波波小说

第13部分（第1页）

will　be　tightly　held　toserve　the　prince　with　fidelity；　inasmuch　as　they　know　it　to　be　verynecessary　for　them　to　cancel　by　deeds　the　bad　impression　which　he　hadformed　of　them；　and　thus　the　prince　always　extracts　more　profit　fromthem　than　from　those　who；　serving　him　in　too　much　security；　may　neglecthis　affairs。　And　since　the　matter　demands　it；　I　must　not　fail　to　warn　aprince；　who　by　means　of　secret　favours　has　acquired　a　new　state；　that　hemust　well　consider　the　reasons　which　induced　those　to　favour　him　who　didso；　and　if　it　be　not　a　natural　affection　towards　him；　but　onlydiscontent　with　their　government；　then　he　will　only　keep　them　friendlywith　great　trouble　and　difficulty；　for　it　will　be　impossible　to　satisfythem。　And　weighing　well　the　reasons　for　this　in　those　examples　which　canbe　taken　from　ancient　and　modern　affairs；　we　shall　find　that　it　iseasier　for　the　prince　to　make　friends　of　those　men　who　were　contentedunder　the　former　government；　and　are　therefore　his　enemies；　than　ofthose　who；　being　discontented　with　it；　were　favourable　to　him　andencouraged　him　to　seize　it。6。　It　has　been　a　custom　with　princes；　in　order　to　hold　their　states　moresecurely；　to　build　fortresses　that　may　serve　as　a　bridle　and　bit　tothose　who　might　design　to　work　against　them；　and　as　a　place　of　refugefrom　a　first　attack。　I　praise　this　system　because　it　has　been　made　useof　formerly。　Notwithstanding　that；　Messer　Nicolo　Vitelli　in　our　timeshas　been　seen　to　demolish　two　fortresses　in　Citta　di　Castello　so　that　hemight　keep　that　state；　Guidubaldo；　Duke　of　Urbino；　on　returning　to　hisdominion；　whence　he　had　been　driven　by　Cesare　Borgia；　razed　to　thefoundations　all　the　fortresses　in　that　province；　and　considered　thatwithout　them　it　would　be　more　difficult　to　lose　it；　the　Bentivoglioreturning　to　Bologna　came　to　a　similar　decision。　Fortresses；　therefore；are　useful　or　not　according　to　circumstances；　if　they　do　you　good　in　oneway　they　injure　you　in　another。　And　this　question　can　be　reasoned　thus：the　prince　who　has　more　to　fear　from　the　people　than　from　foreignersought　to　build　fortresses；　but　he　who　has　more　to　fear　from　foreignersthan　from　the　people　ought　to　leave　them　alone。　The　castle　of　Milan；built　by　Francesco　Sforza；　has　made；　and　will　make；　more　trouble　for　thehouse　of　Sforza　than　any　other　disorder　in　the　state。　For　this　reasonthe　best　possible　fortress　is　……　not　to　be　hated　by　the　people；　because；although　you　may　hold　the　fortresses；　yet　they　will　not　save　you　if　thepeople　hate　you；　for　there　will　never　be　wanting　foreigners　to　assist　apeople　who　have　taken　arms　against　you。　It　has　not　been　seen　in　ourtimes　that　such　fortresses　have　been　of　use　to　any　prince；　unless　to　theCountess　of　Forli；　when　the　Count　Girolamo；　her　consort；　was　killed；　forby　that　means　she　was　able　to　withstand　the　popular　attack　and　wait　forassistance　from　Milan；　and　thus　recover　her　state；　and　the　posture　ofaffairs　was　such　at　that　time　that　the　foreigners　could　not　assist　thepeople。　But　fortresses　were　of　little　value　to　her　afterwards　whenCesare　Borgia　attacked　her；　and　when　the　people；　her　enemy；　were　alliedwith　foreigners。　Therefore　it　would　have　been　safer　for　her；　both　thenand　before；　not　to　have　been　hated　by　the　people　than　to　have　had　thefortresses。　All　these　things　considered　then；　I　shall　praise　him　whobuilds　fortresses　as　well　as　him　who　does　not；　and　I　shall　blamewhoever；　trusting　in　them；　cares　little　about　being　hated　by　the　people。CHAPTER　XXIHOW　A　PRINCE　SHOULD　CONDUCT　HIMSELF　SO　AS　TO　GAIN　RENOWNNOTHING　makes　a　prince　so　much　esteemed　as　great　enterprises　and　settinga　fine　example。　We　have　in　our　time　Ferdinand　of　Aragon；　the　presentKing　of　Spain。　He　can　almost　be　called　a　new　prince；　because　he　hasrisen；　by　fame　and　glory；　from　being　an　insignificant　king　to　be　theforemost　king　in　Christendom；　and　if　you　will　consider　his　deeds　youwill　find　them　all　great　and　some　of　them　extraordinary。　In　thebeginning　of　his　reign　he　attacked　Granada；　and　this　enterprise　was　thefoundation　of　his　dominions。　He　did　this　quietly　at　first　and　withoutany　fear　of　hindrance；　for　he　held　the　minds　of　the　barons　of　Castileoccupied　in　thinking　of　the　war　and　not　anticipating　any　innovations；thus　they　did　not　perceive　that　by　these　means　he　was　acquiring　powerand　authority　over　them。　He　was　able　with　the　money　of　the　Church　and　ofthe　people　to　sustain　his　armies；　and　by　that　long　war　to　lay　thefoundation　for　the　military　skill　which　has　since　distinguished　him。Further；　always　using　religion　as　a　plea；　so　as　to　undertake　greaterschemes；　he　devoted　himself　with　a　pious　cruelty　to　driving　out　andclearing　his　kingdom　of　the　Moors；　nor　could　there　be　a　more　admirableexample；　nor　one　more　rare。　Under　this　same　cloak　he　assailed　Africa；　hecame　down　on　Italy；　he　has　finally　attacked　France；　and　thus　hisachievements　and　designs　have　always　been　great；　and　have　kept　the　mindsof　his　people　in　suspense　and　admiration　and　occupied　with　the　issue　ofthem。　And　his　actions　have　arisen　in　such　a　way；　one　out　of　the　other；that　men　have　never　been　given　time　to　work　steadily　against　him。Again；　it　much　assists　a　prince　to　set　unusual　examples　in　internalaffairs；　similar　to　those　which　are　related　of　Messer　Bernabo　da　Milano；who；　when　he　had　the　opportunity；　by　any　one　in　civil　life　doing　someextraordinary　thing；　either　good　or　bad；　would　take　some　method　ofrewarding　or　punishing　him；　which　would　be　much　spoken　about。　And　aprince　ought；　above　all　things；　always　to　endeavour　in　every　action　togain　for　himself　the　reputation　of　being　a　great　and　remarkable　man。A　prince　is　also　respected　when　he　is　either　a　true　friend　or　adownright　enemy；　that　to　say；　when；　without　any　reservation；　he　declareshimself　in　favour　of　one　party　against　the　other；　which　course　willalways　be　more　advantageous　than　standing　neutral；　because　if　two　ofyour　powerful　neighbours　e　to　blows；　they　are　of　such　a　characterthat；　if　one　of　them　conquers；　you　have　either　to　fear　him　or　not。　Ineither　case　it　will　always　be　more　advantageous　for　you　to　declareyourself　and　to　make　war　strenuously；　because；　in　the　first　case；　if　youdo　not　declare　yourself；　you　will　invariably　fall　a　prey　to　theconqueror；　to　the　pleasure　and　satisfaction　of　him　who　has　beenconquered；　and　you　will　have　no　reasons　to　offer；　nor　anything　toprotect　or　to　shelter　you。　Because　he　who　conquers　does　not　wantdoubtful　friends　who　will　not　aid　him　in　the　time　of　trial；　and　he　wholoses　will　not　harbour　you　because　you　did　not　willingly；　sword　in　hand；court　his　fate。Antiochus　went　into　Greece；　being　sent　for　by　the　Aetolians　to　drive　outthe　Romans。　He　sent　envoys　to　the　Achaeans；　who　were　friends　of　theRomans；　exhorting　them　to　remain　neutral；　and　on　the　other　hand　theRomans　urged　them　to　take　up　arms。　This　question　came　to　be　discussed　inthe　council　of　the　Achaeans；　where　the　legate　of　Antiochus　urged　them　tostand　neutral。　To　this　the　Roman　legate　answered：　〃As　for　that　which　hasbeen　said；　that　it　is　better　and　more　advantageous　for　your　state　not　tointerfere　in　our　war；　nothing　can　be　more　erroneous；　because　by　notinterfering　you　will　be　left；　without　favour　or　consideration；　theguerdon　of　the　conqueror。〃　Thus　it　will　always　happen　that　he　who　is　notyour　friend　will　demand　your　neutrality；　whilst　he　who　is　your　friendwill　entreat　you　to　declare　yourself　with　arms。　And　irresolute　princes；to　avoid　present　dangers；　generally　follow　the　neutral　path；　and　aregenerally　ruined。　But　when　a　prince　declares　himself　gallantly　in　favourof　one　side；　if　the　party　with　whom　he　allies　himself　conquers；　althoughthe　victor　may　be　powerful　and　may　have　him　at　his　mercy；　yet　he　isindebted　to　him；　and　there　is　established　a　bond　of　amity；　and　men　arenever　so　shameless　as　to　bee　a　monument　of　ingratitude　by　oppressingyou。　Victories　after　all　are　never　so　plete　that　the　victor　must　notshow　some　regard；　especially　to　justice。　But　if　he　with　whom　you　allyyourself　loses；　you　may　be　sheltered　by　him；　and　whilst　he　is　able　hemay　aid　you；　and　you　bee　panions　in　a　fortune　that　may　rise　again。In　the　second　case；　when　those　who　fight　are　of　such　a　character　thatyou　have　no　anxiety　as　to　ore　is　itgreater　prudence　to　be　allied；　because　you　assist　at　the　destruction　ofone　by　the　aid　of　another　who；　if　he　had　been　wise；　would　have　savedhim；　and　conquering；　as　it　is　impossible　that　he　should　not　with　yourassistance；　he　remains　at　your　discretion。　And　here　it　is　to　be　notedthat　a　prince　ought　to　take　care　never　to　make　an　alliance　with　one　morepowerful　than　himself　for　the　purpose　of　attacking　others；　unlessnecessity　pels　him；　as　is　said　above；　because　if　he　conquers　you　areat　his　discretion；　and　princes　ought　to　avoid　as　much　as　possible　beingat　the　discretion　of　any　one。　The　Veians　joined　with　France　againstthe　Duke　of　Milan；　and　this　alliance；　which　caused　their　ruin；　couldhave　been　avoided。　But　when　it　cannot　be　avoided；　as　happened　to　theFlorentines　when　the　Pope　and　Spain　sent　armies　to　attack　Lombardy；　thenin　such　a　case；　for　the　above　reasons；　the　prince　ought　to　favour　one　ofthe　parties。Never　let　any　Government　imagine　that　it　can　choose　perfectly　safecourses；　rather　let　it　expect　to　have　to　take　very　doubtful　ones；because　it　is　found　in　ordinary　affairs　that　one　never　seeks　to　avoidone　trouble　without　running　into　another；　but　prudence　consists　inknowing　how　to　distinguish　the　character　of　troubles；　and　for　choice　totake　the　lesser　evil。A　prince　ought　also　to　show　himself　a　patron　of　ability；　and　to　honourthe　proficient　in　every　art。　At　the　same　time　he　should　encourage　hiscitizens　to　practise　their　callings　peaceably；　both　in　merce　andagriculture；　and　in　every　other　following；　so　that　the　one　should　not　bedeterred　from　improving　his　possessions　for　fear　lest　they　be　taken　awayfrom　him　or　another　from　opening　up　trade　for　fear　of　taxes；　but　theprince　ought　to　offer　rewards　to　whoever　wishes　to　do　these　things　anddesigns　in　any　way　to　honour　his　city　or　state。Further；　he　ought　to　entertain　the　people　with　festivals　and　spectaclesat　convenient　seasons　of　the　year；　and　as　every　city　is　divided　intoguilds　or　into　societies；　he　ought　to　hold　such　bodies　in　esteem；　andassociate　with　them　sometimes；　and　show　himself　an　example　of　courtesyand　liberality；　nevertheless；　always　maintaining　the　majesty　of　hisrank；　for　this　he　must　never　consent　to　abate　in　anything。CHAPTER　XXIICONCERNING　THE　SECRETARIES　OF　PRINCESTHE　choice　of　servants　is　of　no　little　importance　to　a　prince；　and　theyare　good　or　not　according　to　the　discrimination　of　the　prince。　And　thefirst　opinion　which　one　forms　of　a　prince；　and　of　his　understanding；　isby　observing　the　men　he　has　around　him；　and　when　they　are　capable　andfaithful　he　may　always　be　considered　wise；　because　he　has　known　how　torecognize　the　capable　and　to　keep　them　faithful。　But　when　they　areotherwise　one　cannot　form　a　good　opinion　of　him；　for　the　prime　errorwhich　he　made　was　in　choosing　them。There　were　none　who　knew　Messer　Antonio　da　Venafro　as　the　servant　ofPandolfo　Petrucci；　Prince　of　Siena；　who　would　not　consider　Pandolfo　tobe　a　very　clever　man　in　having　Venafro　for　his　servant。　Because　thereare　three　classes　of　intellects：　one　which　prehends　by　itself；another　which　appreciates　what　others　prehend；　and　a　third　whichneither　prehends　by　itself　nor　by　the　showing　of　others；　the　first　isthe　most　excellent；　the　second

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