About This Quote
In this quote, Aristotle is speaking to the idea of what was called in his time “the golden mean”: a balance between two extremes. In his case, he is talking about the balance between “crushing” and “well treated.” He’s saying that while it is sometimes necessary to crush someone in order to get rid of a dangerous foe, that should be the exception rather than the norm. When someone feels he must use violence against another person in order to protect himself or others, it sends a message that violence is acceptable. It makes people think violence is okay and they may use violence themselves without thinking about the consequences.
Source: The Prince
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