I will not now speak of Pietro Belli27 nor of Alberico Gentili who, in imposing limitations and applying rules to war were the predecessors of H Grotius and who in holding peace to be the ultimate goal desired by all civilization went far beyond him
To conclude this already considerable digression let me repeat the words of one of our eminent historians and publicists of today It has always been the concern of all the great Italian political leaders to preach peace love unity andconcord
With the decline of the freedom and sovereignty of the city states came a reawakened interest in Greek and Roman letters and through it the Renaissance which scorning politics and disdaining military glory held the supremacy of the mind and of the cult of truth and beauty to constitute the ideal life It paved the way for the association of nations by creating a fellowfeeling among scholars and men of science
But this purely intellectual pacific existence coupled with the disuse of arms, was fatal for Italy