BABYLON AND PERSIA

IX.BABYLON THE GREATTHE HOUSE EGIBl.I. Where possessions and power are nicely bal¬anced by common consent, the natural consequenceis mutual watchfulness and suspiciousness. An asso¬ciation is formed, the members of which agree to becontent with what they have and not to seek aggran¬dizement at one anotheris expense. But even as theymake the agreement, each knows perfectlywelljudg¬ing from his own inclinationthat they will all keepto^it just as long as they will think proper or until atempting opportunity offers, and not one momentlonger. For this opportunity each of the associateswatdies with a double eagerness : not to miss it hhn-, self and to prevent any of the others availing him¬self of it. Moreover, as a balance of power is morefrequently organized for the unavowed purpose ofrestraining the excessive growth of some alarminglyvigorous and enterprising neighbor than simply ongeneral principles, there is usually a sense of dangerimpending from some particular quarter, which quar¬ter naturally becomes the object of more jealoussupervision and suspicion. Usually, too, all thewatching and fencing serves but little in the end, forwhere strength is, it will be put forth and prevail by223