of the rest. If their other qualities permit, such men are born to be the prime motors of the state. They perform more by a gesture than others by a long harangue.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文拥有同一个主语，可以拼回一句话：“天生就是发号施令的人，是靠一种超乎寻常的隐秘力量，无需技巧算计，而是凭借与生俱来的统治力。”葛拉西安在此把他最核心的一个主题推到了极致：有些东西是学不来的。他在前面的格言里反复谈审慎、谈机锋、谈后天的艺术，到这里他突然承认，世间还存在着一种根本不属于“技巧”范畴的权威。 西班牙原文中有两处概念主义的双关…