Do not issue many edicts, and if you do, try to make them good ones, and, above all, ones that are carried out and obeyed; for edicts that are not carried out are as good as nonexistent, and they let it be known that the prince who had the intelligence and authority to issue them did not have the courage to enforce them; laws that intimidate but are not enforced become like the log that was king of the frogs: at first it frightened them, but in time they came to despise it and climbed up on it.
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In the passage from "Don Quixote," the author emphasizes the importance of issuing edicts judiciously. A ruler should limit the number of directives they create and ensure that these commands are of high quality. The effectiveness of edicts lies not just in their issuance but also in how well they are enforced. If a ruler offers many commands that lack enforcement, they risk appearing weak and ineffective.
Cervantes draws a clear parallel to the consequences of unenforced laws, likening them to a log that once instilled fear in frogs but eventually garnered disdain when it became an unchallenged presence. This analogy highlights the potential for laws that intimidate but are left unheeded to lose their authority over time. The essence is that a leader must have both the wisdom to create impactful laws and the resolve to ensure they are respected and followed.
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