The third source of her success lay in the spirit of her population.
Like Rome in her early days, she was never cast down by reverses.
Misfortune only nerved her to further exertions, and after each defeat
she rose stronger than before. But the cause which, more than all,
contributed to give to Venice her ascendancy among the cities of Italy,
was her form of government. Democratic at first, as among all
communities, it had gradually assumed the character of a close
oligarchy, and although nominally ruled by a council containing a large
number of members, her destinies were actually in the hands of the
Doge, elected for life, and the Council of Ten, chosen from the great
body of the council. Thus she had from the first been free from those
factions which were the bane of Genoa and Florence. Some of the great
families had from time to time come more prominently to the front than
others, but none had attained predominant political power, and beyond a
few street tumults of slight importance, Venice had not suffered from
the popular tumults and uprisings which played so prominent a part in
the history of her rivals.

Thus, undisturbed by discord at home, Venice had been able to give all
her attention and all her care to her interests abroad, and her
affairs, conducted as they were by her wisest citizens, with a single
eye to the benefit of the state, had been distinguished by a rare
sagacity. Her object had been single and uniform, to protect her own
interests, and to prevent any one city on the mainland attaining such a
preponderance as would render her a dangerous neighbour. Hence she was
always ready to ally herself with the weaker against the stronger, and
to aid with money and men any state struggling against an ambitious
neighbour. Acting on this principle she by turns assisted Padua against
Verona, and Verona against Padua, or either of them when threatened by
the growing power of Milan, and at the end of a war she generally came