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THE SEVENTH
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249
NICHOLAS MACHIAVEL'S
PRINCE
TRANSLATED OUT OF ITALIAN INTO ENGLISH BY
E. D.
WITH SOME ANIMADVERSIONS
NOTING AND TAXING
HIS ERRORS
1640
TO THE MOST
NOBLE AND ILLUSTRIOUS,
JAMES Duke of Lenox, Earle of March,
Baron of Setrington, Darnly, Terbanten, and
Methuen, Lord Great Chamberlain and Admiral
of Scotland, Knight of the most Noble Order
of the Garter, and one of his Majesties
most honourable Privy Counsel
in both kingdomes.
OYSONS are not all of that malig nant and noxious quality, that as destructives of Nature, they arc utterly to be abhord ; but we find many, nay most of them have their medicinal uses. This book carries its poyson and malice in it ; yet mee thinks — the judicious peruser may honestly make use of i in the actions of his life, with advantage. The Lamprey, they say, hath a vcnemous string runs all along the back of it ; take that out, and it is serv'd in for a choyce dish to dainty palates ; Epictetus the Philosopher, sayes, Every thing hath
THE PRINCE
two handles, as the fire brand, it may be taken up at one end in the bare hand without hurt : the other being laid hold on, will cleave to the very flesh, and the smart of it will pierce even to the heart. Sin hath the condition of the fiery end ; the touch of it is wounding with griefe unto the soule : nay it is worse ; one sin goes not alone but hath many consequences. Your Grace may find the truth of this in your perusal of this Author : your judgement shall easily direct you in finding out the good uses of him : I have pointed at his chiefest errors with my best endeavors, and have devoted them to your Graces service : which if you shall accept and protect, I shall remain
Your Graces humble and devoted servant,
EDWARD D ACRES.
254
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER
UESTIONLESS some men will blame me for making this Author speak in our vulgar tongue. For his Muximes and Tenents are condemnd of all, as pernicious to all Christian States, and hurtfull to all humane Societies. Herein I shall answer for my self with the Comcedian, Placcrc fftudco bo nix (juam plur'nins^ct vrinimc midtos lucdcrc : I endeavor to give content to the most I can of those that are well disposed, and no scandal to any. I grant, I find him blamed and condemned : I do no less my self. Reader, either do thou read him without a prejudicate opinion, and out of thy own judgement taxe his errors; or at least, if thou canst stoop so low, make use of my pains to help thee ; I will promise thee this reward for thy labor : if thou consider well the actions of the world, thou shall find him much praclised by those lhal condemn him ; who willingly would walk as Iheeves do with close lanlernes in Ihe night, thai they being undescried, and yet seeing all, might surprise the unwary in the dark. Surely this book will infect no man : oul of the wicked treasure of a mans- own wicked heart, he drawes his malice and mischief. From Ihe same flower Ihe liee sucks honey, from whence the Spider halh his poyson. And he lhal means well, shall be here warnd, where Ihe deceitful 1 man Jennies to set his snares. A judge who hath often used to examine Iheeves, becomes Ihe more experl lo sifl oul Iheir tricks. If mis chief come hereupon, blame not me, nor blame my Author : lay the saddle on the right horse : but Hony -wit qui mill y petutc : let shame light on him thai halchl the mischief.
255
THE PRINCE
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELLI,
to the Magnificent LAURENCE sonne to PETER OF MEDICIS health.
\HEY that desire to ingratiate themselves with a Prince, commonly use to offer them selves to his view, with tilings of that nature as such persons take most pleasure and delight in: whereupon we see they are many times presented with Horses and Armes, cloth of gold, pretious stones, and such like ornaments, worthy of' their great ness. Having then a mind to offer up my self to your Magnificence, with some testimony of my service to you, I found nothing in my whole inventory, that I think better of, or more esteeme, than the knowlege of great mens actions,— which I have learned by a long experience of modern affairs, and a continual reading of those of the ancients. Which, now that I have with great diligence long workt it out, and throughly sifted, I commend to your Magnificence. And however I may well think this work unworthy of your view ; yet such is your humanity, that I doubt not but it shall find acceptance, considering, that for my part I am not able to tender a greater gift, than to present you with the means, whereby in a very short time you may be able to understand all that, which I, in the space of many years, and with many sufferances and dangers, have made proof and gaind the knowledge of. And this work I have not set forth either with elegancy of discourse or stile, nor with any other ornament whereby to captivate the reader, as others use, because I would not have it gain its esteem from elsewhere than from the truth — of the matter, and the gravity of the subject. Nor can this — ' 256
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
be thought presumption, if a man of humble and low condition venture to dilate and discourse upon ttie governments of Princes ; for even as tJiey that with their pencils designe out countreys, get themselves into the plains below to consider the nature of the mountains, and other high places above ; and again to consider the plains below, they get up to the tops of the mountains ; in like manner to understand the nature of Un people, it is fit to be a Prince ; and to know well the dispositions of Princes, sides best with the understanding of a subject. Your Magnificence then may be pleased, to receive this small present, with the same mind tJiat I send it; which if you sliall throughly peruse and consider, you shall perceive therein that I exceedingly wish, that you may attain to that greatness, which your own fortune, and your excellent endowments promise you : and if your Magnificence from the very point of your Highness shall sometime cast your eyes upon these inferior places, you shall see how un deservedly I undergoe an extream and continual despight of Fortune.
KK 257
THE PRINCE
THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS
CHAP. 1.
How many sorts of Principalities there are, and how
many wayes they are attained to, . . . 263
CHAP. 2.
Of hereditary Principalities, . . . 264
CHAP. 3. Of mixt Principalities, ... . 265
CHAP. 4.
Wherefore Darius his Kingdome, taken by Alexander, rebelled not against his successors after Alexanders death, . • • • 273
CHAP. 5.
In what manner Cities and Principalities are to be governed, which before they were conquered, lived under their own laws, .... 276
CHAP. (>. Of new Principalities that are conquered by ones own
armes and valor, . . . .277
259
THE PRINCE
TBLE
1 ABLfc
CHAR 7'
Of new Principalities gotten by fortune and other mens
forces, . . . . . .281
CHAP. 8. Concerning those who by wicked means have attaind to
a Principality, . . . . .289
CHAP. 9. Of the Civil Principality , . . . . .293
CHAP. 10.
In what manner the forces of all Principalities ought to
be measured, ..... 297
CHAP. 11.
Concerning Ecclesiastical Principalities, . . . 299
CHAP. 12. How many sorts of Military discipline there be; and
touching mercenary soldiers, . . .302
CHAP. 13. Of Auxiliary Soldiers, mixt and natives, . . 307
CHAP. 14. What belongs to the Prince touching military discipline, 310
CHAP. 15. Of those things in respect whereof men, and especially
Princes are prais'd or disprais'd, . 313
260
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
CHAP. U). THE
• AGE TABLE Of Liberality and Miserableness, . . 315
CHAP. 17. Of Cruelty and Clemency, and whether it is better to be
belov'd or feared, . . . . .318
CHAP. 18. In what manner Princes ought to keep their word, . 321
CHAP. 19. That Princes should take a care not to incur contempt
or hatred, . . . . . .325
CHAP. 20.
Whether the Citadels and many other things, which Princes make use of, are profitable or dammage- able, 335
CHAP. 21. How a Prince ought to behave himself to gain reputation, 339
CHAP. 22. Touching Princes Secretaries, . . . 343
CHAP. 23. That Flatterers are to be avoyded, . . 344
CHAP. 21.
Wherefore the Princes of Italy have lost their States, 347
2G1
THE PRINCE
THE CHAP. 25.
TABLE
How great power Fortune hath in humane affairs, and
what means there is to resist it, . . 349
CHAP. 26. An exhortation to free Italy from the Barbarions, . 353
262
THE PRINCE
Written by
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELLI,
Secretary and Citizen of Florence.
CHAP. I
How many sorts of Principalities there are, and how many wayes they are attained to.
LL States, all Dominions that have had, or now have rule over men, have been and are, either Republiques or Princi palities. Principalities are either heredi tary, whereof they of the blood of the Lord thereof have long time been Princes; or else they are new ; and those that are new, are either all new, as was the Dutchy of Millan to Francis Sforce; or are as members adjoyned to the hereditary State of the Prince that gains it; as the King dom of Naples is to the King of Spain. These Dominions so gotten, are accustomed either to live under a Prince, or to enjoy their liberty; and are made conquest of, either with others forces, or ones own, either by fortune, or by valor.
263
THE PRINCE
CHAP. II
Of Hereditary Principalities.
WILL not here discourse of Republiques, because I have other where treated of them at large : I will apply my self only to a Principality, and proceed, while I weave this web, by arguing thereupon, how these Principallities can be governed and maintained. I say then that in States of inheritance, and accustomed to the blood of their Princes, there are far fewer difficulties to keep them, than in the new : for..it suffices only not to ilSBSgJ'.ggg tkej^oursg ijiis. Ancestors_took. and so afterward to temporise w i th those accidents t hatcan happen ; that if such a Prince be but of ordinary industry, he shall allwaics be able to maintain himself in his State, unless by some extraordinary or excessive power he be deprived thereof; and when he had lost it, upon the least sinister chance that befalls the usurper, he recovers it again. We have in Italy the Duke of Ferrara for example hereof, who was of ability to resist the Venetians, in the year 84. and to withstand Pope Julius in the tenth for no other reason, than because he had of old continued in that rule ; for the natural Prince hath fewer occasions, and less heed to give offence, where upon of necessity he must be more beloved ; and unless it be that some extravagant vices of his bring him into hatred, it is agreeable to reason, that naturally he should be well beloved by his own subjects : and in the antiquity and continuation of the Dominion, the remembrances and occasions of innovations are quite extinguished : for evermore one change leaves a kind of breach or dent, to fasten the building of another.
264
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
CHAP. Ill
Of mixt Principalities.
UT the difficulties consist in the new Prin cipality ; and first, if it be not all new, but as a member, so that it may be termed altogether as mixt ; and the variations thereof proceed in the first place from a natural difficulty, which vre commonly finde in all new Principalities; for men do willingly change their Lord,* beleeving to better their condition ; and this beliefe causes v them to take armes against him that rules over them, whereby they deceive themselves, because they find after byV experience, they have made it worse : which depends upon another natural and ordinary necessity, &ldrjg.hiiii alwak'S to_ Prince Ji£_newl become^ *«~w* 11 by
soldiers he is put to_entertain jipon iliem as by many other.. injuries, which a new conquest .draws along with it ; in such manner as thou findest all those thine enemies, whom thou hast endammaged in the seizing of that Principality, and afterwards canst not keep them thy friends that have seated thee in it, for not being able to satisfie them accord-! ing to their expectations, nor put in practice strong remedies (i against them, being obliged to them. For however one be' very well provided with strong armies, yet hath he alwaies / need of the favor of the inhabitants in the Countrey, to enterV thereinto. For these reasons, Lewis the twelfth, King of France, suddenly took Milan, and as soon lost it ; and the first time Lodwick his own forces served well enough to wrest it out of his hands; for those people that had opened him the gates, finding themselves deceived of their opinion, and of that future good which they had promised themselves, could not endure the distastes the new Prince gave them. True it is, that Countreys that have rebelled again the second time, being recovered, are harder lost ; for their Lord, taking occasion from their rebellion, is less respective of
ing LL
265
THE PRINCE
CHAP. Ill [persons, but cares only to secure himself, by punishing Of mixt Prin- jthe delinquents, to clear all suspicions, and to provide cipalities. Ifor himself where he thinks he is weakest : so that if to make France lose Milan the first time, it was enough for Duke Lodwick to make some small stir only upon the confines ; yet afterwards, before they could make him lose it the second time, they had need of the whole world together against him, and that all his armies should be wasted and driven out of Italy ; which proceeded from the forenamed causes : however though both the first and second time it was taken from him. The generall causes of the first we have treated of; it remains now that we see those of the second ; and set down the remedies that he had, or any one else can have that should chance to be in those termes he was, whereby he might be able to maintain himself better in his conquest than the King of France did. I say . therefore, that these States which by Conquest are annexed /to the ancient states of their conqueror, are either of the V same province and the same language, or otherwise ; and /when they are, it is very easy to hold them, especially when /they are not used to live free; and to enjoy them securely, V it is enough to have extinguished the Princes line who ruled x)ver them : For in other matters, allowing them their ancient /conditions, and there being not much difference of manners /betwixt them, men ordinarily live quiet enough ; as we havej seen that Burgundy did, Britany, Gascony, and Normandy,! which so long time continued with France : for however! there be some difference of language between them, yet can! they easily comport one with another ; and whosoever makesl the conquest of them, meaning to hold them, must have two!
(regards; the first, that the race of their former Prince be I quite extinguished ; the other, that he change nothing, I neither in their lawes nor taxes, so that in a very short I time they become one entire body with their ancient I Principality. But when any States nre gaind in a Province \ ^disagreeing in language, manners, and orders, here are the difficulties, and here is there need of good fortune, and great industry 'to maintain them ;" arid it would be one of the best
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
and livelyest remedies, for the Conqueror to goe in person/ CHAP. Ill and dwell there; this would make the possession hereof/Of mixt Prin- more secure and durable; as the Turk hath done in Greece, cipalitiea. who among all the other courses taken by him for to hold that State, had he not gone thither himself in person to dwell, it had never been possible for him to have kept it : for abiding there, he sees the disorders growing in their/ beginnings, and forthwith can remedy them ; whereas being not there present, they are heard of when they are grown to J some height, and then is there no help for them. Moreover,*' the Province is not pillaged by the officers thou sendest ^ thither: the subjects are much satisfied of having recourse to the Prince near at hand, whereupon have they more i reason to love him, if they mean to be good ; and intending/ to do otherwise, to fear 'him: and forrein Princes will be well aware how they invade that State; insomuch, that making his abode there, he can very hardly lose it. Another ~~ remedy, which is also a better, is to send Colonies into one y or two places, which may be as it were the keys of that State; for it is necessary either to do this, or to maintain there many horse and foot. In these colonies the Prince""" makes no great expence, and either without his charge, or ^ at a very small rate, he may both send and maintain them ; and gives offence only to them from whom he takes theiri fields and houses, to bestow them on those new inhabitants] who are but a very small part of that State ; and those that! he offends, remaining dispersed and poore, can never hurt) him : and all the rest on one part, have no offence given them, and therefore a small matter keeps them in quiet : on the other side, they are wary not to erre, for fear it befalls * not them, as it did those that were dispoild. I conclude then, that those colonies that are not chargeable, are the more trusty, give the less offence ; and they that are offended, being but poor and scattered, can do but little harme, as I have said ; for it is to be noted, that men must either be dallyed and flattered withall, or else be quite nisbt. ; for they rc,y»"p" th.-rmclv^ »f
>f great ones they are not able \ so that when
267
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CHAP. Ill (to any man, it ought so to be done, that it need fear no Of mixt Pr\-\return of revenge again. But in lieu of Colonies, by main- cipalities. vtaining soldiers there, the expence is great ; for the whole revenues of that State are to be spent in the keeping of it ; so the conquest proves but a loss to him that hath got it, and endammages him rather ; for it hurts that whole State to remove the army from place to place, of which annoyance every one hath a feeling, and so becomes enemie to thee ; as they are enemies, I wis, who are outraged by thee in their own houses, whensoever they are able to do thee mischief. Every way then is this guard unprofitable. Besides, he that is in a different Province, (as it is said) should make himself Head Vand defender of his less powerfull neighbors, and devise valwaies to weaken those that are more mighty therein, and /take care that upon no chance there enter not any foreiner yas mighty as himself; for it will alwaies come to pass, that they shall be brought in by those that are discontented, either upon ambition, or fear ; as the Etolians brought the Romans into Greece ; and they were brought into every countrey they came, by the Natives ; and the course of the matter is, that so soon as a powerfull Stranger enters a '/countrey, all those that are the less powerfull there, cleave ''to him, provoked by an envy they beare him that is more ^mighty than they; so that for these of the weaker sort, he may easily gain them without any pains : for presently all of them together very willingly make one lump with that he hath gotten : He hath only to beware that these increase not their strengths, nor their authorities, and so he shall easily be able by his own forces, and their assistances, to take down those that are mighty, and remain himself absolute arbitre of that Countrey. And he that playes not well this part, shall quickly lose what he hath gotten ; and while he holds it, shall find therein a great many troubles and vexations. The Romans in the Provinces they seiz'd on, observed well these points, sent colonies thither, enter- Stained the weaker sort, without augmenting any thing their .power, abated the forces of those that were mighty, and permitted not any powerfull forreiner to gain too much 268
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
reputation there. And I will content my self only with the CHAP. Ill countrey of Greece for example hereof. The Achayans and Of mixt Prin- Etolians were entertained by them, the Macedons kingdome cipalities. was brought low, Antiochus was driven thence, nor ever did the Achayans or Etolians deserts prevail so far for them, that they would ever promise to enlarge their State, nor the perswasions of Philip induce them ever to be his friends, without bringing him lower; nor yet could Antiochus his power make them ever consent that he should hold any State in that countrey : for the Romans did in these cases that which all judicious Princes ought to do, who are not only to have regard unto all present mischiefs, but also to the future, and to provide for those with all industry ; for /by taking order for those when they are afarre off', it is easie /to prevent them ; but by delaying till they come near hand 4.0 thee, the remedy comes too late; for this malignity is /grown incurable : and it befalls this, as the physicians say of the hectick feaver, that in the beginning it is easily cur'd, but hardly known ; but in the course of time, not having been known in the beginning, nor cured, it becomes easie to know, but hard to cure. Even so falls it out in matters of State ; for by knowing it aloof off' (which is given only to a wise man to do) the mischiefs that then spring up, are quickly helped ; but when, for not having been perceived, they are suffered to increase, so that every one sees them, there is then no cure for them : therefore the Komans, seeing these inconvenients afar off', alwaies prevented them, and never sufferd them to follow ; for to escape a war, be cause they knew that a war is not undertaken, but deferred for anothers advantage; therefore would they rather make a war with Philip and Antiochus in Greece, to the end it should not afterwards be made with them in Italy, though for that time they were able to avoid both the one and the other, which they thought not good to do : nor did they approve of that saying that is ordinarily in the mouthcs of the Sages of our dayes, to enjoy the benefits of the present time; but that rather, to take the benefit of their valor and wisdome ; for time drives forward everything, and may bring
"269
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CHAP. Ill with it as well good as evil, and evil as good. But let us Of mixt Prin- return to France, and examine if any of the things prescribed cipalities. have been done by them : and we will speak of Lewis, and not of Charles, as of whom by reason of the long possession he held in Italy we better knew the wayes he went : and you shall see he did the clean contrary to what should have been done by him that would maintain a State of different Language and conditions. King Lewis was brought into Italy by the Venetians ambition, who would have gotten for their shares half the State of Lombardy : I will not blame his comming, or the course he took, because he had a mind to begin to set a foot in Italy ; but having not any friends in the country, all gates being barred against him, by reason of King Charles his carriage there, he was constrained to joyn friendship with those he could; and this consideration well taken, would have proved lucky to him, when in the rest of his courses he had not committed any error. The King then having conquered Lombardy, recovered presently all that reputation that Charles had lost him ; Genua yeelded to him, the Florentines became friends with him ; the Marquess of Mantua, the Duke of Ferrara, the Bentivolti, the Lady of Furli, the Lord of Faenza, Pesaro Rimino, Camerino, and Piombino, the Luc heses, Pisans and Sieneses, every one came and offered him friendship : then might the Venetians consider the rashness of the course they had taken, who, only to get into their hands two Townes in Lombardy, made the King Lord of two thirds in Italy. Let any man now consider with how small difficulty could the King have maintained his reputation in Italy, if he had followed these \Jaforenamed rules, and secured and defended those his friends, who because their number was great, and they weak and fearful, some of the Church, and others of the Venetians were alwaies forced to hold with him, and by their means he might easily have been able to secure himself against those that were mightiest : but he was no sooner got into Milan, than he took a quite wrong course, by giving ayd to Pope Alexander, to seize upon Romania, and perceived not that by this resolution he weakned himself, ruining his own
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
friends, and those had cast themselves into his bosom, making CHAP. Ill the Church puissant, by adding to their Spiritual power, |Of mizt Prin- whereby they gaind their authority, and so much temporal jcipalitiea. estate/ And having once got out of the way, he was con strained to go on forward ; insomuch as to stop Alexanders ambition, and that he should not become Lord of nil Tuscany, of force he was to come into Italy : and this sufficed him not, to have made the Church mighty, and taken away his own friends ; but for the desire he had to get the Kingdome of Naples, he divided it with the King of Spain : and where before he was the sole arbitre of Italy, he brought in a competitor, to the end that all the ambitious persons of that country, and all that were ill affected to him, might have otherwhere to make their recourse : and whereas he might have left in that Kingdome some Vice-King of his own, he took him from thence, to place another there, that might afterward chace him thence. It is a thing indeed very natural and ordinary, to desire to be of the getting V hand : and alwaies when men undertake it, if they can effect it, they shall be prais\l for it, or at least not blamed : but v when they are not able, and yet will undertake it, here lies i the blame, here is the error committed. If France then was able with her own power to assail the Kingdome of Naples, she might well have done it ; but not being able, she should not have divided it: and if the division she made of Lombardy with the Venetians, deservM some excuse, thereby to set one foot in Italy ; yet this merits blame, for not being excusM by that necessity. Lewis then committed these five faults; extinguish! the feebler ones, augmented the State of I another that was already powerful in Italy, brought there- 1 into a very puissant forreiner, came not thither himself toj dwell there, nor planted any colonies there : which fault^ while he liv'd, he could not' but be the worse for; yet all could not have gone so ill, had he not committed the sixt, to take from the Venetians their State; for if he had not J enlarcfd the Churches territories nor brought the Spaniard [ into Italy, it had bin necessary to take them lower; but having first taken those other courses, he should never have
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CHAP. Ill given way to their destruction ; for while they had been OfmixtPrin- strong, they would alwaies have kept the others off from cipalities. venturing on the conquest of Lombardy. For the Venetians would never have given their consents thereto, unless they should have been made Lords of it themselves; and the others would never have taken it from France, to give it them : and then they would never have dar'd to go and set upon them both together. And if any one should say, that King Lewis yeelded Romania to Alexander, and the King- dome of Naples to Spain, to avoid a war ; I answer with the : weasons above alledged, that one should never suffer any / vdisorder to follow, for avoiding of a war; for that war is \ not sav'd, but put off to thy disadvantage. And if any / others argue, that the King had given his word to the Pope, to do that exploit for him, for dissolving of his marriage, and for giving the Cardinals Cap to him of Roan ; I answer with that which hereafter I shall say touching Princes words, how they ought to be kept. King Lewis then lost Lombardy, for not having observed some of those termes which others us'd, who have possessed themselves of countries, and desir'd to keep them. Nor is this any strange thing, but very ordinary and reasonable : and to this purpose I spake at Nantes with that French Cardinal, when Valentine (for so ordinarily was Caesar Borgia Pope Alexanders son calPd) made himself master of Romania; for when the Cardinal said to me, that the Italians understood not the feats of war ; I answered, the Frenchmen understood not matters of State : for had they been well vers'd therein, they would never have suffered the Church to have grown to that greatness. And by experience we have seen it, that the power hereof in Italy, and that of Spain also, was caused by France, and their own ruine proceeded from themselves. From whence a general rule may be taken, which never, or
I very seldom fails, That he that gives the means to another to become powerful, mines himself; for that power is caused by V^iim either with his industry, or with his force ; and as well the one as the other of these two is suspected
by him that is grown puissant. 272
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CHAP. IV
Wherefore Darius his Kingdome taken by Alex ander, rebelled not against Alexanders Successors after his death.
j]HE difficulties being consider'd, which a man hath in the maintaining of a State new gotten, some might marvaile how it came to pass, that Alexander the great sub dued all Asia in a few years ; and having hardly possessed himself of it, died ; where upon it seemed probable that all that State should have rebelled; nevertheless his Successors kept the possession of it, nor found they other difficulty in holding it, than what arose among themselves through their own ambition. I answer, that all the Prin cipalities whereof we have memory left us, have been governed in two several manners ; either by a Prince, and all the rest Vassals, who as ministers by his favor and allow ance, do help to govern that Kingdom ; or by a Prince and by Barons, who not by their Princes favor, but by the antiquity of blood hold that degree. And these kinds of Barons have both states of their own, and Vassals who acknowledge them for their Lords ; and bare them a true natural affection. Those States that are govenfd by a Prince and by Vassals, have their Prince ruling over them with more authority ; for in all his countrey, there is none acknowledged for superior, but himself: and if they yeeld obedience to any one else, it is but as to his minister and officer, nor beare they him any particular good will. The examples of these two different Governments now in our dayes, are, the Turk, and the King of France. The Turks whole Monarchy is governed by one Lord, and the rest are (\ all his Vassals; and dividing his whole Kingdom into divers J\ • Sangiacques or Governments, he sends several thither, and those he chops and changes, as he pleases. But the King MM *73
CHAP. IV
Wherefore Darius rebelled not against Alex anders Suc cessors after his death.
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of France is seated in the midst of a multitude of Lords, who of old have been acknowledged for such by their subjects, and being beloved by them, enjoy their preheminencies ; nor can the King take their States from them without danger. He then that considers the one and the other of these two States, shall find difficulty in the conquest of the Turks State ; but when once it is subdu'd, great facility to hold it. The reasons of these difficulties in taking of the Turks Kingdom from him, are, because the Invader cannot be called in by the Princes of that Kingdom, nor hope by the rebellion of those which he hath about him, to be able to facilitate his enterprize: which proceeds from the reasons aforesaid ; for they being all his slaves, and obliged to him, can more hardly be corrupted ; and put case they were corrupted, little profit could he get by it, they not being able to draw after them any people, for the reasons we have shewed : whereupon he that assails the Turk, must think to find him united ; and must rather relie upon his own forces, than in the others disorders : but when once he is overcome and broken in the field, so that he cannot repair his armies, there is nothing else to be doubted than the Royal blood, which being once quite out, there is none else left to be feard, none of the others having any credit with the people. And as the conqueror before the victory could not hope in them ; so after it, ought he not to fear them. The contrary falls out in Kingdoms governed as is that of France : for it is easie to be entered by the gaining of any Baron in the Kingdom ; for there are alwaies some malecontents to be found, and those that are glad of innovation. Those for the reasons alledg'd are able to open thee a way into that State, and to further thy victory, which afterwards to make good to thee, draws with it exceeding many difficulties, as well with those that have ayded thee, as those thou hast supprest. Nor is it enough for thee to root out the Princes race : for there remaine still those Lords who quickly will be the ring-leaders of new changes ; and in case thou art not able to content these, nor extinguish them, thou losest that State, whensoever the occasion is offerd. Now if thou 274
NICHOLAS MACIIIAVELL
shalt consider what sort of government that of Darius was, CHAP. IV thou shalt find it like to the Turks dominion, and therefore Wherefore Alexander was necessitated first to defeat him utterly, I>ariu« and drive him out of the field ; after which victory Darius reb^1gedAljot being dead, that State was left secure to Alexander, for the ander^Sur" reasons we treated of before : and his successors, had they cessors after continued in amity, might have enjoy'd it at ease: nor ever his death, arose there in that Kingdome other tumults, than those they themselves stirM up. But of the States that are ordered and grounded as that of France, it is impossible to become master at such ease : and from hence grew the frequent rebellions of Spain, France, and Greece against the Romans, by reason of the many Principalities those States had : whereof while the memory lasted, the Romans were alwayes doubtfull of the possession of them ; but the memory of them being quite wip't out, by the power and continuance of the Empire, at length they enjoy 'd it securely ; and they also were able afterwards fighting one with another, each of one them to draw after them the greater part of those provinces, according as their authority had gain'd them credit therein : and that because the blood of their ancient Lords was quite spent, they acknowledged no other but the Romans. By the consideration then of these things, no man will marvaile that Alexander had so little trouble to keep together the State of Asia ; and that others have had such great difficulties to maintain their conquest, as Pyrrhus, and many others; which proceeds not from the small or great' valour of the eonrjiierour, but from the difference of the subject.
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CHAP. V
In what manner Cities and Principalities are to be
govern 'd, which, before they were conquer'd, liv'd
under their own Laws.
HEN those States that are conquered, as it is said, have been accustomed to live under their own Laws, and in liberty — there are three wayes for a man to hold them. The first is to demolish all their\ — strong places; the other, personally to goe/— and dwell there; the third, to suffer themy-i, \ to live under their own Laws, drawings- from them some tribute, and creating therein an Oligarchy,}- that may continue it in thy service : for that State being created by that Prince, knowes it cannot consist without his aid and force, who is like to doe all he can to maintain it ; and wif^ morp fafilif y is a City kept by meanes of her own Citizens, which hath been usd before to live freeTtnan by any other way of keeping. We have for example the Spartans and the Romans ; the Spartans held Athens and Thebes, creating there an Oligarchy : yet they lost it. The Romans to be sure of Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dis- mantelPd them quite, and so lost them not : they would have kept Greece as the Spartans had held them, leaving them free, and letting them enjoy their own Laws; and it prospered not with them : so that they were forcYl to deface many Cities of that province to hold it. For in truth there is not a surer way to keep them under, than by;-* demolishments ; and whoever becomes master of a City us'd ' — to live free, and dismantells it not, let him look himselfe to \ bee ruin'd by it; for it alwayes in time of rebellion takes the name of liberty for refuge, and the ancient orders it had ; which neither by length of time, nor for any favours afforded them, are ever forgotten ; and for any thing that can be done, or ordered, unlesse the inhabitants be disunited 276
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
and dispersed, that name is never forgotten, nor those CHAP. V customes : but presently in every chance recourse is thither In what made: as Pisa did after so many yeeres that she had been manner Cities subdu'd by the Florentines. But when the Cities or the "M ?rinci" Provinces are accustomed to live under a Prince, and that whole race is quite extirpated : on one part being us\l to obey ; on the other, not having their old Prince ; they agree not' to make one from among themselves : they know not how to live in liberty, in such manner that they are much slower to take armes ; and with more facility may a Prince gaine them, and secure himselfe of them. But in Repub- liques there is more life in them, more violent hatred, more earnest desire of revenge; nor does the remembrance of — the ancient liberty ever leave them, or suffer them — to rest ; so that the safest way, is, either to ruine — them, or dwell among them. —
CHAP. VI
Of new Principalities, that are conquer'd by ones own armes and valour.
KT no man marvaile, if in the discourse I shall make of new Principalities, both touching a Prince, and touching a State, I shall alledge very famous examples: for seeing men almost alwayes walk in the pathes beaten by others, and proceed in their actions by imitation ; and being that others waves cannot bee exactly fol- low'd, nor their vertues, whose patterne thou set's t before thee, attained unto ; a w_be-mAn~ ought alwayesjo tread the footsteps of the worthiest persons, and imitate those that^ have been the most excellent: to the end that if his vertue-^ arrive not thereto, at least it may yeeld some favour thereof, and doe as good Archers use, who thinking the place they intend to hit, too farre distant, and knowing how farr the strength of their bow will carrv, they lav their avme a great
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CHAP. VI deale higher than the mark ; not for to hit so high with their Of new Prin- arrow, but to bee able with the help of so high an aime to cipalities, that reach the place they shoot at. I say, that in Principalities are conquer'd wno}ly new, where there is a new Prince, there is more and armeTaiuT11 ^esse difficulty in maintaining them, as the vertue of their valour. Conquerour is greater or lesser. And because this successe,
to become a Prince of a private man, presupposes either vertue, or fortune ; mee thinks the one and other of these two things in part should mitigate many difficulties ; how ever he that hath lesse stood upon fortune, hath maintained himselfe the better. Moreover it somewhat facilitates the matter in that the Prince is constrained, because he hath not other dominions, in person to come and dwell there. But to come to these who by their own vertues, and not by fortune, attained to be Princes; the excellentest of these are Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, Theseus, and such like; and though of Moses we are not to reason, he onely executing the things that were commanded him by God ; yet merits he well to be admired, were it only for that grace that made him worthy to converse with God. But considering Cyrus, and the others, who either got or founded Kingdomes, we shall find them all admirable ; and if there particular actions and Lawes be throughly weighed, they will not appeare much differing from those of MoVses, which he received from so Sovraigne an instructer. And examining their lives and actions, it will not appeare, that they had other help of fortune, than the occasion, which presented them with the matter wherein they might introduce what forme they then pleas'd ; and without that occasion, the vertue of their mind had been extinguished ; and without that vertue, the occasion had been offered in vaine. It was then necessary for Moses to find the people of Israel slaves in ^gypt, and oppressed by the ^Egyptians, to the end that they to get out of their thraldome, should bee willing to follow him. It was fit that Romulus should not be kept in Albia, but exposed presently after his birth, that he might become King of Rome, and founder of that City. There was need that Cyms should find the Persians discontented with the 278
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
Medcs government, and the Medes delicate and effeminate CHAT. VI through their long peace. Theseus could not "makV proof Of new Prin- of his vertue, had not he found the Athenians dispersed. cipalitieH.that These occasions therefore made these men happy, andtheir nre c (1 excellent vertue made the occasion be taken notice of, ^^Uml* whereby their countrey became enobled, and exceeding valour, fortunate. They, who by vertuous waies, like unto these, become Princes, attain the Principality with difficulty, but hold it with much ease; and the difficulties they find in gaining the Principality, arise partly from the new orders and courses they are force! to bring in, to lay the founda tion of their State, and work their own security. And it is to be considered, how there is not any thing harder to take in hand, nor doubtfuller to succeed, nor more dangerous to mannage, than to be the chief in bringing in new orders; for this Chief finds all those his enemies, that thrive upon the old orders; and hath but luke warme defenders of all those that would do well upon the new orders, which luke- warme temper proceeds partly from fear of the opposcrs who have the laws to their advantage; partly from the in credulity of the men who truly beleeve not a new thing, unless there be some certain proof given them thereof* Whereupon it arises, that whensoever they that are adver saries, take the occasion to assay le, they do it factiously ; and these others defend but cooly, so that their whole- party altogether runs a hazzard. Therefore it is necessary, being we intend throughly to discourse this part, to examine if these innovators stand of themselves, or if they depend upon others; that is, if to bring their work to effect, it be necessary they should intreat, or be able to constrain; in the first case they allwayes succeed ill, and bring nothing to pass ; but when they depend of themselves, and are able to force, then seldom it is that they hazzard. Hence came it that all the prophets that were annM, prevajl'd ; but those that were unarm Yl, were too weak : for tasides what we have alledg'd, the nature of the people is changeable, and easie to be perswaded to a matter ; out it is hard also to settle them in that pcrswasion. And therefore it behoves
279
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CHAP. VI a man to be so provided, that when they beleeve no longer, Of new Prin- he may be able to compel them thereto by force. Moses, cipalities,that Cyrus, Theseus, and Romulus would never have been able are conquer'd to cause their Laws long to be obey'd, had they been dis- by ones own . -. . .. •I_IPIT
armes and arm d ; as in our times it befel 1 ryer Jerome bavanarola,
valour. who perished in his new constitutions, when the multitude
began not to beleeve him ; neither had he the means to keep them firme, that had beleevM; not to force beleefe in them that had not beleev'd him. Wherefore such men as these, in their proceedings find great difficulty, and all their dangers are in the way, and these they must surmount by their vertue ; but having once mastered them, and beginning to be honored by all, when they have rooted those out that envi'd their dignities, they remain powerful, secure, honor able, and happy. To these choice examples, I will add one of less remark ; but it shall hold some proportion with them, and this shall suffice me for all others of this kind, which is Hiero the Siracusan. He of a private man, became Prince of Siracusa, nor knew he any other ayd of fortune than the occasion : for the Siracusans being oppressed, made choyce of him for their Captain, whereupon he deserved to be made their Prince : and he was of such vertue even in his private fortune, that he who writes of him, sayes, he wanted nothing of reigning, but a Kingdom ; this man extinguished all the old soldiery, ordaind the new; left the old allyances, entertained new ; and as he had friendship, and soldiers that were his own, upon that ground he was able to build any edifice; so that he indured much trouble in gaining, and suffered but little in maintaining.
280
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CHAP. VII
Of new Principalities, gotten by fortune, and other mens forces.
HEY who by fortune only, become Princes of private men, with small pains attain to it, but have much ado to maintain themselves in it; and find no difficulty at all in the way, because they are carried thither with wings : but all the difficulties arise there, after they are plac'd in them. And of such sort are those who have an estate given them for money, by the favor of some one that grants it them : as it befell many in Greece, in the cities of Jonia, and Hellespont; where divers Princes were made by Darius, as well for his own safety as his glory ; as also them that were made Emperors ; who from private men by corrupting the soldiers, attaind to the Empire. These subsist meerly upon the will, and fortune of tnose that have advanced them; which are two voluble and un steady things ; and they neither know how, nor are able to continue in that dignity: they know not how, because unless it be a man of great understanding and vertue, it is not probable that he who hath always liv'd a private life, can know how to command : neither are they able, because they have not any forces that can be friendly or faithful to them. Moreover those States that suddenly fall into a mans hands, as all other things in nature that spring and grow quickly, cannot well have taken root, nor have made their correspondencies so firm, but that the first storm that takes them, ruines them ; in case these, who (as it is said) are thus on a sudden clambred up to be Princes, are not of that worth and vertue as to know how to prepare them selves to maintain that which chance hath cast into their bosoms, and am afterwards lay those foundations, which others have cast before they were Princes. For the one and NN #"
cipalities, gotten by fortune, and other mens forces.
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Y CHAP. VII the other of these wayes about the attaining to be a Prince, Of new Prin- by Vertue, or by Fortune, I will alledge you two examples which have been in the dayes of our memory. These were Francis Sforza, and Ca?sar Borgia; Francis by just means and with a great deal of vertue, of a private man got to be Duke of Millan ; and that which with much pains he had gaind, he kept with small ado. On the other side Caesar Borgia (commonly termed Duke Valentine) got his state by his Fathers fortune, and with the same lost it ; however that for his own part no pains was spar'd, nor any thing omitted, which by a discreet and valorus man ought to have been done, to fasten his roots in those Estates, which others armes or fortune had bestowed on him ; for (as it was for merly said) he that lays not the foundations first, yet might be able by means of his extraordinary vertues to lay them after wards, however it be with the great trouble of the architect, and danger of the edifice. If therefore we consider all the Dukes progresses, we may perceive how great foundations he had cast for his future power, which I judge a matter not superfluous to run over; because I should not well know, what better rules I might give to a new Prince, than the pattern of his actions; and however the courses he took, availd him not, yet was it not his fault, but it proceeded from an extraordinary and extream malignity of fortune. Pope Alexander the sixt, desiring to make the Duke his son a great man, had a great many difficulties, present and future : first he saw no way there was whereby he might be able to make him Lord of any State, that was not the Churches ; and if he turnd to take that from the Church, he knew that the Duke of Milan, and the Venetians would never agree to it ; for Faenza and Riminum were under the Venetians protection. Moreover, he saw that the armes of Italy, and those whereof in particular he might have been able to make some use, were in their hands, who ought to fear the Popes greatness ; and therefore could not any wayes rely upon them : being all in the Orsins and Colonies hands, and those of their faction. It was necessary then, that those matters thus appointed by them should be disturbed, and 282
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the States of Italy disordered, to be able safely to master CHAP. VII part of them, which he then found easie to do, seeing the Of new I'rin- Venetians upon three considerations had us'd the means to cipalitie*, bring the French men back again into Italy : which he not J^*"^^ only did not withstand, but furthered, with a resolution of other n,'eng King Lewis his ancient marriage. The King then past into forces. Italy with the Venetians ayd, and Alexanders consent ; nor was'he sooner arrived in Milan, than the Pope had soldiers from him for the service of Romania, which was quickly yeelded up to him upon the reputation of the Kings forces. The Duke then having made himself master of Romania, and beaten the Colonies, desiring to hold it, and proceed forward, two things hindered him : the one, his own soldiers, which he thought were not true to him ; the other, the French mens good wills; that is to say, he feared that the Princes soldiers, whereof he had served himself, would fail him, and not only hinder his conquest, but take from him what he had gotten ; and that the King also would serve him the same turn. He had experience of the Orsini upon an occasion, when after the taking of Faenza he assaulted Bolonia, to which assault he saw them go very cold. And touching the King, he discovered his mind, when having taken the Dutchy of Urbin, he invaded Tuscany; from which action the King made him retire; whereupon the Duke resolved to depend no more upon fortune, and other mens armes. And the first thing he did, was, to weaken the Orsini, and Colonnics factions in Rome: for he gain'd all their adherents that were gentlemen, giving them large allowances, and honoring them according to their qualities with charges and govern ments ; so that in a few months the good will bare to the parties was quite extinguisht, and wholly bent to the Duke. After this, he waited an occasion to root out the Orsini, having before dispersed those of the family of Colonnia, which fell out well to his hand ; and he us\l it better. For the Orsini being too late aware, that the Dukes and the Churches greatness was their destruction, held a Council together in a dwelling house of theirs in the
CHAP. VII
Of new Prin cipalities, gotten by fortune, and other mens forces.
THE PRINCE
country adjoyning to Perusia. From thence grew the rebellion of Urbin, and the troubles of Romania, and many other dangers befell the Duke, which he overcame all with the help of the French : and having regained his reputation, trusting neither France, nor any forrein forces, to the end he might not be put to make trial of them again, he betook himself to his sleghts ; and he knew so well to disguise his intention, that the Orsins, by the mediation of Paul Orsine, were reconciled to him, to whom the Duke was no way wanting in all manner of courtesies whereby to bring them into security, giving them rich garments, money, and horses, til their own simplicities led them all to Sinigallia, into his hands. These heads being then pluck'd off, and their partisans made his friends ; the Duke had laid very good foundations, to build his own greatness on, having in his power all Romania with the Dutchy of Urbin, and gained the hearts of those people, by beginning to give them some relish of their well being. And because this part is worthy to be taken notice of, and to be imitated by others, I will not let it escape. The Duke, when he had taken Romania, finding it had been under the hands of poor Lords who had rather pillag'd their subjects, than chastis'd or amended them, giving them more cause of discord, than of peace and union, so that the whole countrey was fraught with robberies, quarrels, and other sorts of insolencies ; thought the best way to reduce them to termes of pacification, and obedience to a Princely power, was, to give them some good govern ment : and therefore he set over them one Remiro D'Orco, a cruel hasty man, to whom he gave an absolute power. This man in a very short time setled peace and union amongst them with very great reputation. Afterwards the Duke thought such excessive authority servM not so well to his purpose, and doubting it would grow odious, he erected a civil Judicature in the midst of the countrey, where one excellent Judge did Preside, and thither every City sent their Advocate : and because he knew the rigors past had bred some hatred against him, to purge the minds of those people, and to gain them wholly to himself, he purposed to 284
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
shew, that if there was any cruelty used, it proceeded not CHAP. VII from any order of his, but from the harsh disposition of his Of new Prin- Officers. Whereupon laying hold on him, at this occasion, cipalitict,
he causM his head to be struck off one morning early in the £otten '•>'
iii • /-I i i i ft. -i i j fortune, :iiul
market place at Cesena, where he was left upon a gibbet, otlu>r mji|lM
with a bloody sword by his side ; the cruelty of which furre*. spectacle for a while satisfied and amazYl those people. Hut to return from whence we have digressd : I say, that the Duke finding himself very strong, and in part out of doubt of the present dangers, because he was arm\l after his own manner, and had in some good measure suppressed those forces, which, because of their vicinity, were able to annoy him, he wanted nothing else to go on with his Conquest, but the consideration of France: for he knew, that the King, who now, though late, was advis'd of his error, would never suffer him : and hereupon he began to seek after new allyances, and to waver with France, when the French came towards Naples against the Spaniards, who then besieged Gagetta ; and his design was only to be out of their clanger, which had been effected for him, had Pope Alexander lived. And thus were his businesses carried touching his present estate. As for the future, he had reason to doubt lest the new successor to the Papacy would not be his friend, and would endeavor to take that from him that Alexander had bestowed on him ; and he thought to provide for this foure waies : First by rooting out the races of all those Lords he had dispoyled, whereby to take those occasions from the Pope. Secondly, by gaining all the gentlemen of Home, whereby he might be able with those to keep the Pope in some awe. Thirdly, to make the Colledge of Cardinals as much at his devotion as possibly might be. Fourthly, by making of so large Con quests, before the Popes death, as that he might bo able of himself to withstand the first fury of his enemies. Three of these fowre at Pope Alexanders death he had effected, and the fourth he had neare brought to a point. For of those Lords he had stript, he put to death as many as lie could come at, and very few escaped him : he gaind him the Roman Gentlemen: and in the Colledge he had made a
585
CHAP. VII
Of new Prin cipalities, gotten by fortune, and other mens forces.
THE PRINCE
great faction. And touching his new Conquest, he had a designe to become Lord of Tuscany. And he had possessed himself already of Perusia, and Pom bin, and taken protection of Pisa : and so soon as he should have cast off his respect to France (which now he meant to hold no longer) being the French were now driven out of the Kingdome of Naples by the Spaniards, so that each of them was forc'd to buy his friendship at any termes; he was then to leap into Pisa. After this Lucca and Siena were presently to fall to him, partly for envy to the Florentines, and partly for fear. The Florentines had no way to escape him : all which, had it succeeded with him, as without question it had, the very same year that Alexander dy'd, he had made himself master of so great forces, and such "reputation, that he would have been able to have stood upon his own bottom, without any dependance of fortune, or resting upon others helps, but only upon his own strength and valor. But Alexander dy'd five years after that he had begun to draw forth his sword : and left him setled only in the State of Romania, with all his other designes in the ayre, sick unto death, between two very strong armies of his enemies ; and yet was there in this Duke such a spirit and courage ; and he understood so well, how men are to be gaind, and how to be lost, and so firm were the grounds he had laid in a short time, that, had he not had those armies upon his back, or had been in health, he would have carried through his purpose in spight of all opposition ; and that the foundations he grounded upon were good, it appeard in that Romania held for him above a moneth, and he remained secure in Rome, though even at deaths doore : and however the Baglioni, Vitelli, and Orsini came into Rome ; yet found they none would take their parts against him. And this he was able to have effected, that if he could not have made him Pope whom he would, he could have hindred him that he would not should be Pope. But had he been in health when Alexander dy'd, every thing had gone easily with him ; and he told me on that day that Julius the second was created Pope, that he had fore-thought on all that which could happen, in case his 286
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
father chancM to dye, and for every thing provided its CHAP. VII remedy, this onely excepted, that he foresaw not that he Ofnewl'rin- himself should at the same time be brought unto deaths cipalitie*, dore also. Having then collected all the Dukes actions, £»tte" b)' me thinks I could not well blame him, but rather (as I have *$ here done) set him as a pattern to be followed by all those force8. who by fortune and others armes have been exalted to an Empire. For he being of great courage, and having lofty designes, could not carry himself otherwise ; and the only obstacle of his purposes was the brevity of Alexanders life, and his own sickness. Whoever therefore deemes it necessary -^ in his entrance into a new Principality, to secure himself of his enemies, and gain him friends, to overcome either by force, or by cunning, to make himself beloved, or feared of his people, be followed and reverenced by his soldiers, to root out those that can, or owe thee any hurt, to change the ancient orders with new wayes, to be severe, and yet acceptable, magnanimous, and liberall ; to extinguish the unfaithfull soldiery, and create new ; to maintain to himself the armities of Kings and Princes, so that they shall either with favor benefit thee, or be wary how to offend thee ; cannot find more fresh and lively examples than the actions of this man. He deserves to be found fault withall for the creation of Julius the second, wherein an evil choice was made for him : for, as it is said, not being able to make a Pope to his mind, he could have withheld any one from being Pope; and should never have consented that any one of those Cardinals should have got the Papacy, whom he had ever done harine to; or who having attaind the Pontificate were likely to be afraid of him : because men ordinarily do hurt either for fear, or hatred. Those whom he had offended, were among others, he who had the title of St. Peter ad Vincula, Colonna, St. George, and Ascanius; all the others that were in possibility of the Popedome, were such as might have feard him rather, except the Cardinal of Koan,and the Spaniards ; these by reason of their allyance and obligation with him, the other because of the power they had, having the King- dome of France on their party ; wherefore the Duke above
287
cipalities, gotten by
forces.
THE PRINCE
CHAP. VII all things should have created a Spanyard Pope, and in case OfnewPrin- he could not have done that, he should have agreed that Roan should have been, and not St. Peter ad Vincula. And whoever beleeves, that with great personages new benefits ^ot on ^e remembrance of old injuries, is much deceived. The Duke therefore in this election, was the cause of his own ruine at last.
Till wee come to this seaventh Chapter, I find not any thing much blame-worthy, unlesse it be on ground he layes in the second Chapter ; whereupon hee builds most of this Fabrick, viz. That Subjects must either be dallyed or flatterd withall, or quite crusht. AVhereby our Author advises his Prince to support his authority with two Cardinall Vertues, Dissimulation, arid Cruelty. He considers not herein that the head is but a member of the body, though the principall ; and the end of the parts is the good of the whole. And here he goes against himselfe in the twenty sixt Chapter of his Rep. 1. 1. where hee blames Philip of Macedon for such courses, terming them very cruell, and against all Christian manner of living ; and that every man should refuse to be a King, and desire rather to live a private life, than to reigne so much to the ruine of mankind. The life of Csesar Borgia, which is here given as a paterne to new Princes, we shall find to have been nothing else but a cunning carriage of things so, that he might thereby first deceive and inveigle, and then suppresse all those that could oppose or hinder his ambition. For if you runne over his life, you shall seethe Father Pope Alexander the sixt and him, both imbarqued for his ad vancement, wherein they engag'd the Papall authority, and reputation of Religion ; for faith and conscience these men never knew, though they exacted it of others : there was never promise made, but it was only so farre kept as servd for advantage ; Liberality was made use of: Clemency and Cruelty, all alike, as they might serve to worke with their purposes. All was sacrific'd to ambition ; no friendship could tye these men, nor any religion: and no marvell: for ambition made them forget both God and man. But see the end of all this cunning : though this Caesar Borgia contrived all his businesse so warily, that our Author much commends him, and hee had attaind neerethe pitch of his hopes, and had provided for each misadventure could befall him its remedy ; Policy shewd it selefe short-sighted ; for hee foresaw not at the time of his Fathers death, he himself should bee brought unto deaths doore also. And me thinks this Example might have given occasion to our Author to confesse, that surely there is a God that ruleth the earth. And many 288
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
times God cutts off those cunning and mighty men in the hight CHAP VII
of their purposes, when they think they have neare surmounted nf ., .
all dangers and difficulties. 'To the intent that the living may
' know, that the most high ruleth in the Kingdome of men, and ' '
' ffiveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest ?°"*n bv
'of men.' Daniel. 4. 17-
other ii
forces.
CHAP. VIII
Concerning those who by wicked meanes have attaind to a Principality.
UT because a man becomes a Prince of a private man two wayes, which cannot wholly be attributed either to Fortune or Vertue, I think not fit to let them passe me : howbeit the one of them may be more largely discoursed upon, where the Republicks are treated of. These are, when by some wicked and unlawful! meanes a man rises to the Principality ; or when a private person by the favour of his fellow Citizens becomes Prince of his countrey. And speaking of the first manner, it shall be made evident by two Examples, the one ancient, the other moderne, without entring otherwise into the justice or merit of this part; for I take it that these are sufficient for any body that is forced to follow them. Agathocles the Sicilian, not of a private man onely, but from a base and abject fortune, got to be King of Siracusa. This man borne but of a Potter, continued alwayes a wicked life throughout all the degrees of this fortune : neverthelesse he accompanied his lewdnesse with such a courage and resolution, that applying himselfe to military affaires, by the degrees thereof he attained to bee Pnrtour of Siracusa, and being setled in that degree, and having determined that he would become Prince, and hold that by-" violence and without obligation to any other, which by — consent had been granted him : and to this purpose haveing had some private intelligence touching his designe with 00
Concerning those who by wicked meanes have attaind to a Principality.
THE PRINCE
CHAP. VIII Amilcar the Carithaginian, who was imployd with his army in Sicily, one morining gatherd the people together and the Senate of Syracusa, as if he had some what to advise with them of matters belonging to the Common wealth, and upon a signe given, causM his souldiers to kill- his Senatours, and the richest of the people; who being - slaine, he usurped the Principality of that City without any civill strife : and however he was twice broken by the Carthaginians, and at last besieged, was able not onely to defend his own City, but leaving part of his own army at the defence thereof, with the other invaded Affrique, and in a short time freed Siracusa from the siege, and brought the Carthaginians into extreme necessity, who were constraind to accord with him, be contented with the possession of Affrique, and quitt Sicily to Agathocles, He then that should consider the actions and valour of this man, would not see any, or very few things to be attributed unto Fortune; seeing that as is formerly sayd, not by any ones favour, but by the degrees of service in warre with many sufferings and dangers, to which he had risen, he came to the Principality ; and that hee maintaned afterwards with -so many resolute and hazardous undertakings. Yet cannot this be ternfd vertue or valour to slay his own Citizens, betray his friends, to be without faith, without pitty, without religion, which wayes are of force to gaine dominion, but not glory : for if Agathocles his valour bee well weighd, in his entunng upon, and comming off from dangers, and the greatnesse of his courage, in supporting and mastering of adversities, no man can see why he should be thought any way inferiour even to the ablest Captaines. Notwith standing his beastly cruelty and inhumanity with innumer able wickednesses, allow not that he should be celebrated among the most excellent men. That cannot then be attributed to Fortune or Vertue, which without the one or •^the other was attaind to by him. In our dayes, while Alexander the sixth held the sea, Oliverotte of Fermo, who some few yeeres before had been left young by his parents, was brought up under the care of an uncle of his on the 290
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
mothers side, called John Foliani, and in the beginning of CHAR VIII Ills youth given, by him to serve in the warres under Paulo Concerning Vitelli : to the end that being well instructed in that dis- those who
cinline, he might rise to some worthy degree in the warrs. l>>' wlckPd
i T-k i i j i j j \"i 11 nioaries have
Afterwards when Paulo was dead, he served under \ itellozzo attailld to a
his brother, and in very short time, being ingenious, of a Principality, good personage, and brave courage, he became one of the prime men among the troops he served in : but thinking it but servile to depend upon another, he plotted by the ayd of some Citi/ens of Fermo (who lik'd rather the thraldome of their City than the liberty of it) and by the favour of the Vitelli, to make himselfe master of Fermo ; and writ to John Foliani, that having been many yeeres from home, he had a mind to come and see him and the City, and in some part take notice of his own patrimony; and because he had not imployd himselfe but to purchase honour, to the end his Citi/ens might perceive, that he had not vainely spent his time, he had a desire to come in good equipage and accompanied with a hundred horse of his friends and servants; and he intreated him that he would be pleasd so to take order, that he might be honourably received by the inhabitants of Fermo, which turnd as well to his honor that was his uncle, as his that was the nephew. In this, John faild not in any office of courtesie due to his nephew: and caused him to be well receivd by them of Fermo, and lodged him in his own house: where having passed some dayes, and stayd to put in order somewhat that was necessary for his intended villany, he made a very solemne feast, whether he invited John* Foliani, and all the prime men of Fermo : and when all their chear was ended, and all their other entertainments, as in such feast is customary, Oliverotto of purpose mov'd some grave discourses; speaking of the greatnesse of Pope Alexander, and Ciesar his son, and their undertakings; where unto John and the others milking answer, he of a sudden stood up, saving, that those were things to be spoken of in a more secret place, and so retirM into a chamber, whether John and all the other Citi/ens followd him : nor were they sooner
291
CHAP. VIII
Concerning those who by wicked meanes have attaind to a Principality.
THE PRINCE
set downe there, than from some secret place therein came forth diverse souldiers, who slew John and all the others : after which homicide Oliverotto got a horsebacke and — ravaged the whole towne, and besieged the supreme Magis-— • trate in the palace, so that for feare they were all constraind to obey him, and to settle a government, whereof hee made himselfe Prince ; and they being all dead who, had they— been discontented with him, could have hurt him; he — strengthned himselfe with new civill and military orders, so that in the space of a yeer that he held the Principality, he was not only secure in the City of Fermo, but became fearefull to all his neighbours ; and the conquest of him — ~ would have prov'd difficult, as that of Agathocles, had he not let himselfe been deceivd by Caesar Borgia, when at Sinigallia, as before was said, he took the Orsini and Vitelli : where he also being taken a yeere after he had committed the parricide, was strangled together with Vitellozzo (whome he had had for master both of his vertues and vices.) Some man might doubt from whence it should proceed, that Agathocles, and such like, after many treacheries and crueltyes, could possibly live long secure in his own countrey, and defend him selfe from his forrein enemies, and that never any of his own Citizens conspired against him, seeing that by means of cruelty, many others have never been able even in peaceable times to maintaine their States, much lesse in the doubtfull times of warre. I beleeve that this proceeds from the well, or ill using of those cruelties : they may bee termd well us'd (if it bee lawfull to say well of evill) that are put in practice only once of necessity for securities sake, not insist ing therein afterwards; but there is use made of them for the subjects profit, as much as may be. But those that are ill us\l, are such as though they bee but few in the begin ning, yet they multiply rather in time, than diminish. They that take that first way, may with the help of God, and mens care, find some remedy for their State, as Agathocles did : for the others, it is impossible they should continue. Whereupon it is to be noted, that in the laying
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
hold of a State, the usurper thereof ought to runne over CHAP. VIII and execute all his cruelties at once, that he be not forced-*' oncerning often to returne to them, and that he may be able, by noM^0** who renewing of them, to give men some security, and gaine their-l'> wu'kl'tl affections by doing them some courtesies. Hee that carrics-^^,^ to a it otherwise, either for fearefullnesse, or upon evill advice, is Principality, alwayes constraind to hold his sword drawne in his hand \' nor ever can hee rely upon his subjects, there being no possibility for them, because of his daily and contimiall injuries, to live in any safety : for his injuries should bee done altogether, that being seldomer tasted, they might lesse offend ; his favours should bee bestowd by little, and little to the end they might keep their taste the better^ and above all things a Prince must live with his subjects in such sort, that no accident either of good or evill can make him varv : for necessity comming upon him by reason of adversities, thou hast not time given thee to make advan tage of thy cruelties ; and the favours which then thou bestowest, will little help thee, being taken as if they came from thee perforce, and so yeeld no returne of thanks.
CHAP. IX
Of the Civill Principality.
UT comming to the other part, when a principall Citizen, not by villany, or any other insufferable violence, but by the favour of his fellow-citizens becomes Prince of his native countrev : which we may terme a Civill Principality ; nor to attaine hereunto is Vertue wholly or Fortune wholly necessary, but rather a fortunate cunning : I say, this Principality is climb'd up to, either by the peoples help, or the great mens. For, in every City we finde these two humours differ; and tin -y
THE PRINCE
CHAP. IX spring from this, that the people desire not to be com- Of the Civill manded nor oppressed by the great ones, and the great ones Principality, are desirous to command and oppresse the people : and from these two several appetites, arise in the City one of these three effects, either a Principality, or Liberty, or Tumult uary licentiousnesse. The Principality is caused either by the people, or the great ones, according as the one or other of these factions have the occasion offerd ; for the great ones seeing themselves not able to resist the people, begin to turne the whole reputation to one among them, and make him Prince, whereby they may under his shadow vent their spleenes. The people also, not being able to support the great mens insolencies, converting the whole reputation to one man, create him their Prince, to be protected by his authority. He that comes to the Principality by the assist ance of the great ones, subsists with more difficulty, than he that attaines to it by the peoples favour ; for he being made Prince, hath many about him, who account themselves his equalls, and therefore cannot dispose nor command them at his pleasure. But he that gaines the Principality by the peoples favor, finds himselfe alone in his throne, and hath none or very few neare him that are not very supple to bend : besides this, the great ones cannot upon easie termes be satisfied, or without doing of wrong to others, where as a small matter contents the people : for the end which the people propound to themselves, is more honest than that of the great men, these desiring to oppresse, they only not to be oppressed. To this may be added also, that the Prince which is the peoples enemy, can never well secure himselfe of them, because of their multitude ; well may hee bee sure of the Nobles, they being but a few. The worst that a Prince can look for of the people become his enemy, is to be abandoned by them : but when the great ones once grow his enemies, he is not only to feare their abandoning of him, but their making of a party against him also : for there being in them more forecast and craft, they alwayes take time by the forelocks whereby to save themselves, and seeke credit with him who they hope shall get the mastery. The Prince 294
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
likewise is necessitated al waves to live with the same people, CHAP IX but can doe well enough without the same great men; he Of the ( ivill being able to create new ones, and destroy them again every Principality, day, and to take from them, and give them credit as he pleases : and to cleare this part, I say, that great men ought to be considerd two wayes principally, that is, if thev take thy proceedings so much to heart, as to engage their for tunes wholly in thine, in case they lye not alwaves catching at spoyle, they ought to be well honourd and esteem'd : those that bind themselves not to thy fortune, are to be considerd also two wayes; either they doe it for lack of courage, and naturall want of spirit, and then shouldst thou serve thy selfe of them, and of them especially that are men of good advice ; for if thy affaires prosper, thou dost thy selfe honour thereby ; if crost, thou needst not feare them : but when they oblige not themselves to thee of purpose, and upon occasion of ambition, it is a signe thev think more of themselves than of thee: and of these the 'Prince ought to beware, and account of them as his discoverd enemves : for alwayes in thy adversity they will give a hand too to mine thee. Therefore ought hee that comes to be Prince by the peoples favour, keepe them his friends : which he may easily doe, they desiring only to live free from oppression : but he that becomes Prince by the great mens favour, against the will of the people, ought above all things to gaine the people to him, which he may easily effect, when he takes upon him their protection: And because men when thev find good, where they look for evill, are thereby more endered to their benefactour, therefore growes the people so pliant in their subjection to him, as if by their favours he had attaind his dignity. And the Prince is able to gaine them to his side by many waves, which because they vary according to the subject, no certaine rule can be given thereupon; wherefore we shall let them passe I will onlv conclude, that it is necessary for a Prince to have the people his friend ; otherwise in his adversities he hath no helpe. Nabis Prince of the Spartans supported the siege of all Greece, and an exceeding victorious army of the Komnns,
295
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CHAP. IX and against those defended his native countrey and State, OftheCivill and this sufficed him alone, that as the danger came upon Principality, him, he secured himself of a fewer; whereas if the people had been his enemy, this had nothing availd him. And let no man think to overthrow this my opinion with that common proverb, that He who relyes upon the people, layes his foundation in the dirt ; for that is true where a private Citizen grounds upon them, making his account that the people shall free him, when either his enemyes or the Magistrates oppresse him : In this case he should find him self often deceived, as it befell the Gracchyes in Rome, and in Florence George Scali : but he being a Prince that grounds thereupon, who can command, and is a man of courage, who hath his wits about him in his adversityes, and wants not other preparations, and holds together the whole multitude animated with his valour and orders, shall not prove deceived by them, and shall find he hath layd good foundations. These Principalityes are wont to be upon the point of falling when they goe about to skip from the civil order to the absolute : for these Princes either command of them selves, or by the Magistrate ; in this last case their State is more weak and dangerous, because they stand wholly at the will and pleasure of these Citizens, who then are set over the Magistrates, who especially in adverse times are able with facility to take their State from them either by rising up against them, or by not obeying them; and then the Prince is not at hand in those dangers to take the absolute authority upon him : for the Citizens and subjects that are accustomed to receive the commands from the Magistrates, are not like in those fractions to obey his : and in doubtfull times he shall alwayes have greatest penury of whom he may trust; for such a Prince cannot ground upon that which he sees in peaceable times, when the Citizens have need of the State ; for then every one runs, and every one promises, and every one will venture his life for him, when there is no danger neare ; but in times of hazzard, when the State hath need of Citizens, there are but few of them then, and so much the more is this experience dangerous, in that 296
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
it can be but once made. Therefore a prudent Prince CHAP. IX ought to devise a way whereby his Citizens alwayes and [OftheCmll in any case and quality of time may have need Principality. of his government, and they shall alwaies after prove faithfull to him.
CHAP. X
In what manner the Forces of all Principalities ought to be measured.
T is requisite in examining the quality of those Principalities, to have another con sideration of them, that is, if a Prince have such dominions, that he is able in case of necessity to subsist of himself, or else whether he hath alwaies need of another to defend him. And to deer this point the better, I judge them able to stand of themselves, who are of power either for their multitudes of men, or quantity of money, to bring into the field a compleat armie, and joyn battel with whoever comes to assail them : and so I think those alwaies to stand in need of others help, who are not able to appear in the field against the enemy, but are forc'd to retire within their walls and guard them. Touching the first case, we have treated already, and shall adde somwhat thereto as occasion shall require. In the second case, we cannot say other, save only to encourage such Princes to fortifie and guard their own Capital city, and of the countrey about, not to hold much account; and whoever shall have well fortified that town, and touching other matters of governments shall have behaved himself towards his subjects, as hath been formerly said, and hereafter shall be, shall never be assaild but with great regard ; for men willingly undertake not enterprises, where they see difficulty to work them through ; nor can much facility be there found, where one assails him, who hath his town strong and wel guarded, and is not PP 297
CHAP. X
In what manner the Forces of all Principalities ought to be measured.
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hated of his people. The cities of Germany are very free ; they have but very little of the countrey about them belonging to them ; and they obey the Emperor, when they please, and they stand not in fear, neither of him nor any other Potentate about them : for they are in such a manner fortified, that every one thinks the siege of any of them would prove hard and tedious : for all of them have ditches and rampires, and good store of Artillery, and alwaies have their publick cellars well provided with meat and drink and firing for a yeer : besides this, whereby to feed the common people, and without any loss to the publick, they have alwaies in common whereby they are able for a year to imploy them in the labor of those trades that are the sinews and the life of that city, and of that industry whereby the commons ordinarily supported themselves : they hold up also the military exercises in repute, and hereupon have they many orders to maintain them. A Prince then that is master of a good strong city, and causeth not himself to be hated, cannot be assaulted ; and in case he were, he that should assail him, would be fain to quit him with shame : for the affairs of the world are so various, that it is almost impossible that an army can lie incampt before a town for the space of a whole yeer: and if any should reply, that the people having their possessions abroad, in case they should see them a fire, would not have patience, and the tedious siege and their love to themselves would make them forget their Prince: I answer that a Prince puissant and couragious, will easily master those difficulties, now giving his subjects hope, that the mischief will not be of durance ; sometimes affright them with the cruelty of their enemies, and other whiles cunningly securing himself of those whom he thinks too forward to run to the enemy. Besides this by ordinary reason the enemy should burne and waste their countrey, upon his arrival, and at those times while mens minds are yet warme, and resolute in their defence : and therefore so much the less ought a Prince doubt : for after some few dayes, that their courages grow coole, the dammages are all done, and mischiefs received, and there is no help for 298
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it, and then have they more occasion to cleave faster to CHAP. X their Prince, thinking he is now more bound to them, their ]n what houses having for his defence been fired, and their posses- manner the sions wasted; and mens nature is as well to hold them- ForceiofaU iselves obliged for the kindnesses they do, as for those they oi Weive; whereupon if all be well weighed, a wise Prince ^ shall not find much difficulty to keep sure and true to him his Citi/ens hearts at the beginning and latter end of the siege, when he hath no want of pro vision for food and ammunition.
CHAP. XI
Concerning Ecclesiastical Principalities.
HERE remains now only that we treat of the Ecclesiastical Principalities, about which all the difficulties are before they are gotten : for they are attained to either by vertue, or Fortune ; and without the one or the other they are held : for they are maintaind by orders inveterated in the religion, all which are so powerful! and of such nature, that they maintain their Princes in their dominions in what manner soever they proceed and live. These only have an Estate and defend it not ; have subjects and govern them not ; and yet their States because undefended, are not taken from them ; nor their subjects, though not governed, care not, think not, neither are able to aliene themselves from them. These Principalities then are only happy and secure : but they being sustained by superior causes, whereunto humane understanding reaches not, I will not meddle with them : for being set up and maintained by God, it would be the part of a presumptuous and rash man to enter into discourse of them. Vet if any man should ask me whence it proceeds, that the Church in temporal power hath attaind to such greatness, seeing that till the time of Alexander the sixt, the Italian Potentates.
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CHAP. XI and not only they who are entituled the potentates, but Concerning every Baron and Lord though of the meanest condition, Ecclesiastical in regard of the temporality, made but small account of it ; Principalities. ancj now a King of France trembles at the power thereof ; and it hath been able to drive him out of Italy, and ruine the Venetians ; and however this be well known, me thinks it is not superstitious in some part to recall it to memory. Before that Charles King of France past into Italy, this countrey was under the rule of the Pope, Venetians, the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and the Florentines. These Potentates took two things principally to their care ; the one, that no forreiner should invade Italy ; the other, that no one of them should inlarge their State. They, against whom this care was most taken, were the Pope and the Venetians ; and to restrain the Venetians, there needed the union of all the rest, as it was in the defence of Ferrara ; and to keep the Pope low, they served themselves of the Barons of Rome, who being divided into two factions, the Orsini and Colonnesi, there was alwaies occasion of offence between them, who standing ready with their armes in hand in the view of the Pope, held the Popedome weak and feeble : and however sometimes there arose a couragious Pope, as was Sextus ; yet either his fortune, or his wisdome was not able to free him of these incommodities, and the brevity of their lives was the cause thereof; for in ten years, which time, one with another, Popes ordinarily livM, with much ado could they bring low one of the factions. And if, as we may say, one had near put out the Colonnesi, there arose another enemy to the Orsini, who made them grow again, so that there was never time quite to root them out. This then was the cause, why the Popes temporal power was of small esteem in Italy; there arose afterwards Pope Alexander the sixt, who of all the Popes that ever were, shewed what a Pope was able to do with money and forces : and he effected, by means of his instrument, Duke Valentine, and by the ocasion of the French mens passage, all those things which I have formerly discoursed upon in the Dukes actions: and however his purpose was nothing at all to 300
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inlarge the Church dominions, but to make the Duke great ; CHAP. XI yet what he did, turnd to the Churches advantage, which Concerning after his death when the Duke was taken away, was the E heir of all his pains. Afterwards succeeded Pope Julius, r and found the Church great, having all Romania, and ull the Barons of Rome being quite rooted out, and by Alexanders persecutions, all their factions worne down; he found also the way open for the heaping up of moneys, never practised before Alexanders time; which things Julius not only followed, but augmented ; and thought to make himself master of Bolonia, and extinguish the Venetians, and chase the French men out of Italy : and these designes of his prov'd all lucky to him, and so much the more to his praise in that he did all for the good of the Church, and in ' no private regard : he kept also the factions of the Orsins and Colonnesi, in the same State he found them : and though there were among them some head whereby to cause an alteration; yet two things have held them quiet; the one the power of the Church, which somewhat aflrights them ; the other because they have no Cardinals of their factions, who are the primary causes of all the troubles amongst them : nor shall these parties ever be at rest, while they have Cardinals; because they nourish the factions both in Rome, and abroad; and the Barons then are forced to undertake the defence of them: and thus from the Prelates ambitions arise the discords and tumults among the Barons. And now hath Pope Leo his Holiness found the Popedome exceeding puissant, of whom it is hoped, that if they amplified it by armes, he by his good ness, and infinite other virtues, will much more advantage and dignifie it.
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CHAP. XII
How many sorts of Military discipline there are and touching Mercinary soldiers.
AVING treated particularly of the qualities of those Principalities, which in the be ginning I propounded to discourse upon, and considered in some part the reasons of their well and ill being, and shewd the waies whereby many have sought to gain, and hold them, it remains now that I speak in general of the offences and defences, that may chance in each of the forenamed. We have formerly said that it is necessary for a Prince to have good founda tions laid; otherwise it must needs be that he go to wrack. The Principal foundations that all States have, as well new, as old, or mixt, are good laws, and good armes ; and because there cannot be good laws, where there are not good armes ; and where there are good armes, there must needs be good laws, I will omit to discourse of the laws, and speak of armes. I say then that the armes, wherewithall a Prince defends his State, either are his own, or mercenary, or auxiliary, or mixt. Those that are mercenary and auxiliar, are unprofit able, and dangerous, and if any one holds his State founded upon mercenary armes, he shall never be quiet, nor secure, because they are never well united, ambitious, and without discipline, treacherous, among their friends stour, among their enemies cowardly; they have no fear of God, nor keep any faith with men ; and so long only defer they the doing of mischief, till the enemy comes to assul thee; and in time of peace thou art despoyled by them, in war by thy enemies : the reason hereof is, because they have no other love, nor other cause to keep them in the field, but only a small stipend, which is not of force to make them willing to hazard their lives for thee : they are willing indeed to be thy soldiers, till thou goest to fight ; but then they fly, or 302
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runaway; which thing would cost me but small pains to CHAP. XII - perswade ; for the ruine of Italy hath not had any other HOW manv cause now a dayes, than for that it hath these manv years sort* of M'ili- relvM upon mercenary armes; which a good while since t»ry discipline perhaps may have done some man some service, and among themselves they may have been thought valiant: but so soon as any forrein enemy appeared, they quickly shewed what they were. Whereupon Charles the King of France, without opposition, made himself master of all Italy : and he that said, that the causes thereof were our faults, said true; but these were not those they beleeved, but what I have told ; and because they were the Princes faults, they also have suffered the punishment. I will fuller shew the infelicity of these armes. The mercenary Captains are either ji very able men, or not : if they be, thou canst not repose any trust in them : for they will alwaies aspire unto their own , proper advancements, either by suppressing of thee that art their Lord, or by suppressing of some one else quite out of thy purpose : but if the Captain be not valorous, he ordinarily mines thee: and in case it be answered, that whoever shall have his armes in his hands, whether mercenary or not, will do so: I would reply, that armes are to be imployed either by a Prince, or Common-wealth. The Prince ought to go in person, and purforme the office of a commander: the Republickjs to.send forth herCiti/ens: and when she sends forth one that proves not of 'abilities, she ought to change — him then; and when he does prove valorous, to bridle him"" so by the laws, that he exceed not his commission. And by experience we see, that Princes and Kepubliques of them selves alone, make very great conquests ; out that mercenary armes never do other than harme ; and more hardly falls a Republick armed with her own armes under the obedience of one of her own Citizens, than one that is armed by forrein armes. Rome and Sparta subsisted many ages armed and free. The Swissers are exceedingly well armed, and yet very free. Touching mercenary armes that were of old, we have an example of the Carthagians, who near upon were op- press'd by their own mercenary soldiers, when the first war
'
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CHAP. XII with the Romans was finished ; however the Carthagians How many nac^ their own Citizens for their Captains. Philip of Macedon sorts of Mill- was made by the Thebans after Epaminondas his death, tary discipline General of their Armies; and after the victory, he took there are. from them their ifoeriyt The Milaneses when Duke Philip was dead, entertaind Francis Sforza into their pay against the Venetians, who having vanquisht their enemie at Cara- vaggio, afterwards joyned with them, where by to usurp upon the Milaneses his Masters. Sforza his father, being in Joan the Queen of Naples pay, left her on a sudden dis armed ; whereupon she, to save her Kingdom, was constraind to cast her self into the King of Arragon's bosome. And in case the Venetians and the Florentines have formerly augmented their State with these kind of armes, and their own Captains, and yet none of them have ever made them selves their Princes, but rather defended them : I answer, that the Florentines in this case have had fortune much their friend : for of valorous Captains, which they might any way fear, some have not been victors, some have had opposition, and others have laid the aim of their ambitions another way. He who overcame not, was John Aouto, of whose faith there could no proof be made, being he vanquisht not ; but every one will acknowledge, that, had he vanquisht, the Florentines were at his discretion. Sforza had alwaies the Bracceschi for his adversaries, so that they were as a guard one upon another. Francis converted all his ambition against Lombardy. Braccio against the Church, and the Kingdome of Naples. But let us come to that which followed a while agoe. The Florentines made Paul Vitelli their General, a throughly advis'd man, and who from a private fortune had rose to very great reputation : had he taken Pisa, no man will deny but that the Florentines must have held fast with him ; for had he been entertained in their enemies pay, they had no remedy ; and they themselves holding of him, of force were to obey him. The Venetians, if we consider their proceedings, we shall see wrought both warily and gloriously, while themselves made war, which was before their undertakings by land, where the gentlemen 304
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with their own Commons in armcs behavM themselves ('HAP. XII bravely: but when they began to fight by land, they lost How many their valor, and followed the custumes of Italy ; and in the sortj* ot -Nl1!' beginning of their enlargement by land, because they had ^Seili not much territory, and yet were of great reputation, they had not much cause to fear their Captains ; but as they began to extend their bounds, which was under their Com mander Carminiola, they had a taste of this error: for perceiving he was exceeding valorous, having under his conduct beaten the Duke of Milan ; and knowing on the other side, how he was cold in the war, they judged that they could not make any great conquest with him ; and be cause they neither would, nor could cashier him, that they might not lose what they had gotten, they were forced for their own safeties to put him to death. Since they have had for their General Bartholomew of Berganio, Robert of St. Severin, the Count of Petilian, and such like: whereby they were to fear their losses, as well as to hope for gain : as it fell out afterwards at Vayla, where in one day they lost that, which with so much pains they had gotten in eight hundred years : for from these kind of armes grow slack ami slow and weak gains; but sudden and wonderfull losses: And because I am now come with these examples into Italy, which now these many years, have been governd by mercenary armes, I will search deeper into them, to the end that their course and progress being better discoverd, they may be the better amended. You have to understand, that so soon as in these later times the yoak of the Italian Empire began to be shaken off, and the' Pope had gotten reputation in the temporality, Italy was divided into several States : for many of the great cities took armes against their Nobility ; who under the Emperors protection had held them in oppression ; and the Pope favored these, whereby he might get himself reputation, in the temporality ; of many others, their Citizens became Princes, so that hereupon Italy being come into the Churches hands as it were, and some few Republicks, those Priests and Citizens not accustomed to the use of armes, began to take strangers to their pay. The first that
gg
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CHAP. XII reputation to these soldiers was Alberick of Como in How many Romania. From his discipline among others descended sorts of Mill- Brachio and Sforza, who in their time were the arbitres tary discipline of Italy ; after these followed all others, who even till our there are. dayes have commanded the armes of Italy ; and the success of their valor hath been, that it was overrun by Charles, pillaged by Lewis, forc'd by Ferdinand, and disgraced by the Swissers. The order which they have held, hath been, first whereby to give reputation to their own armes to take away the credit of the Infantry. This they did, because they having no State of their own, but living upon their industry, their few foot gave them no reputation, and many they were not able to maintain; whereupon they reduced themselves to cavalery, and so with a supportable number they were entertained and honored : and matters were brought to such termes, that in an army of twenty thousand soldiers you should not find two thousand foot. They had moreover us'd all industry to free themselves and their soldiers of all pains and fear, in their skirmishes, not kill ing, but taking one another prisoners, and without ransome for their freedom ; they repaired not all to their tents by night, nor made palizado or trench thereabout, nor lay in the field in the summer : and all these things were thus contrived and agreed of among them in their military orders, whereby (as is said) to avoid pains and dangers, insomuch as they have brought Italy into slavery and disgrace.
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CHAP. XIII
Of Auxiliary Soldiers, mixt, and native.
HE Auxiliary forces, being the other kind of unprofitable arnies, are, when any puissant one is called in, who with his forces comes to assist and defend thee ; such as in these later times did Pope Julius use, who having seen the evil proof of his mercenary soldiers in the enter- prize of Ferrara, applied himself to the Auxiliaries, and agreed with Ferdinand King of Spain, that with his Forces he should aid him. These arnies may be profitable and advantagious for themselves; but for him that calls them in, hurtfull ; because in losing, thou art left defeated ; and conquering, thou becomest their prisoner. And however that of these examples the ancient stories are full fraught; yet will I not part from this of Pope Julius the second, which is as vet fresh : whose course could not have been more inconsiJerate, for the desire he had to get Ferrara, putting himself wholly into strangers hands : but his good fortune caused another cause to arise, that hind rid him from receiving the fruit of his evil choice; for his Auxiliaries being broken at Ravenna, and the Swissers thereupon arriving, who put the Conquerors to flight be yond all opinion, even their own and others, he chanced not to remain his enemies prisoner, they being put to flight, nor prisoner to his Auxiliaries, having vanquished by other forces than theirs. The Florentines being wholly disarmed, brought ten thousand French to Pisa for to take i by which course they ran more hazzard, than in any time of their troubles. The Kmpi-ror of Constantinople, to opprj his neighbors, brought into Greece ten thousand who when the war was ended, could not be got out thence, which was the beginning of Greeces servitude under t Infidels. He then that will in no case be able to overcoi let him serve himself of these armes; for they an- mud
«>o /
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CHAP. XIII more dangerous than the mercenaries ; for by those thy Of Auxiliary mine is more suddenly executed; for they are all united, and all bent to the obedience of another. But for the mercenaries to hurt thee, when they have vanquished, there is no more need of time, and greater occasion, they not being all united in a body, and being found out and paid by thee, wherein a third that thou mak'st their head, cannot suddenly gaine so great authority, that he can endammage thee. nsumme in_bhej^rcenajjgs their sloth
Soldiers, mixt, and native.
to fight is more dangerous: in the auxiliaries their yplnnr Wherefore a wise Prince hath alwayes avoyded these kind of armes, and betaken himselfe to his owne, and desired rather to loss with his owne, than conquer with anothers, accounting that not a true victorie which was gotten with others armes. I will not doubt to alleadge Caesar Bargia, and his actions. This Duke entred into Romania with auxiliarie armes, bringing with him all French souldiers : but afterwards not accounting those armes secure, bent himselfe to mercenaries, judging lesse danger to be in those, and tooke in pay the Orsini and the Vitelli, which afterwards in the proof of them, finding wavering, unfaithful, and dangerous, he extinguishd, and betook himselfe to his owne ; and it may easily be perceived what difference there is between the one and the other of these armes, considering the difference that was between the Dukes reputation, when he had the French men alone, and when he had the Orsini and Vitelli ; but when he remaind with his own, and stood of himselfe, we shall find it was much augmented : nor ever was it of grate esteeme, but when every one saw, that he wholly possessed his owne armes. I thought not to have parted from the Italian examples of late memory; but that I must not let passe that of Hiero the Siracusan, being one of those I formerly nanfd. This man (as I said before) being made general of the Siracusans forces, knew presently that mercenary souldiery was nothing for their profit in that they were hirelings, as our Italians are ; and finding no way either to hold, or cashier them made them all bee cut to peeces, and afterwards waged warre with his owne men, and 306
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none others. I will also call to memory a figure of the old CHAP. XIII Testament serving just to this purpose. When David Of Auxiliary presented himselfe before Saul to goe to fight with Goliah Soldier*, the Philistims Champion, Saul to encourage him, clad him ™|x*> with his owne armes, which David when he had them upon his hack, refused, saying, he was not able to make any proofe of himself therein, and therefore would goe meet the enemy with his own sling and sword.'7 In summe, others., armes either fall from thy shoulders, or cumber or streighten I thee. Charls the seventh, Father of Lewis the eleventh,' having by his good fortune and valour set France at liberty from the English, knew well this necessity of being arm'd with his owne armes, and settled in his Kingdome the ordinances of men at armes, and infantry. Afterwards King- Lewis his sonn to take the Swjr.im. tn pny •, whirh rrrnnr
by the others, is (as now indeed it appeares^ Uie cause of_ that Kingdomes dangers. For having given reputation to the Swissers, TheyTTave renderd all their own armes con temptible ; for this hath wholly ruind their foot, and obligM their men at armes to forrein armes : for being accustomed to serve with the Swissers, they think they are not able to overcome without them. From whence it comes that the French are not of force against the Swissers, and without them also against others they use not to adventure. There fore are the French armies inixt, part mercenaries, and part natives, which armes are farre better than the simple mer cenaries or simple auxiliaries, and much inferiour to the natives; and let the said example suffice for that: for the Kingdome of France would have been unconquerable, if Charles his order had been augmented and maintaind : but men in their small wisdome begin a thing, which then be cause it hath some favour of good, discovers not the noyson that lurkes thereunder, as I before said of the hcctiek feavrrs. Wherefore that Prince which perceives not mischiefes, but as they grow up, is not truely wise ; and this is given but to few": and if we consider the first mine of the Romane Empire, we shall find it was from taking the Goths first
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CHAP. XIII into their pay ; for from that beginning the forces of the Of Auxiliary Romane Empire began to grow weak, and all the valour
Soldiers, mixt, and native.
that was taken hence was given to them. I conclude then
— that without having armes of their owne, no Principality
—can be secure, or rather is wholly obliged to fortune, not
having valour to shelter it in adversity. And it was alwayes
the opinion and saying of wise men, that nothing is so weak
and unsetled, as is the reputation of power not founded
upon ones owne proper forces : which are those that are
composed of thy subjects, or Citizens, or servants; all the
rest are mercenary or auxiliary; and the manner how to order
those well, is easie to find out, if those orders above nanTd
by me, shall be but run over, and if it shall be but considered,
how Philip Alexander the Great his Father, and in what
manner many Republicks and Princes have armd and
appointed themselves, to which appointments I
referre my selfe wholly.
CHAP. XIV
What belongs to the Prince touching military Discipline.
PRINCE then ought to have no other ayme, nor other thought, nor take any thing else for his proper art, but warr, and • — the orders and discipline thereof: for that is the sole arte which belongs to him that commands, and is of so great excellency, that not only those that are borne Princes, it maintains so; but many times raises men from a private fortune to that dignity. And it is scene by the contrary, that when Princes have given them selves more to their delights, than to the warres, they have lost their States ; and the first cause that makes thee lose it, is the neglect of that arte ; and the cause that makes thee gaine it, is that thou art experienced and appro vd in that arte. Francis Sforza by being a man at armes, of a
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private man became Duke of Milan ; and his sons by excusing CHAP. XI V themselves of the troubles and paines belonging to those What belong imployments of Princes, became private men. For among to the Prince other mischiefes thy neglect of armes brings upon thee, it tourl|'»K causes thee to be contemnd, which is one of those disgraces, I1"ilitar.-v from which a Prince ought to keepe himselfe, as hereafter shall be sayd : for from one that is disarmd to one that is armd there is no proportion ; and reason will not, that he who is in armes, should willingly yeeld obedience to him that is unfurnishd of them, and that he that is disarmd should be in security among his armed vassalls ; for there being disdaine in the one, and suspicion in the other, it is impossible these should ever well cooperate. And therefore a Prince who is quite unexperienced in matter of warre, besides the other infelicities belonging to him, as is said, cannot be had in any esteeme among his souldiers, nor yet trust in them. Wherefore he ought never to neglect the practice of the arte of warre, and in time of peace should "•*• he exercise it more than in the warre; which he may be — able to doe two wayes ; the one practically, and iii his labours and recreations of his body, the other theoretically."" And touching the practick part, he ought besides the keeping of his own subjects well traind up in the discipline- and exercise of armes, give himselfe much to the cnase, — . whereby to accustome his body to paines, and partly to understand the manner of situations, and to know how the mountaines arise, which way the vallyes open themselves, and how the plaines are distended Hat abroad, and to con ceive well the nature of the rivers, and marrish ground, and herein to bestow very much care, which knowledge is profitable in two kinds : first he learnes thereby to know his own countrey, and is the better enabled to understand the defence thereof, and afterwards by meanes of this knowledge and experience in these situations, easily com prehends any other situation, which a new he hath need to view, for the little hillocks, rallies, plaines, rivers, and marrish places. For example, they in Tuscany are like unto those of other countries : so that from the knowledge of
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CHAP. XlV-'the site of one country, it is easie to attain to know that What belongs-of others. And that Prince that wants this skill, failes of to the Prince the principall part a Commander should be furnisht with ; touching for this snows the way how to discover the enemy, to pitch Discipline ^ne camP' to lead their armies, to order their battells, and also to besiege a town at thy best advantage. Philopomenes Prince of the Achayans, among other praises Writers give him, they say, that in time of peace, he thought not upon any thing so much as the practise of warre ; and whensoever he was abroad in the field to disport himselfe with his friends, would often stand still, and discourse with them, in case the enemies were upon the top of that hill, and we here with our army, whether of us two should have the advantage, and how might we safely goe to find them, keeping still our orders ; and if we would retire our selves, what course should we take if they retired, how should we follow them ? and thus on the way, propounded them all such accidents could befall in any army ; would heare their opinions, and tell his owne, and confirme it by argument ; so that by his continuall thought hereupon, when ever he led any army no chance could happen, for which he had not la remedy. But touching the exercise of the mind, a Prince --fought to read Histories, and in them consider the actions of the worthiest men, marke how they have behav'd them selves in the warrs, examine the occasions of their victories, and their losses ; wherby they may be able to avoyd these, and obtaine those ; and above all, doe as formerly some — excellent man hath done, who hath taken upon him to imitate, if any one that hath gone before him hath left his memory glorious ; the course he took, and kept alwaies near unto him the remembrances of his actions and worthy deeds : as it is said, that Alexander the great imitated Achilles ; Caesar Alexander, and Scipio Cyrus. And whoever reads the life of Cyrus, written by Xenophon, may easily perceive afterwards in Scipio's life how much glory his imitation gaind him, and how much Scipio did conforme himselfe in his chastity, affability, humanity, and liberality with those things, that are written by Xenophon of Cyrus. 312
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
Such like wayes ought a wise Prince to take, nor ever be CHAP. XIV idle in quiet times, but by his paines then, as it were \\ hat belong* provide himself of store, whereof he may make some to the Prince use in his adversity, the end that "when the
times change, he may he able to resist the stormes of his hard fortune.
CHAP. XV
Of those things, in respect whereof, men, and especially Princes, are praised, or dispraised.
T now remaines that we consider what the conditions of a Prince ought to be, and his tennes of government over his subjects, and towards his friends. And because I know that many have written here upon; I doubt, lest I venturing also to treat thereof, may be branded with pre sumption, especially seeing I am like
military
Discipline.
enough to deliver an opinion different from others. Hut my intent being to write for the advantage of him that understands me, I thought it fitter to follow the effectual! truth of the matter, than the imagination thereof ; And many Principalities and Uepubliques, have been in imagina tion, which neither have been seen nor knowne to be indeed : for there is such a distance between how men doe live, and how men ought to live ; that he who leaves that which is done, for that which ought to be done, learnes sooner hit ruine than his preservation ; for that man who will profess honesty in all his actions, must needs goe to ruine among si many that are dishonest. Whereupon it is necessary for a Prince, desiring to preserve himselfe, to be able to make use of that honestie, and to lav it aside againe, as need shall require. Passing by then things that are only in imagination belonging to a Prince, to discourse upon those that are really true; I say that all men, whensoever mention i* made of them, and especially Princes, because they are placed UK
ii ia
his 1 'esse r~
B so C
CHAP. XV
Of those things, in re spect whereof, men, and especially Princes, are praised, or dispraised.
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aloft in the view of all, are taken notice of for some of these qualities, which procure them either commendations or blame : and this is that some one is held liberal, some miserable, (miserable I say, nor covetous ; for the covetous desire to have, though it were by rapine; but a miserable man is he, that too much for bears to make use of his owne) some free givers, others extortioners ; some cruell, others pitious ; the one a Leaguebreaker, another faithfull ; the one effeminate and of small courage, the other fierce and couragious ; the one courteous, the other proud ; the one lascivious, the other chaste; the one of faire dealing, the other wily and crafty; the one hard, the other easie; the one grave, the other light ; the one religious, the other incredulous, and such like. I know that every one will confesse, it were exceedingly praise worthy for a Prince to be adorned with all these above nanrfd qualities that are good : but because this is not possible, nor doe humanej conditions admit such perfection in vertues, it is necessary] for him to be so discret, that he know how to avoid thel infamie of those vices which would thrust him out of his State ; and if it be possible, beware of those also which are not able to remove him thence ; but where it cannot be, let them passe with lesse regard. And yet, let him not stand much upon it, though he incurre the infamie of those vices, without which he can very hardly save his State : for if all be throughly considerd, some thing we shall find which will have the colour and very face of Vertue, and following them, they will lead the to thy destruction ; whereas some others that shall as much seeme vice, if we take the course they lead us, shall discover unto us the way to our safety and well-being.
The second blemish in this our Authours hook, I find in his fifteenth Chapter : where he instructs his Prince to use such an ambidexterity as that he may serve himselfe either of vertue, or vice, according- to his advantage, which in true pollicy is neither good in attaining the Principality nor in securing it when it is attaind. For Politicks, presuppose Ethiques, which will never allow this rule : as that a man might make this small 314
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
difference between vertue, and vice, that he may indifferently lay aside, or take up the one or the other, and put it in practise as best conduceth to the end he propounds himselfe. 1 doubt our Authour would have blamd Davids regard to Saul, when 1 Sam. 24. in the cave he cut off the lap of Sauls garment, and spared his head ; and afterwards in the 20. when he forbad Abishai to strike him as lie lay sleeping. Worthy of a Princes consideration is that saying of Abigal to David 1 Sam. 26. 30. ' It shall come to passe when the Lord shall have done to my Lord ' according to all that he hath spoken concerning thee, anil shall ' have appointed thee Kuler over Israel, that this shall be no grief ' to thee, nor offence of heart unto my Lord, that thou hast forborne ' to shed blood, etc.' For surely the conscience of this evill ground whereupon they have eitber built, or underpropped their tyranny, causes men, as well JW/M* as sjten in lonyum jirojicere, which sets them a work on further mischiefe.
CHAP. XV
Of those things, in re spect whereof, men, and especially Princes, are praised, or disprait»ed.
CHAP. XVI
Of Liberality, and Miserablenesse.
EGINNIXG then at the lirat of the above- mentioned qualities, I say that it would he very well to he accounted liberal 1 : nevertnelesse, liberality used in such a manner, as to make thee he accounted so, wrongs thee : for in case it he used vertuously, and as it ought to he, it shall never come to he taken notice of, so as to free thee from the infamieof its contrary. And therefore* for one to hold the name of liberal among men, it were needfull not to omit any sumptuous quality, insomuch that a Prince alwayes so disposed, shall waste all his revenues, and at the end shall he forc'd, if he will still maintaine that reputation of liberality, heavily to burthen his subjects, and become a great exactour; and put in practise all those things that can be done to get mony : Which begins to make him hatefull to his subjects, and fall into every ones contempt, growing necessitous: so that having with this liberality wrong'd many, and imparted of his bounty but to a few ; he feels every first mischance, and runs a rm/ard
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CHAP. XVI of every first danger : Which he knowing, and desiring to Of Liberality, withdraw himself from, incurs presently the disgrace of and Miser- being termed miserable. A Prince therefore not being able ablenesse. to use this vertue of liberality, without his own damage, in such a sort, that it may be taken notice of, ought, if he be wise, not to regard the name of Miserable ; for in time he shall alwaies be esteemed the more liberal, seeing that by his parsimony his own revenues are sufficient for him ; as also he can defend himself against whoever makes war against him, and can do some exploits without grieving his subjects : so that he comes to use his liberality to all those, from whom he takes nothing, who are infinite in number ; and his miserableness towards those to whom he gives nothing, who are but a few. In our dayes we have not seen any, but those who have been held miserable, do any great matters ; but the others all quite ruin'd. Pope Julius the second, however he served himself of the name of Liberal, to get the Papacy, yet never intended he to continue it, to the end he might be able to make war against the King of France : and he made so many wars without imposing any extraordinary tax, because his long thrift supplyed his large expences. This present King of Spain could never have undertaken, nor gone through with so many exploits, had he been accounted liberal. Wherefore a Prince ought little to regard (that he may not be driven to pillage his subjects, that he may be able to defend himself, that he may not fall into poverty and contempt, that he be not forced to become an extortioner) though he incurre the name of miserable; for this is one of those vices, which does not pluck him from his throne. And if any one should say, Caesar by his liberality obtained the Empire, and many others (because they both were, and were esteemd liberal) attaind to exceeding great dignities. I answer, either thou art already come to be a Prince, or thou art in the way to it ; in the first case, this liberality is hurtful ; in the second, it is necessary to be accounted so ; and Caesar was one of those that aspired to the Principality of Rome. But if after he had gotten it, he had survived, and not forborne 316
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
those expences, he would quite have ruined that Empire. CHAP XVI And if any one should reply ; many have been Princes, and ()f j iheralitv with their armies have done great exploits, who have been and Mber- ' held very liberal. I answer, either the Prince spends of his own and his subjects, or that which belongs to others : in the first, he ought to be sparing ; in the second, he should not omit any part of liberality. And that Prince that goes abroad with his army, and feeds upon prey, and spoyle, and tributes, and hath the disposing of that* which belongs to others, necessarily should use this liberality; otherwise would his soldiers never follow him ; and of "that which is neither thine, nor thy subjects, thou mayest well be a free giver, as were Cyrus, Ca?sar and Alexander ; for the spending of that which is anothers, takes not away thy reputation, but rather adds to it, only the wasting of that which is thine own hurts thee; nor is there any thing consumes it self so much as liberality, which whiles! thou usest, thou losest the means to make use of it, and becomest poore and abject ; or to avoid this poverty, an extortioner and hatefull person. And among all those things which a Prince ought to beware of is, to be dispised, and odious ; to one and the other of which, liberality brings thee. Wherefore there is more discretion to hold the stile of Miserable, which begets an infamy without hatred, than to desire that of Liberal, whereby to incurre the necessity of being thought an extortioner, which pro cures an infamy with hatred.
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CHAR XVII
Of Cruelty, and Clemency, and whether it is better to be belov'd, or feard.
ESCENDING afterwards unto the other fore-alledged qualities, I say, that every Prince should desire to be held pitiful, and not cruel. Nevertheless ought he beware that he ill uses not this pitty. Caesar Borgia was accounted cruel, yet had his cruelty redrest the disorders in Romania, setled it in union, and restored it to peace, and fidelity : which, if it be well weighed, we shall see was an act of more pitty, than that of the people of Florence, who to avoyd the terme of cruelty, suffered Pistoya to fall to destruction. Wherefore A Prince ought not to regard the infamy of cruelty^ for toehold
unite(Land_fa,ithfull : for by giving a very few proofes of r, he shall be held more pittiful than they, who through their too much pitty, suffer disorders to [follow, from whence arise murthers and rapines : for these are wont to hurt an intire universality, whereas the execu tions practised by a Prince, hurt only some particular. And among all sorts of Princes, it is impossible for a new/ Prince to avoyd the name of cruel, because all new States are full of dangers : whereupon Virgil by the mouth of Dido excuses the inhumanity of her Kingdom, saying,
Res dura et Regni novitas me talia cogunt Moliri et late fines custode tenere.
My hard plight and new State force me to guard My confines all about with watch and ward.
Nevertheless ought he to be judicious in his giving beleif to any thing, or moving himself thereat, nor make his people extreamly afraid of him ; but proceed in a moderate way 318
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
-with wisdome, and humanity, that his too much confidence-CHAP. XVII ^make him not unwary, and his too much distrust intoler- -able ; from hence arises a dispute, whether it is better to"T"»d be belov'd or feard : I answer, a man would wish he mi^ht a"d whether it be the one and the other: but because hardly can they t _ subsist both together, it is much safer to be feard, than fe
— be loved; being that one of the two must needs fail ; for touching men, we may say this in general, they are
'—-unthankful, unconstant, dissemblers, they avoyd dangers, and are covetous of gain ; and whilest thou *doest them
—good, they are wholly thine; their blood, their fortunes, lives and children are at thy service, as is said before, when
— the danger is remote; but when it approaches, they revolt. And that iVince who wholly relies upon their words, unfurnished of all other preparations, goes to wrack : for the friendships that are gotten with rewards, and not bv the magnificence and worth of the mind, are dearly bought indeed; but they will neither keep long, nor serve well in
— time of need: and men do less regard to offend one that
— is supported by love, than by fear. For love is held by av certainty of obligation, which because men are mischievous, (,
— is broken upon any occasion of their own profit. But fear
— restrains with a dread of punishment which never forsakes '
— a man. Vet ought a Prince cause himself to be beloved in such a manner, that if he gains not love, he may avoid hatred: for it may well stand together, that ajimn may be
feard and not hated ; which shall never fail, if he abstain
— from his subjects goods, and their wives; and whensoever he should l>e forc'd to proceed against any of their lives, do it when it is to be done upon a just cause, and apparent conviction ; but above all things forbeare to lay his hands on other mens goods; for men forget sooner the death of their father, than the loss of their patrimony. Moreover the occasions of taking from men their goods, do never fail : and alwaies he that begins to live by rapine, finds occasion to lay hold upon other mens goods: but against mens lives, they are seldome found, and sooner fail. Jlut where a Prince is abroad in the field with his annv, and
319
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CHAP. XVII hath a multitude of soldiers under his government, then is Of Cruelty, it necessary that he stands not much upon it, though he be andClemeucy, termed cruel : for unless he be so, he shall never have his and whether it soldiers live in accord one with another, nor ever well dis- belov'd^r ~Posed to any brave peice of service. Among Hannibals feard. ' actions of mervail, this is reckoned for one, that having a
very huge army, gathered out of several nations, and all led to serve in a strange countrey, there was never any dissen- tion neither amongst themselves, nor against their General, as well in their bad fortune as their good. Which could not proceed from any thing else than from that barbarous __cruelty of his, which together with his exceeding many vertues, rendred him to his soldiers both venerable and —terrible ; without which, to that effect his other vertues had served him to little purpose : and some writers though not of the best advised, on one side admire these his worthy actions, and on the otherside, condemn the principal causes thereof. And that it is true, that his other vertues would not — have suffice! him, we may consider in Scipio, the rarest man not only in the dayes he livM, but even in the memory of •^man ; from whom his army rebelM in Spain : which grew — only upon his too much clemency, which had given way to his soldiers to become more licentious, than was well toller- able by military discipline : for which he was reprov'd by Fabius Maximus in the Senate, who termed him the corrupter of the Roman soldiery. The Locrensians having been destroyed by a Lieutenant of Scipio's, were never revengM by him, nor the insolence of that Lieutenant punisht; all this arising from his easie nature : so that one desiring to excuse him in the Senate, said, that there were many men knew better how to keep themselves from faults, than to correct the faults of other men : which disposition of his in time would have wronged Scipio's reputation and gloory, had he therewith continued in his commands: but living under the government of the Senate, this quality of his that would have disgraced him not only was conceaFd, but proved to the advancement of his glory. I con clude then, returning to the purpose of being feard, and 320
NICHOLAS MACHIAVKLL
—belov\l ; insomuch as men love at their own pleasure, and CHAP. XVII —to serve their own tunic, and their fear depends upon the of Cruelty. — -Princes pleasure, every wise Prince ought to ground upon andClemency, —that which is of himself, and not upon that which is and whether it
^ of another: only this, he ought to use his hest
J • T i i e -i belov d, or
— wits to avoid hatred, as was saul. feard.
CHAP. XVIII
In what manner Princes ought to keep their \vords.
OW commendable in a Prince it is to keep his word, and live with integrity, not making use of cunning and subtlety, every one knows well : yet we see by experience in these our dayes, that those Princes have effected great matters, who have made small reckoning of keeping their words, and have known by their craft to tunic and wind men about, and in the end, have overcome those who have grounded upon the truth. You must then know, there are two kinds of combating or fight ing ; the one by right of the laws, the other meerly by force.- That first way is proper to men, the other is also common to beasts: but because the first many times suffices not, there is a necessity to make recourse to the second ; where fore it behooves a Prince to know how to make good use of that part which belongs to a beast, as well as that which is proper to a man. This part hath been covertly shew'd to Princes by ancient writers; who say that Achilles and many others of those ancient Princes were intrusted to Chiron the Saaator, to be brought up under his discipline: the moral of this, having for their teacher one that was half a bca*t and half a man, was nothing else, but that it was needful for a Prince to understand how to make his advantage of the one and the other nature, because neither could subsist without the other. A Prince then being necessitated to know how to make use of that part belonging to a SS 321
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CHAP. XVIII ought to serve himself of the conditions of the Fox and the In what man- Lion ; for the Lion cannot keep himself from snares, nor ner Princes the Fox defend himself against the Wolves. He had need ought to keep then be a Fox, that he may beware of the snares, and a Lion >ds' that he may scare the wolves. Those that stand wholly upon the Lion, understand not well themselves. And there- - — fore a wise Prince cannot, nor ought not keep his faith given, — ' when the observance thereof turnes to disadvantage, and the occasions that made him promise, are past. For if men were all good, this rule would not be allowable ; but being they are full of mischief, and would not make it good to thee, neither art thou tyed to keep it with them : nor shall a Prince ever want lawfull occasions to give colour to this breach. Very many modern examples hereof might be alledg'd, wherein might be shewed how many peaces con cluded, and how many promises made, have been violated and broken by the infidelity of Princes ; and ordinarily things have best succeeded with him that hath been nearest the Fox in condition. But it is necessary to understand how to set a good colour upon this disposition, and to be able to fain and dissemble throughly ; and men are so simple, and yeeld so much to the present necessities, that he who hath a mind to deceive, shall alwaies find another that will be deceivd. I will not conceal any one of the examples that have been of late. Alexander the sixth, never did any thing else than deceive men, and never meant otherwise, and alwaies found whom to work upon ; yet neveif was there man would protest more effectually, nor aver any thing with more solemn oaths, and observe them less than he ; nevertheless, his cousenages all thrived well with him ; —for he knew how to play this part cunningly. Therefore is there no necessity for a Prince to be endued with all above — written qualities, but it behooveth well that he seem to /be so ; or rather I will boldly say this, that having these \ qualities, and alwaies regulating himself by them, they are \ hurtfull ; but seeming to have them, they are advantageous ; / as to seem pittiful, faithful, mild, religious, and of integrity, I and indeed to be so ; provided withall thou beest of such a
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
. composition, that if need require to use the contrary, thou CHAP.XV1II
— canst, and knowest how to apply thy self thereto. And it In what man- suffices to conceive 'his, that a Prince, and especially a new "er Prince* Prince, cannot observe all those things, for which men are °"^lt to k held good ; he being often forc'd, for the maintenance of
his State, to do contrary to his faith, charity, humanity, and religion : and therefore it behooves him to have a mind ,
— so disposd, as to turne and take the advantage of all winds -~and fortunes; and as formerly I said, not forsake the good, — while he can ; but to know how to make use of the evil upon —necessity. A Prince then ought to have a special care, that
he never let fall any words, but what are all season'd with the five above written qualities, and let him seem to him that sees and hears him, all pitty, all faith, all integrity, all humanity, all religion ; nor is there any thing more necessary for him to seem to have, than this last quality : for all men in general judge thereof, rather by the sight, than by the touch ; for every man may come to the sight of him, few
^ome to the touch and feeling of him ; y very man may come to
see what thou seemest, few come to perceive and understand
^-what thou art; and those few dare not oppose the opinion of many, who have the majesty of State to protect them : And in all mens actions, especially those of Princes wherein there is no judgement to appeale unto men, forbeare to give their censures, till the events and ends of things. Let a Prince therefore take the surest courses he can to maintain his life and State: the means shall alwaies be thought honorable, and commended by every one; for the vulgar is over-taken with the appearance and event of a thing: and for the most part of people, they are but the vulgar: the others that are but few, take place where the vulgar have no subsisteance. A Prince there is in these daye*, whom I shall not do well to name, that preaches nothing else but peace and faith; but had he kept the one and the other, several times had they taken from him his state and reputation.
In the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth ('hup. onr Author descends to particulars, perswadintf his Prince in hi*
'
CHAP.XVI11
In what man ner Princes ought to keep their words.
(rulidmus Xcnocarus in vit. Car. Quinti.
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such a suppleness of disposition, as that upon occasion he can make use either of liberality or miserableness, as need shall require. But that of liberality is to last n' longer than while he is in the way to some desigrie : which if he well weigh, is not really a reward of vertue, how ere it seems ; but a bait and lure to bring birds to the net. In the seventeenth Chap, he treats of clemency and cruelty, neither of which are to be exercised by him as acts of mercy or justice ; but as they may serve to advantage his further purposes. Arid lest the Prince should incline too much to clemency, our Author allows rather the restraint by fear, than by love. The contrary to which all stories shew us. I will say this only, cruelty may cut of the power of some, but causes the hatred of all, and gives a will to most to take the first occasion offerd for revenge. In the eighteenth Chap, our Author discourses how Princes ought to govern themselves in keeping their promises made : whereof he sayes they ought to make such small reckoning, as that rather they should know by -"-their craft how to turne and wind men about, whereby to take """advantage of all winds and fortunes. To this I would oppose that in the fifteenth Psal. v. 5. He that sweareth to his neighbor, and disappointeth him not, though it were to his own hindrance. It was a King that writ it, and me thinks the rule he gave, should well befit both King and Subject : and surely this perswades against all taking of advantages. A man may reduce all the causes of faith-breaking to three heads. One may be, because he that promised, had no intention to keep his word ; and this is a wicked and malitious way of dealing. A second may bee, because hee that promisd, repents of his promise made ; and that is grounded on unconstancy, and lightness in that he would not be well resolved before he entred into covenant. The third may be, when it so falls out, that it lyes not in his power that made the promise to performe it. In which case a man ought to imitate the good debter, who having not wherewithall to pay, hides not himself, but presents his person to his creditor, willingly suffering imprisonment. The first and second are very vitious and unworthy of a Prince : in the third, men might well be directed by the examples of those two famous Romans, Regulus and Posthumius. I shall close this with the answer of Charles the fifth, when he was pressed to break his word with Luther for his safe return from \Vormes ; Fides rerum promissarum etsi toto mundo exnlct, tamen npu.d imperatorem earn consinterc oportet. Though truth be banisht out of the whole world, yet should it alwaies find harbour in an Emperors breast.
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
CHAP. XIX
That Princes should take a care, not to incurre contempt or hatred.
UT because among the qualities, whereof formerly mention is made, I have spoken of those of most importance, I will treat of the others more briefly under these qualityes that a Prince is to beware, as in part is above-said, and that he fly those things which cause him to be odious or vile : and when ever he shall avoid this, he shall fully have plaid his part, and in the other disgraces he shall 'find no danger at all. There is nothing makes him so odious, as I said, as his extortion of his subjects ir.wwU, a.ii(| nbtise of their womeii^ from which he ought to "forTu'iir; and so long as he wrongs not his whole people, neither in their goods, nor honors, they live content, ami he hath only to strive with the Ambition' of some few : which many wa'ies and easily too, is restrained. To be held various, light, effeminate, faint-hearted, unresolved, these make him be contemnd and thought base, which a Prince should shun Hkejrocks, and take a care that in all his actions there appear magnanimity, courage, gravity, and valor: and that in all the private affairs of his subjects, he orders it so, that his word stand irrevocable: and maintain himself in such repute, that no man may think either to deceive or wind and turn him about: that Prince that gives such an opinion of himself, is much esteemed, and against him who is so well esteemed, hardly are any conspiracies made by his subjects or by forreinere" any invasion, when once notice i his worth, and how much he is reverenced by his For a Prince ought to have two fears, the one from in regard of his subjects; the other from abroad, in n of his mighty neighbors; from these he defends himself by good armes and good friends; and alwaycs he shal
CHAP. XIX
That Princes should take a care, not to incurre con tempt or hatred.
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good friends, if he have good armes ; and all things shall alwaies stand sure at home, when those abroad are firme, in case some conspiracy have not disturbed them ; and how ever the forrein matters stand but ticklishly ; yet if he have taken such courses at home, and liv'd as we have prescribed, he shall never be able (in case he forsake not himself) to resist all possibility, force and violence, as I said Nabis the Spartan did : but touching his subjects, even when his affairs abroad are setled, it is to be fear'd they may conspire privily ; from which a Prince sufficiently secure himself by shunning to be hated or contemned, and keeping himself in his peoples good opinion, which it is necessary for him to compass, as formerly we treated at large. And one of the powerfullest remedies a Prince can have against conspiracies, is, not to be hated nor dispised by the universality ; for alwaies he that conspires, beleeves the Princes death is acceptable to the subject : but when he thinks it displeases them, he hath not the heart to venture on such a matter ; for the difficulties that are on the conspirators side, are infinite. By experience it is plain, that many times plots have been laid, but few of them have succeeded luckily ; for he that conspires, can not be alone, nor can he take the company of any, but of those, who he beleeves are malecontents ; and so soon as thou hast discovered thy self to a malecontent, thou givest him means to work his own content : for by revealing thy treason, he may well hope for all manner of favour : so that seeing his gain certain of one side ; and on the other, finding only doubt and danger, either he had need be a rare friend, or that he be an exceeding obstinate enemy to the Prince, if he keeps his word with thee. And to reduce this matter into short termes : I say, there is nothing but jealousie, fear, and suspect of punishment on the conspirators part to affright him ; but on the Princes part, there is the majesty of the principality, the laws, the defences of his friends and the State, which do so guard him, that to all these things the peoples good wills being added, it is impossible any one should be so head-strong as to conspire; for ordinarily where a trator is to feare before the execution of his mis-
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
chiefe, in this case he is also to feare afterwards, having the CHAP. XIX people for his enemy when the fact is commited, and there- That Prince* fore for this cause, not being able to hope for any refuge, should take a Touching this matter, many examples might be brought ; ™«»r™ but I will content my selfe to name one which fell out in u.mpt or the memory of our Fathers. Annibal Bentivolii, grand hatred. Father of this Annibal who now lives, that was Prince in Bolonia, being slaine by the Canneschi that conspired against him, none of his race being left, but this John, who was then in swadling clouts ; presently the people rose upon this murder, and slew all the Canneschi which proceeded from the popular atiection, which the family of the Bentivolii held then in Bolonia : which was so great, that being there remahrd not any, now Anniball was dead, that was able to manage the State ; and having notice that in Florence there was one borne of the Bentivolii, who till then was taken for a Smiths sonne : the citi/ens of Bolonia went to Florence for him, and gave the government of their City to him, which was rul'd by him, untill John was of fit yeares to (roverne. I conclude then, that a Prince ought to make small account of treasons, whiles he hath the people to friend : but if they be his enemies and hate him, he may well feare every thing, and every one. And well ordered States, and discreet Princes have taken care withall diligence, - not to cause their great men to fall into desperation, and to — content the people, and so to maintaine them: for this i> one of the most important businesses belonging to a Prince. \mono- the Kingdomes that are well orderd and governd in our da"-es, is that of France, and therein are found exceeding manv good orders, whereupon the Kings liberty and security depends • of which the chiefe is the Parliament, and the l^iuthority thereof: for he that founded that Kingdom*- knowing the great mens ambition and insolence; UuWing it necessary there should be a bridle to cm them • and on the other side knowing the hatred of t 1 Commonalty against the great ones, grounded upon f intending to secure them, would not lay this care wh upon the King, but take this trouble from him, "hirh he
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CHAP. XIX might have with the great men, in case he favourd the Corn- That Princes monalty ; or with the Commonalty, in case he favourd the should take a great men; and thereupon set up a third judge, which was care, not to - tempit or°n~ "^avour tne meaner sort, without any imputation to the King, hatred. It was not possible to take a better, nor wiser course then
this ; nor a surer way to secure the King, and the Kingdome. From whence we may draw another conclusion worthie of —note, that Princes ought to cause others to take upon them --the matters of blame and imputation ; and upon themselves -Jto take only those of grace and favour. Here againe I con clude, that a Prince ought to make good esteeme of his Nobility ; but not thereby to incur the Commons hatred : It would seeme perhaps to many, considering the life and death of many Komane Emperours, that they were examples contrary to my opinion, finding that some have liv'd worthily, and shewd many rare vertues of the minde, and yet have lost the Empire, and been put to death by their owne sub jects, conspiring against them. Intending then to answer these objections, I shall discourse upon the qualities of some Emperours, declaring the occasions of their ruine, not dis agreeing from that which I have alledgd ; and part thereof I will bestow on the consideration of these things, which are worthy to be noted by him that reads the actions of those times: and it shall suffice me to take all those Emperours that succeeded in the Empire from Marcus the Philosopher to Maximinus, who were Mercus and Commodus his sonne, Pertinax, Julian, Severus, Antonius, Caracalla his sonne, Macrinus, Heliogabalus, Alexander, and Maxirnin. And first it is to be noted, that where in the other Princi palities, they are to contend only with the ambition of the Nobles, and the insolence of the people ; the llomane Emperours had a third difficulty, having to support the cruelty and co vetousnesse of the souldiers, which was so hard a thing, that it caused the ruine of many, being hard to —satisfy the souldiers, and the people; for the people love —their quiet, and therefore affect modest Princes; and the ^souldiers love a Prince of a warlike courage, that is insolent, 828
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
cruell, and plucking from every one: which things they CHAP. XIX would have them exercise upon the people, whereby they That 1'riucts might be able to double their sti{>ends, and satisfie their *l»ould ukt a avarice and cruelty: whence it proceeds, that those Emperoura Cl who either by Nature or by Art, had not such u reputation, "Ji,"."*^11 as therewith they could curbe the one and the other, were hatred, alwayes ruind : and the most of them, specially those who as new men came to the principality, finding the difficulty of those two different humours, applyed themselves to con tent the souldiers, making small account of wronging thei people, which was a course then necessary; for the Princes! not being able to escape the hatred of every one, ought first! .endeavour that they incurre not the hatred of any whole) -universality ; and when they cannot attaine thereunto, they are to provide with all industry, to avovd the hatred of -those universalities that are the most mighty. And there fore those Emperors, who because they were but newly caird to the Empire, had need of extraordinary favours, more willingly stuck to the soldiers, than to the people; which neverthelesse turnd to their advantage, or otherwise, according as that Prince knew how to maintaine his repute with them. From these causes aforesayd proceeded it, that Marcus Pertinax, and Alexander, though all living modestly, being lovers of justice, and enemies of cruelty, courteous and bountiful!, had all from Marcus on ward, miserable ends; Marcus only liv'd and dy\l exceedingly honoured: for he came to the Empire by inheritance, and was not to acknowledge it either from the soldiers, nor from the people : afterwards being accompanyed with many vertues, which made him venerable, he held alwayes whilst he liv'd the one and the other order within their limits, and was never either hated, or contemnd. But Pertinax was created Emperour against the soldiers wills, who being accustomed to live licentiously under ('ommodus, could not endure that honest course that Pertinax sought to reduce them to : Whereupon having gotten himself hatred, and to this hatred added contempt, in that he was old, was ruind in the very ben-inning of his government. Whence it ought to be
329
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CHAP. XIX observed, that hatred is gaind as well by good deeds as bad ;
That Princes and therefore as I formerly said, when a Prince would
should take a maintaine the State, he is often forced not to be good : for
care, not to when that generality, whether it be the people, or soldiersil
iiicurre con- Nobility, whereof thou thinkst thou standst in need toll tempt or •/' . , ., , , ., /, ,, ,, . I
hatred. — maintain thee, is corrupted, it behoves thee to follow theirl
—humour, and content them, and then all good deeds are thy Si adversaries. But let us come to Alexander who was of that* goodnesse, that among the prayses given him, had this for one, that in fourteen yeers wherein he held the Empire, he never put any man to death, but by course of justice ; neverthelesse being held effeminate, and a man that suffered himselfe to be ruled by his mother, and thereupon fallen into contempt, the army conspird against him. Now on the contrary discoursing upon the qualities of Commodus, Severus, Antonius, Caracalla, and Maximinus, you shall find them exceeding cruell, and ravinous, who to satisfie their soldiers, forbeare no kinde of injury that could be done upon the people ; and all of them, except Severus, came to evill ends : for in Severus, there was such extraordinary valour, that while he held the soldiers his freinds, however the people were much burthend by him, he might alwayes reigne happily: for his valour rendred him so admirable in the souldiers and peoples sights; that these in a manner stood amazd and astonishd, and those others reverencing and honoring him. And because the actions of this man were exceeding great, being in a new Prince, I will briefly shew how well he knew to act the Foxes and the Lions parts; the conditions of which two, I say, as before, are very necessary for a Prince to imitate. Severus having had experience of Julian the Emperours sloth, perswaded his army (whereof he was commander in Sclavonia) that they should doe well to goe to Rome to revenge Pertinax his death, who was put to death by the Imperiall guard ; and under this pretence, not making any shew that he aspird unto the Empire, set his army in march directly towards Rome, and was sooner come into Italy, than it was known e he had mov'd from his station. Being ariv'd at Rome, he 330
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was by the Senate chosen Emperour for feare, and Julian CHAP. XIX slaine. After this beginning, two difficulties yet renmind That Prince* to Severus, before he could make himselfe Lord of the whole should t«ke« State ; the one in Asia, where Niger the Gencrall of those fare» not to armies had gotten the title of Emperour, the other in the 1',!™'™,™' West with Albinus, who also aspird to the Empire : and hatred. because he thought there might be some danger to discover himselfe enemy to them both, he purposed to set upon Niger, and cozen Albimis, to whom he writ, that being elected Emperour by the Senate, he would willingly com municate it with him ; and thereupon sent him the title of Caesar, and by resolution of the Senate, tooke him to him for his Colleague; which things were taken by Albimis in true meaning. But afterwards when Severus had overcome and slaine Niger, and pacified the affaires and in the East, being returned to Rome, he complaind in the Senate of Albinus, how little weighing the benefits received from him, he had sought to slay him by treason, and therefore was he forc'd to goe punish his ingratitude: afterwards he went into France, where he bereft him both of Ins State and life, whoever then shall in particular examine his actions, shall finde he was a very cruell Lion, and as crafty a Fox : and shall see that he was alwayes feard and reverene'd by every one, and by the armies not hated ; and shall nothing marvel! that he being a new man, was able to hold together such a great Empire: for his extraordinary reputation defended him alwayes from that hatred, which the people for his extortions might have conceived against him. Hut Antonius his sonne, was also an exceeding brave man, and endued with most excellent qualities, which cause! him to be adminl by the people, and acceptable to the souldiers, because he was a warlike man, enduring all kind of travell and paines, despising all delicate food, and all kindc of effeminacy, which gaind him the love of all the armies : nevertheless* his fiercenesse and cruelty were such, and so hideous, having upon many particular occasions put to death a great part of the people of Home, and all those of Alexandria, that he grew odious to the world, and began to be feard by those
'
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CHAP. XIX also that were neare about him ; so that he was slaine by a That Princes Centurion in the very midst of his army. Where it is to should take a be noted, that these kinde of deaths, which follow upon the care, riot to deliberation of a resolv'd and obstinate minde, cannot by a tempt or°D Prince be avoyded : for every one that feares not to dye, is hatred. able to doe it ; but a Prince ought to be lesse afraid of it,
because it very seldome falls out. Only should he beware not to doe any extreame injury to any of those of whom he serves himself, or that he hath near about him in any imployment of his Principality, as Antonius did : who had reproachfully slaine a brother of that Centurion; also threatned him every day, and neverthelesse entertaind him still as one of the guards of his body, which was a rash course taken, and the way to destruction, as befell him. But let us come to Commodus for whom it was very easie to hold the Empire, by reason it descended upon him by inheritance, being Marcus his sonne, and it had been enough for him to follow his fathers footsteps, and then had he contented both the people and the soldiers : but being of a cruell and savage disposition, whereby to exercise his actions upon the people, he gave himselfe to entertaine armies, and those in all licentiousnesse. On the other part not main taining his dignity, but often descending upon the stages to combate with fencers, and doing such other like base things, little worthy of the Imperiall majesty, he became contemptible in the soldiers sight ; and being hated of one part, and despisd of the other, he was conspird against, and slaine. It remaines now, that we declare Maximinus his conditions, who was a very warlike man ; and the armies loathing Alexanders effeminacy, whereof I spake before, when they had slain him, chose this man Emperour, who not long continued so, because two things there were that brought him into hatred and contempt ; the one because he was very base, having kept cattell in Thrace, which was well knowne to every one, and made them to scorne him ; the other, because in the beginning of his Principality having delayd to goe to Rome, and enter into possession of the Imperiall throne, he had gaind the infamy of being thought 332
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exceed ing cruel 1, having by his Prefects in Home, and in every CHAP XIX -place of the Empire, exercisd many cruelties, insomuch that That IVino -the whole world being provoked against him to contempt should ukea -for the basenesse of his blood ; on the other side upon the care> »ot to hatred conceiv'd against him for feare of his crulty; first incurre con' Affrica, afterwards the Senate, with all the people of Rome and all Italy, conspired against him, with whom his own army took part ; which incamping before Aquileya, and finding some difficulty to take the town, being weary of his cruelties, and because they saw he had so many enemies, fearing him the lesse, slew him. I purpose not to say any thing either of Heliogabalus, Macrinus, or Julian,* who because they were throughly base, weresudenly extinguished ; but I will come to the conclusion of this discourse; and I say, that the Princes of our times have lesse of this difficulty to satisfie the Soldiers extraordinarily in their government ; for notwithstanding that there be some considerations to be had of them, yet presently are those armies dissolved, because none of these Princes do use to maintaine any armies together, which are annexed and imeterated with the governments of the provinces, as were the armies of the Komahe Empire. And therefore if then it was necessarv rather to content the soldiers than the people, it was because the soldiers were more powerfull than the people: now is it more necessary for all Princes, (except the Turk and the Souldan) to satisfie their people than their soldiers, because the people are more mighty than they; wherein I except the Turk, he alwayes maintaining about his person 152000 foot, and 15000 horse, upon which depends the safety and strength of his Kingdome ; and it is necessary that laving aside all other regard of his people, he maintaine these his friends. The Souldans Kingdome is like hereunto, which being wholy in the souldiers power, he must also without respect of his people keep them his friends. And you are to consider, that this State of the Souldans differs much from all the other Principalities : For it is very like the Papacy, which cannot be termd an hereditary Principality : nor a new Principality : for the sons of the decease! Prince nre
333
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CHAP. XIX not heires and Lords thereof, but he that is chosen receives That Princes that dignity from those who have the authority in them. should take a And this order being of antiquity, cannot be termd a new care, not to Principality, because therein are none of those difficulties
tem1" or0" that are in the new ones : for tnough tne P"nce be new, yet hatred. are the orders of that state ancient, and ordaind to receive
him, as if he were their hereditary Prince. But let us returne to our matter; whosoever shall consider our discourse before, - -shall perceive that either hatred, or contempt have caus'd the — ruine of the afore-named Emperors ; and shall know also, from it came that part of them proceeding one way, and part a contrary ; yet in any of them the one had a happy success, and the others unhappy : for it was of no availe, but rather hurtful for Pertinax and Alexander, because they —were new Princes, to desire to imitate Marcus, who by — inheritance came to the Principality : and in like manner it was a wrong to Caracalla, Commodus, and Maxim us, to imitate Severus, because none of them were endued with so great valor as to follow his steps therein. Wherefore a new Prince in his Principality cannot well imitate Marcus his actions ; nor yet is it necessary to follow those of Severus : ~~~ but he ought make choyce of those parts in Severus which are necessary for the founding of a State; and to — take from Marcus those that are fit and glorious to preserve a State which is already estab lished and setled.
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CHAP. XX
Whether the Citadels and many other things
which Princes often make use of, are profitable
or dammageable.
OME Princes, whereby they might safely keep their State, have disarmed their sub jects ; some others have held the towns under their dominion, divided into fac tions ; others have maintained enmities against themselves; others have appli'd themselves to gain them, where they have suspected at their entrance into the government; others have built Fortresses; and others again have ruined and demolished them : and however that upon all these things, a man cannot well pass a determinate sentence, unless one comes to the particulars of these States, where some such like determinations were to be taken ; yet I shall speak of them in so large a manner, as the matter of it self will bear. It was never then that a new Prince would disarme his own subjects; but rather when he hath -found them disarmed, he hath alwaies arnVd them. For _bein«' belovM, those arines become thine; tliose become - faitMuT," WKich thou hadst in suspicion ; and those which were faithful, are maintaind so; and thy subjects are made thy partisans; and because all thy subjects cannot be put -in armes, when thou bestowest favors on those thou arniest, with the others thou canst deal more for thy safety ; and that difference of proceeding which they know among them, obliges them to thee ; those others excuse thee, judgcing i -necessary that they have deservd more, who have undergone - more danger, and so have greater obligation : but when thou -disarmst them, thou beginst to offend them that thou dii- -trustest them, either for cowardise, or small faith ; am one or the other of those two opinions provokes their h against thee; and because thou canst not
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CHAP. XX thou must then turn thy self to mercenary Soldiery, whereof Whether the we have formerly spoken what it is, and when it is good ; Citadels, etc., it can never be so much as to defend thee from powerful are profitable enemies, and suspected subjects; therefore as I have said, a new Pfince in a new Principality hath alwaies ordaind them armes. Of examples to this purpose, Histories are full. But when a Prince gains a new State, which as a member he —adds to his ancient dominions, then it is necessary to disarme j~- that State, unless it be those whom thou hast discoverd to have assisted thee in the conquest thereof; and these also in time and upon occasions, it is necessary to render delicate
— and effeminate, and so order them, that all the arms of thy — -State be in the hands of thy own Soldiers, who live in thy
ancient State near unto thee. Our ancestors and they that were accounted Sages, were wont to say that it was neces sary to hold Pistoya in factions, and Pisa with Fortresses ; and for this cause maintaind some towns subject to them in differences, whereby to hold it more easily. This, at what time Italy was ballanc'd in a certain manner, might be well done ; but mee thinks it cannot now a dayes be well given
— for a precept ; for I do not beleeve, that divisions made can —do any good ; rather it must needs be, that when the enemy
approaches them, Cities divided are presently lost ; for — alwaies the weaker part will cleave to the forrein power, and the other not be able to subsist. The Venetians (as I think) mov\I by the aforesaid reasons, maintaind the factions of the Guelfes and Gibellins, in their townes ; and however they never suffered them to spill one anothers blood, yet they nourish'd these differences among them, to the end that the citizens imployd in these quarrels, should not plot any thing against them : which as it prov'd, never serv'd them to any great purpose : for being defeated at Vayla, presently one of those two factions took courage and seizd upon their whole State. Therefore such like waies argue the Princes weakness ; for in a strong principality they never will suffer such divi sions ; for they shew them some kind of profit in time of peace, being they are able by means thereof more easily to mannage their subjects: but war comming, such like orders discover 336
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
their fallacy. Without doubt, Princes become great, when CHAP. XX they overcome the difficulties and oppositions that are made Whether the against them; and therefore Fortune especially when she Citadel*, etc. hath to make any new Prince great, who hath more need to are P"»fit*Me gain reputation than an hereditary Prince, causes enemies to °j rise against him, and him to undertake against them : to the end he may have occasion to master them, and know that ladder, which his enemies have set him upon, whereby to rise yet higher. And therefore many think, that a "wise Prince when he hath the occasion, ought cunningly to """nourish some enmity, that by the suppressing thereof, his -"greatness may grow thereupon. Princes, especially those —•that are new, have found more faith and profit in those men — ' Avho iii the beginning of their State, hjiye been held suspected, than in those who. at their entrance TTave been their con- Tulenls. Tandulphus Petrucci, Prince of Siena, governd his State, more with them that had been suspected by him, than with the others. Hut of this matter we cannot speak at large, because it varies according to the subject ; I will only say this, that those men, who in the beginning Of a Princi pality were once enemies, if they be of quality so that to maintain themselves they have need of support, the Prince might alwaies with the greatest facility gain for his; and they are the rather forced to serve him faithfully, insomuch ^,as they know it is more necessary for them by their (let ds to cancel that sinister opinion, which was once held of them ; and so the Prince ever draws from these more advantage, than from those, who serving him too supinely, neglect his affairs. And seing the matter requires it, I will not omit to put a Prince in mind, who hath anew made himsi-lf master of a State, by means of the inward helps he had from thence that he consider well the cause that mov\] them that favor" d him to favor him, if it be not a natural affection towards him ; for if it be only because they were not content with their former government, with much pains and diffi culties shall he be able to keep them long his friends, because it will lx? impossible for him to content them. By these examples then which are drawn out of ancient and modern UlT
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CHAP. XX affaires, searching into the cause hereof, we shall find it much
Whether the-^more easie to gain those men for friends, who formerly were
Citadels, etc.f-contented with the State, and therefore were his enemies :
are profitable than those, who because they were not contented therewith,
or dammage- ^ecame nis friends, and favorM him in getting the mastery
of it. It hath been the custome of Princes, whereby to hold
their States more securely, to build Citadels, which might
be bridles and curbs to those that should purpose any thing
against them, and so to have a secure retreat from the first
violences. I commend this course, because it hath been used
of old ; notwithstanding Nicholas Vitelli in our dayes hath
been known to demolish two Citadels in the town of Castello,
the better to keep the State ; Guidubaldo Duke of Urbin
being to return into his State, out of which he was driven
by Caesar Borgia, raz'd all the Fortresses of that Countrey,
and thought he should hardlyer lose that State again without
them. The Bentivolii returning into Bolonia, used the like
courses. Citadels then are profitable, or not, according to
the times; and if they advantage thee in one part, they do
thee harme in another; and this part may be argued thus.
— (That Prince who stands more in fear of his own people than
. of strangers, ought to build Fortresses : but he that is more
—.\afraid of strangers than of his people, should let them alone. Against the house of Sforza, the Castle of Milan, which Francis Sforza built, hath and will make more war, than any other disorder in that State : and therefore the best Citadel that may be, is not to incurre the peoples hatred ; for however thou boldest a Fortress, and the people hate thee, thou canst hardly scape them ; for people, when once they have taken armes, never want the help of strangers at their need to take ther parts. In our dayes we never saw that they ever profited any Prince, unless it were the Countess of Furli, when Count Hieronymo of Furli her husband was slain ; for by means thereof she escaped the peoples rage, and attended aid from Milan, and so recovered her State : and then such were the times that the stranger could not assist the people : but afterwards they served her to little purpose, when Caesar Borgia assaild her, and that 338
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
the people which was her enemy, sided with the stranger. CHAP. XX Therefore both then, and at first, it would have been more Whether the -for her safety, not to have been odious to the people, than Citadel*, etc., -to have held the Fortresses. These things being well weigh'd arp profitable then, I will commend those that shall build up Fortresses, °Jj™ and him also that shall not ; and I will blame him, how soever he be, that reiving upon those, shall make small account of being hated by his people.
CHAP. XXI
How a Prince ought to behave himself to gain reputation.
HERE is nothing gains a Prince such repute as great exploits, and rare trvals of him-- selfin Heroick actions. We nave now in our dayes Ferdinand King of Arragon the present King of Spain : he in a manner may be termed a new Prince; for from a very weak King, he is now become for fame and glory, the first King of Cliristen- doine. and if you shall wel consider his actions, you shall find them all illustrious, and every one of them extraordi nary. He in the beginning of his reign assaild Granada, and that exploit was the ground of his State. At first he made that war in security, and without suspicion he should be any waies hindred, and therein held the Barons of Castiglias minds busied, who thinking upon that war, never minded any innovation; in this while he gaind credit and authority with them, they not being aware of it; was able to maintain with the Church and the peoples money all his soldiers, and to lay a foundation for his military ordinances with that long war, which afterwards gaind him exceeding much honor. Besides this, to the end he might be able hereamong to undertake greater matters, serving himself al waies of the colour of religion, he gave himself to a kind of
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CHAP. XXr-religious cruelty, chasing and dispoyling those Jewes out of How a PrinceHhe Kingdome ; nor can this example be more admirable and ought to be — rare : under the same cloke he invaded A.ffrick and went have himself through with his exploit in Italy : and last of all hath he U assaild France, and so alwaies proceeded on forwards con triving of great matters, which alwaies have held his subjects minds in peace and admiration, and busied in attending the event, what it should be : and these his actions ""have thus grown, one upon another, that they have never --given leisure to men so to rest, as they might ever plot any thing against them. Moreover it much avails a Prince to give extraordinary proofes of himself touching the govern ment within, such as those we have heard of Bernard of iMilan, whensoever occasion is given by any one, that may ^ffectuate some great thing either of good or evil, in the ivil government ; and to find out some way either to reward >r punish it, whereof in the world much notice may be taken. Vnd above all things a Prince ought to endeavor in all his .ctions to spread abroad a fame of his magnificence and worthiness. A Prince also is well esteemed, when he is a —true friend, or a true enemy ; wjien without any regard he discovers himself in favor of one against another; which — course shall be alwaies more profit, than to stand neuter : for if two mighty ones that are thy neighbors, come to fall out, or are of such quality, that one of them vanquishing, thou art like to be in fear of the vanquisher, or not ; in either of these two cases, ijt will ever prove more for thy profit, to discover thy self, and make a good war of it : for in the first case, if thou discoverest not thy selfe, thou shalt alwaies be a prey to him that overcomes, to the contentment and satisfaction of the vanquisht ; neither shalt thou have reason on thy side, nor any thing else to defend or receive thee. ^^JFor he that overcomes, will not have any suspected friends
that give him no assistance in his necessity : and he that
—loses, receives thee not, because thou wouldest not with thy armes in hand run the hazzard of his fortune. Antiochus passed into Greece, thereunto induced by the Etolians, to chace the Romans thence : and sent his Ambassadors to the 340
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
Achayans, who were the Romans friends, to pcrswadc them CHAP. XXI to stand neuters ; on the other side the Romans moved them How » Prince to ioyne armes with theirs: this matter came to he de liberated on in the council of the Achayans, where Antiochus £^1™™ his Ambassador encouraged them to stand neuters, wh •- Ultjon unto the Romans Ambassador answerd ; Touching the course that is commended to you, as best and profitablest for your State, to wit, not to intermeddle in the war between ^ us, nothing can be more against you : because, not -^either part, you shall remain without thanks, and without Deputation a prey to the conqueror. AiuUt^iiL 4»*ic» CIi1e_tg_pflSi_UiatjLe whttiaJlQU^^d^ requite thy _ SSi^noTie thatTti^fencT, w,ll urge thee to di^^'Pthy^TfTftaFing arms forliim: and evTTadvis, PnTicFs'To avojxT We-present dan^ers^fotow often times that" way of neutrality, and most commonly go to i -•bit when a Frihce g^acOSiaOtrSgxil? fa;'or of
imrtv ' if l^^ZwhomJhoiLjdeaxeat, overcomes ; however IgStTTBrpm^; and thoureniainest at his disposing h« ,- ir7)TOg-(n^e, -STJtHSe is a contract of friendship mad, : a^T men are never so openly dishonest, as wlth sue -i a -notorious example of dishonesty to oppress thee. csidei victories are never so prosperous that the cone uKTor » , iU nTg^cTairrespects^ai^ especially of justice Bu if h ^vlfom thou sticlcst, loses, thou art received by him ; Awhile he is able, he aydes thee, and so thou becomest pai tm- of a fortune that may arise again ; thesecond ™*£*™ > that enter into the lists together, are of such « | u , t hat thou needest not fear him that vanquisheth, so muc nte "H discretion in thee to stick to him ; ftj thou goes « ruine one with his assistance, who ought to *°*™™£m could to save him, if he were well advised; and he c » co ming is left at thy discretion ; and it is impossible hut with tlw avd he must overcome. And here it » to be noted
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CHAP. XXI— much as they are able, to stand at anothers discretion. The How a Prince Venetians took part with France against the Duke of Milan, ought to be- and yet could have avoided that partaking, from which pro-
to fltam^ ceeded their ruine as ifc tation. kefel the Florentines when the Pope and the King of Spain
went both with their armies to Lombardy, there the Prince
ought to side with them for the reasons aforesaid. Nor let
any State think they are able to make such sure parties, but
rather that they are all doubtfull ; for in the order of things
we find it alwaies, that whensoever a man seeks to avoid one
inconvenient, he incurs another. But the principal point of
judgement, is in discerning between the qualities of incon-
venients, and not taking the bad for the good. Moreover a
-^jprince ought to shew himself a lover of vertue, and that he
— jjhonors those that excel in every Art. Afterwards ought
Tie encourage his Citizens, whereby they may be enabled
— quickly to exercise their faculties as well in merchandise,
- and husbandry, as in any other kind of traffick, to the end
— that no man forbear to adorne and cultivate his possessions
—for fear that he be despoyled of them ; or any other to open
the commerce upon the danger of heavy impositions : but
—-rather to provide rewards for those that shall set these
matters afoot, or for any one else that shall any way amplifie
his City or State. Besides he ought in the fit times of the
year entertain the people with Feasts and Maskes ; and
because every City is devided into Companies, and arts, and
— Tribes, he ought to take special notice of those bodies, and
some times afford them a meeting, and give them some
— proof of his humanity, and magnificence ; yet withall
— holding firme the majestie of his State ; for this
must never fail in any case.
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
CHAP. XXII
Touching Princes Secretaries.
T is no small importance to a Prince, the choyce he makes, of servants being ordi narily good or bad, as his wisdome is. And the first conjecture one gives of a- great man, and of his understanding, is, upon the sight of his followers and ser- - vants he hath about him, when they prove able and faithful, and then may he alwaies be reputed wise because he hath known how to discern those that are able, and to keep them true to him. - But when they are otherwise, there can be no good conjec ture made of him ; for the first error he commits, is in this choyce. There was no man that had any knowledge of Antony of Vanafro, the servant of Pandulfus Petrucci Prince of Siena, who did not esteem Pandulfus for a very discreet man, having him for his servant. And because there are three kinds of understandings ; the one that is advised by itself; the other that understands when it is informed by~ another; the third that neither is advised by it self nor by- the demonstration of another ; the first is best, the second is good, and the last quite unprofitable. Therefore it was of necessity, that if Pandulfus attaind not the first degree, yet he got to the second; for whenever any one hath the judgement to discerne between the good and the evil, that any one does and saves, however that he hath not his invention from himself, yet still comes lie to take notice of the good or evil actions of that servant ; and those lie cherishes, and these he suppresses; insomuch that the servant finding no means to deceive his master, keeps him self upright and honest. But how a Prince may throughly understand his servant, here is the way that never fails. When —thon seest the servant study more for his own advantage than thine, and that in all" his actions, he searches most
349
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CHAP. XXH-after his own profit ; this man thus qualified, shall never
Touching — prove good servant, nor canst thou ever relie upon him : for
Princes he that holds the Sterne of the State in hand, ought never
Secretaries. call home his cares to his own particular, but give himself
wholly over to his Princes service, nor ever put him in
minde of any thing not appertaining to him. And on the
other side the Prince to keep him good to him, ought to
take a care for his servant, honoring him, enriching, and
obliging him to him, giving him part both of dignities and
offices, to the end that the many honors and much wealth
— bestowed on him, may restrain his desires from other
honors, and other wealth, and that those many charges
cause him to fear changes that may fall, knowing he is
not able to stand without his master. And when both
the Princes and the servants are thus disposed, they
may rely the one upon the other: when otherwise,
the end will ever prove hurtfull for the one
as well as for the other.
CHAP. XXIII
That Flatterers are to be avoyded.
WILL not omit one principle of great in- portance, being an errour from which Princes with much difficulty defend them selves, unlesse they be very discreet, and make a very good choice ; and this is -"concerning flatterers ; whereof all writings are full : and that because men please themselves so much in their own things, and therein cozen themselves, that very hardly can they escape this pestilence ; and desiring to escape it, there is danger of falling into contempt ; for there is no other way to be secure from flattery, but to let men know, that they .displease thee not in telling thee truth : but when every one -hath this leave, thou losest thy reverence. Therefore ought 344
NICHOLAS MACHIAVEIJ.
a wise Prince take a third course, making choycc of some CHAP.
..understanding men in his State, and give only to them a XXHI
—free liberty of speaking to him the truth ; and touching That
—those things only which he inquires of, and nothing else;
___but he ought to be inquisitive of every thing, and hear their opinions, and then afterwards advise himself after his own manner; and in these deliberations, and with every one of them so carrie himself, that they all know, that the more freely they shall speak, the better they shall be liked of:
—and besides those, not give eare to any one ; and thus pursue the thing resolved on, and thence continue obstinate in the resolution taken. He who does otherwise, either falls upon flatterers, or often changes upon the varying of opinions, from whence proceeds it that men conceive but slightly of him. To this purpose I will alledge you a moderne example. Peter Lucas a servant of Maximilians the present Emperor, speaking of his Majesty, said that he never advised with any body, nor never did any thing after his own way : which was because he took a contrary course to what we have now said : for the Emperor is a close man, who communicates his secrets to none, nor takes counsel of any one ; but as they come to be put in practise, they begin to be discovered and known, and so contradicted by those that are near about him ; and he as being an easy man, is quickly wrought from them. Whence it comes that what he does to dav, he undoes on the morrow; and that he never understands him self what he would, nor what he purposes, and that there is no grounding upon any of his resolutions. A Prince there-
— fore ought alwayes to take counsel], but at his owne pleasure, and not at other mens ; or rather should take away any mans courage to advise him of any thing, but what he askes : but he ought well to aske at 'large, and then touching the
^things inquird of, be a patient hearer of the truth ; and perceiving that for some respect the truth were conceald from him, be displeased thereat. And because some men have thought that a Prince that gaines the opinion to bee wise, may bee held so, not by his owne naturall indowment*, but by the good counsells'hc hath about him: without
are to be avoyded.
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CHAP. question they are deceivd ; for this is a generall rule and XXIII ^ never failes, that a Prince who of himselfe is not wise, can That —never be well advised, unlesse he should light upon one alone, Flatterers wholly to direct and govern him, who himself were a very wise man. In this case it is possible he may be well governd : but this would last but little : for that governor in a short time would deprive him of his State ; but a Prince not having any parts of nature, being advised of more then one, shall never be able to unite these counsels : of himself shall he never know how to unite them ; and each one of the Counsellers, probably will follow that which is most properly his owne ; and he shall never find the meanes to amend or discerne these things; nor can they fall out / otherwise, because men alwayes prove mischievous, unlesse i upon some necessity they be forc'd to become good: we conclude therefore, that counsells from whencesoever they —proceed, must needs take their beginning from the Princes — wisdome, and not the wisdome of the Prince from good counsells.
Plutarch, de adulatore et amico discer- nendo.
In this Chapter our Authour prescribes some rules how to avoyd flattery, and not to fall into contempt. The extent of these two extreames is so large on both sides, that there is left but a very narrow path for the right temper to walke between them both : and happy were that Prince, who could light on so good a Pilote as to bring him to Port between those rocks and those quicksands. Where Majesty becomes familiar, unlesse endued with a super- eminent vertue, it loses all awfull regards : as the light of the Sunne, because so ordinary, because so common, we should little value, were it not that all Creatures feele themselves quickned by the rayes thereof. On the other side, Omnis iiifsipiens arro- gantid etplausibus capitur, Every foole is taken with his owne pride and others flatteryes : and this foole keeps company so much with all great wise men, that hardly with a candle and lantern can they be discernd betwixt. The greatest men are more subject to grosse and palpable flatteries ; and especially the greatest of men, who are Kings and Princes : for many seek the Rulers favour. Prov. 28. 26. For there are divers meanes whereby private men are instructed ; Princes have not that good hap : but they whose instruction is of most importance, so soone as they have taken the government upon them, no longer suffer any
346
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
CHAP. XXIII
That
Flatterers are to he
reproovers: for hut few have accesse unto them, and they who farniliary converse with them, doe and say all for favour. Isocrat, to Nicocles, All are afraid to give him occasion of displeasure, though hy telling him truth. To this purpose therefore saves one ; a Prince excells in learning to ride the great horse, rather than in any other exercise, hecause his horse heing no flatterer,-— will shew him he makes no difference between him and another man, and unlesse he keepe his seate well, will lay him on the""' ground. This is plaine dealing. Men are more suhtile, more douhle-hearted, they have a heart and a heart neither is their tongue their hearts true interpreter. Counsell in the heart of mail— is like deepe waters ; hut a man of understanding will draw it out*— Prov. 20. 5. This understanding is most requisite in a Prince, inasmuch as the whole Glohe is in his hand, and the inferiour Orhes are swayed hy the motion of the highest. And therefore surely it is the honour of a King to search out such a secret : Prov. 25. 2. His counsellours are Ins eyes and eares ; as they — ought to he dear to him, so they ought to he true to him, and make him the true report of things without disguise. If they prove false eyes, let him pluck them out ; he may as they use — glasse eyes, take them forth without paine, and see never a whit the worse for it. The wisdome of a Princes Counsellours is a great argument of the Princes wisdome. And heing the choyce of them imports the Princes credit and safety, our Authour will make him amends for his other errours by his good advice in his 22 Chap, whether I reierre him.
CHAP. XXIV
Wherefore the Princes of Italy have lost their States.
HEN these things above said are well observed, they make a new Prince scenic as if he had been of old, and presently render him more secure and firme in the State, than if he had already grown ancient therein : fora new Prince is much — more observe! in his action, than a Prince— by inheritance; and when they are known— to bee vertuous, men are much more gaind and obliged to them thereby, than by the antiquity of their blood : for men
'
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CHAP.XXIV-are much more taken by things present, than by things past, Wherefore and when in the present they find good, they content them- the Princes of selves therein, and seeke no further ; or rather they undertake Italy havel°st the defence of him to their utmost, when the Prince is not tes' wanting in other matters to himself; and so shall he gaine double glory to have given a beginning to a new Principality, adornd, and strengthnd it with good lawes, good arms, good friends, and good examples ; as he shall have double shame, that is born a Prince, and by reason of his small discretion hath lost it. And if we shall consider those Lords, that in Italy have lost their States in our dayes, as the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and others; first we shall find in them a common defect, touching their armes, for the reasons which have been above discoursd at length. After wards we shall see some of them, that either shall have had the people for their enemies ; or be it they had the people to friend, could never know how to assure themselves of the great ones : for without such defects as these, States are not lost, which have so many nerves, that they are able to maintaine an army in the feld. Philip of Macedon, not the father of Alexander the Great, but he that was vanquished by Titus Quintius, had not much State in regard of the greatnesse of the Romanes and of Greece that assaiFd him ; neverthelesse in that he was a warlike man and knew how to entertaine the people, and assure himself of the Nobles, for many yeares he made the warre good against them : and though at last some town perhaps were taken from him, yet the Kingdome remaind in his hands still. Wherefore these our Princes who for many yeares had continued in their Principalities, for having aifterwards lost them, let them not —blame Fortune, but their own sloth; because they never — having thought during the time of quiet, that they could —suffer a change (which is the common fault of men, while faire weather lasts, not to provide for the tempest) when afterwards mischiefes came upon them, thought rather upon flying from them, than upon their defence, and hop'd that the people, weary of the vanquishers insolence, would recall them : which course when the others faile, is good : 348
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
but very ill is it to leave the other remedies for that: for CHAP. XXIV a man wou'd never go to fall, beleeving another would Wherefore come to take him up: which may either not come to the Prince* of passe, or if it does, it is not for thy security, because Italy have lo«t that defence of his is vile, and depends not up'on thee ; their SLat**- but those defences only are good, certaine, and — durable, which depend upon thy owne selfe, and— thy owne vertues.
CHAP. XXV
How great power Fortune hath in humane affaires, and what meanes there is to resist it.
T is not unknown unto me, how that many have held opinion, and still hold it, that the affaires of the world are so govenul by fortune, and by God, that men by their wisdome cannot amend or alter them ; or rather that there is no remedy for them : and hereupon they would think that it were of no availe to take much paines in any tiling, but leave all to be governd' by chance. This opinion hath gain'd the more credit in' our dayes, by reason of the great alteration of thing*, which we have of late seen, and do every day see, beyond all humane conjecture: upon which, I sometimes think ing, am in some parte inclind to their opinion : nevcr- thelcsse not to extinguish quite our owne free will, I think it may be true, that Fortune is the mistrisse of one' halfe of our actions; but yet that she lets us have rule of the other half, or little lesse. And I liken ln-r to a precipitous torrent, which when it rages, over-flows the plaines, overthrowes the trees, and buildings, removes the earth from one side, and laies it on another, every one fly before it, evcrv one veelds to the fury thereof, as unable to
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CHAP. XXV— withstand it ; and yet however it be thus, when the times How great --—are calmer, men are able to make provision against these power For- excesses, with banks and fences so, that afterwards when it tune hath SWels again, it shall all passe smoothly along, within its affaires'1116 channell, or else the violence thereof shall not prove so licentious and hurtfull. In like manner befals it us with ^-fortune, which there shewes her power where vertue is not — ordeind to resist her, and thither turnes she all her forces, where she perceives that no provisions nor resistances are made to uphold her. And if you shall consider Italy, which is the seat of these changes, and that which hath given them their motions, you shall see it to be a plaine field, without any trench or bank ; which had it been fenc'd with convenient vertue as was Germany, Spain or France ; this inundation would never have causd these great altera tions it hath, or else would it not have reached to us : and this shall suffice to have said, touching the opposing of fortune in generall. But restraining my selfe more to ^ particulars, I say that to day we see a Prince prosper and flourish and to morrow utterly go to ruine ; not seeing that he hath alterd any condition or quality ; which I beleeve arises first from the causes which we have long since run over, •*- that is because that Prince that relies wholly upon fortune, — r-runnes as her wheele turnes. I beleeve also, that he proves the fortunate man, whose manner of proceeding meets with the quality of the time ; and so likewise he unfortunate from whose course of proceeding the times differ : for we see that men, in the things that induce them to the end, (which every one propounds to himselfe, as glory and riches) proceed therein diversly ; some with respects, others more bold, and rashly ; one with violence, and the other with cunning ; the one with patience, th'other with its contrary ; and every one by severall wayes may attaine thereto ; we see also two very respective and wary men, the one come to his purpose, and th'other not ; and in like maner two equally prosper, taking divers course ; the one being wary the other head strong ; which proceeds from nothing else, but from the quality of the times, which agree, or not. with their pro- 350
NICHOLAS iMACHlAVELL
- — ceedings. From hence arises that which I said, that two CHAP. XXV
- working diversly, produce the same effect : and two equaly How jrreat — working, the one attains his end, the other not. Hereupon p also depends the alteration of the good ; for if to one that tune 'iat'' behaves himself with warinesse and patience, times and affaires turne so favourably, that the carriage of his businesse prove well, he prospers ; but if the times and affaires chance, he is ruind, because he changes not his manner of proceeding : nor is there any man so wise, that can frame himselfe here- — " unto ; as well because lie cannot go out of the wav, from — that whereunto Nature inclines him : as also, for that one
— having ahvayes prosperd, walking such a way, cannot be perswaded to leave it; and therefore the respective and wary
man, when it is fit time for him to use violence and force, knows not how to put it in practice, whereupon he is ruind :
— but if he could change his disposition with the times and the affaires, he should not change his fortune. Pope Julius the second proceeded in all his actions with very great violence, and found the times and things so conformable to that his manner of proceeding that in all of them he had happy successe. Consider the first exploit he did at Bolonia, even while John Bentivolio lived : the Venetians were not well contented therewith; the King of Spainc likewise with the French, had treated of that enterprise; and notwith standing al this, he stirrd up by his own rage and fiercenesse, personally undertook that expedition : which action of his put in suspence and stopt Spaine and the Venetians ; those for feare, and the others for desire to recover the Kingdome of Naples; and on the other part drew after him the King of France; for that King seeing him already in motion, and desiring to hold him his friend, whereby to humble tin- Venetians, thought he could no way deny him his souldicrs, without doing him an open injury. .Julius then effected that with his violent and heady motion, which no other Pope with all humane wisdome could ever have done; for if he had expected to part from Home with his conclusions settled, and all his affaires ordered beforehand, as any other Pope would have done, he had never brought it to passe :
1551
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CHAP. XXV For the King of France would have devised a thousand
How great excuses, and others would have put him in as many feares.
power For- j wjU let passe his other actions, for all of them were alike,
tune hath ftncj ftjj Qf ^em prov'd lucky to him ; and the brevity of his
inhumane ,.,, m i \ • /• i ±1 i i i
affaires. ^e never sufferd him to feele the contrary : for had he litt
upon such times afterwards, that it had been necessary for him to proceed with respects, there had been his utter ruine ; for he would never have left those waves, to which he had been naturally inclind. I conclude then, fortune varying, and men continuing still obstinate to their own wayes, prove happy, while these accord together : and as they disagree, prove un- — - happy : and I think it true, that it is better to be heady than — wary ; because Fortune is a mistresse ; and it is necessary, to keep her in obedience to ruffle and force her : and we see, that she suffers her self rather to be masterd by those, than by others that proceed coldly. And therefore, as a mistresse, shee is a friend to young men, because they are lesse respective, more rough, and command her with more boldnesse.
I have considered the 25 Chapter, as representing me a full view of humane policy and cunning- : yet me thinks it cannot satisfie a Christian in the causes of the'good an(j ba(i successe of things. The life of man is like a game at Tables ; skill availes much I grant, but that 's not all : play thy game well, but that will not winne : the chance thou throwest must accord with thy play. Examine this ; play never so surely, play never so probably, unlesse the chance thou castest, lead thee forward to advantage, all hazards are losses, and thy sure play leaves thee in the lurch. The sum of this is set down in Ecclesiastes chap. 9. v. 11. The race is not to the swift, nor the battell to the strong : neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to -men of skill ; but time and chance hapeneth to them all. Our cunning Author for all his exact rules he delivere in his books, could not fence against the despight of Fortune, as he complaines in his Epistle to this booke. Nor that great example of policy, Duke Valentine, whome our Author commends to Princes for his crafts-master, could so ruffle or force his mistresse Fortune, that he could keep her in obedience. Man can - — contribute no more to his actions than vertue and wisdome : but — the successe depends upon a power above. Surely there is the
352
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
finger of *od ; or as Prov. 10. v. 33. 'The lot is owt into the ('HAP XXV
1 lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Ixml.' it wa«
not Josephs wisdome made all things thrive under his hand • ***•*
but because the Lord was with him ; and that which he did the ')ower *or"
Lord made it to prosper, Gen. 3S>. Surely this is a blewing tune hath
proceeding from the divine providence, which beyond humane m')umail«
capacity so cooperateth with the causes, as that their effect*
prove answerable, and sometimes (that we may know there ig
something above the ordinary causes) the success returns with
such a supereminency of worth, that it far exceeds the vprtue of
the ordinary causes.
CHAP. XXVI
An Exhortation to free Italy from the Barbarians.
AVING then weiglfd all things above dis- cours'd, and devising with my self, whether at this present in Italy the time might serve to honor a new Prince, and whether there were matter that might minister occasion to a wise and valorous Prince, to introduce such a forme, that might do honor to him, and good to the whole generality of the people in the countrey : me thinks so many things concurrc in favor of a new Prince, that I know not whether there were ever any time more proper for this purpose. And if as I said, it was necessary, desiring to see Moses his vertue, that the children of Israel should l>e inthrald in ./Egypt; and to have experience of the magna nimity of Cyrus his mind, that the Persians should l>e oppressed by the Medes; and to set forth the excellency of Theseus, that the Athenians should he dispersed ; so at this present now we are desirous to know the valor of an Italian-— spirit, it were necessary Italy should lie reduc'd to the same — termes it is now in, and were in more slavery than the Hebrews were; more subject than the Persians, more VV
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CHAP. XXVI scatterd than the Athenians ; without head, without order, An Exhorta- battered, pillaged, rent asunder, overrun, and had under- tion to free gone all kind of destruction. And however even in these Italy from the }a{.er dayes5 we have had some kind of shew of hope in some >ns' one, whereby we might have conjectured, that he had been ordained for the deliverance hereof, yet it prov'd afterwards, that in the very height of all his actions he was curbM by fortune, insomuch that this poore countrey remaining as it were without life, attends still for him that shall heal her wounds, give an end to all those pillagings and sackings of Lombardy, to those robberies and taxations of the King- dome, and of Tuscany, and heal them of their soars, now this long time gangrened. We see how she makes her prayers to God, that he send some one to redeem her from these Barbarous cruelties and insolencies. We see her also wholly ready and disposed to follow any colours, provided there be any one take them up. Nor do we see at this present, that she can look for other, than your Illustrious Family, to become Cheiftain of this deliverance, which hath now by its own vertue and Fortune been so much exalted, and favored by God and the Church, whereof it now holds the Principality : and this shall not be very hard for you to do, if you shall call to mind the former actions, and lives of those that are above named. And though those men were very rare and admirable, yet were they men, and every one of them began upon less occasion than this ; for neither was their enterprize more just than this, nor more easie; nor was God more their friend, than yours. Here is very great justice: for that war is just, that is necessary; and those armes are religious, when there is no hope left otherwhere, but in them. Here is an exceeding good disposition thereto: nor can there be, where there is a good disposition, a great difficulty, provided that use be made of those orders, which I propounded for aim and direction to you. Besides this, here we see extraordinary things without example effected by God ; the sea was opened, a cloud guided the way, devotion poured forth the waters, and it rain'd down Manna ; all these things have concurred in your greatness, 354
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
•the rest is left for you to do. God will not do every thing CHAP. XXVI -himself, that he may not take from us our free will, and AM KxhorU- -part of that glory that belongs to us. Neither is it a tion to free marvel, if any of the aforenamed Italians have not been Itnly able to compass that, which we may hope your illustrious family shall : though in so many revolutions of Italy, and so many feats of war, it may seem that the whole military vertue therein be quite extinguish! ; for this arises from that the ancient orders thereof were not good ; and there hath since been none that hath known how to invent new ones. Nothing can so much honor a man rising anew, as new laws and new ordinances devised by him : these things when they have a good foundation given them, and contain in them their due greatness, gain him reverence and admiration ; and in Italy their wants not the matter wherein to introduce any forme. Here is great vertue in the members, were it not wanting in the heads. Consider in the single fights that have been, and duels, how much the Italians have exceFd in their strength, activity and address; but when they come to armies, they appear not, and all proceeds from the weakness of the Chieftaines ; for they that understand the managing of these matters, are not obeyed ; and every one presumes to understand ; hitherto there having not been any one so highly raised either by fortune or vertue, as that others would submit unto him. From hence proceeds it, that in so long time, and in so many battels fought for these last past 20 years, when there hath been an army wholly Italian, it alwaies hath had evil success; whereof the^ river Tarus first was witness, afterwards Alexandria, Capua, Gcmm, Vayla, Bolonia, Mestri. Your Illustrious family then beiu desirous to tread the footsteps of these Worthyes who redeemed their countreys, must above all things as the very foundation of the who'le fabrick, be furnished with soldiers of vour own natives : because you cannot have more faithful, true, nor better soldiers; and though every one of them be good, all together they will become better when they shall find themselves entertained, commanded, and honored their own Prince. Wherefore it i* necessary to provide for
THE PRINCE
CHAP. XXVI those armes, whereby to be able with the Italian valor to An Exhorta- make a defence against forreiners. And however the Swisse tion to free infantry and Spanish be accounted terrible ; yet is there
Italy from the defect in both of them, by which a third order might not Barbarians. J i ,, ,
only oppose them, but may be confident to vanquish them :
for the Spaniards are not able to indure the Horse, and the Swisse are to feare the foot, when they incounter with them, as resolute in the fight as they ; whereupon it hath been seen, and upon experience shall be certain, that the Spaniards are not able to beare up against the French Cavalery, and the Swisses have been routed by the Spanish Foot. And though touching this last, there hath not been any entire experience had, yet was there some proof thereof given in the battel of Ravenna, when the Spanish Foot affronted the Dutch battalions, which keep the same rank the Swisses do, where the Spaniards with their nimbleness of body, and the help of their targets entred in under their Pikes, and there stood safe to offend them, the Dutch men having no remedy : and had it not been for the Cavalery that rusht in upon them, they had quite defeated them. There may then (the defect of the one and other of these two infantries being discoverd) another kind of them be anew ordained, which may be able to make resistance against the Horse, and not fear the Foot, which shall not be a new sort of armes, but change of orders. And these are some of those things which ordained a new, gain reputation and greatness to a new Prince. Therefore this occasion should not be let pass, to the end that Italy after so long a time may see some one redeemer of hers appear. Nor can I express with what dearness of affection he would be received in all those countreys which have suffered by those forrein scums, with what thirst of revenge, with what resolution of fidelity, with what piety, with what tears. Would any gates be shut again him ? Any people deny him obedience ? Any envy oppose him ? Would not every Italian fully consent with him? This government of the Barbarians stinks in every ones nostrils. Let your Illustrious Family then undertake this worthy explovt with that courage and 356
NICHOLAS MACHIAVELL
those hopes wherewith such just actions are to be attempted ; CHAP. to the end that under your colours, this countrey may be Au Exl enabled, and under the protection of your fortune that tum to saving of Petrarch be verifyed.
Virtu contr al fuore
Prendera Cannc, cfia il combatter corto :
Che I'antico valore
Ne gli Italici cor non k morto.
Vertue against fury shall advance the fight, And it i' th' combate soon shall put to flight For th' old Roman valor is not dead, Nor in th' Italians brests extinguished.
FINIS
EDINBURGH
T. &» A. CONSTABLE
Printers to His Majesty
1904