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　prudence；　for　time　drives　everything　before　it；　andis　able　to　bring　with　it　good　as　well　as　evil；　and　evil　as　well　as　good。But　let　us　turn　to　France　and　inquire　whether　she　has　done　any　of　thethings　mentioned。　I　will　speak　of　Louis　＇XII＇　（and　not　of　Charles＇VIII＇）　as　the　one　whose　conduct　is　the　better　to　be　observed；　he　havingheld　possession　of　Italy　for　the　longest　period；　and　you　will　see　thathe　has　done　the　opposite　to　those　things　which　ought　to　be　done　toretain　a　state　posed　of　divers　elements。King　Louis　was　brought　into　Italy　by　the　ambition　of　the　Veians；　whodesired　to　obtain　half　the　state　of　Lombardy　by　his　intervention。　I　willnot　blame　the　course　taken　by　the　king；　because；　wishing　to　get　afoothold　in　Italy；　and　having　no　friends　there　……　seeing　rather　thatevery　door　was　shut　to　him　owing　to　the　conduct　of　Charles　……　he　wasforced　to　accept　those　friendships　which　he　could　get；　and　he　would　havesucceeded　very　quickly　in　his　design　if　in　other　matters　he　had　not　madesome　mistakes。　The　king；　hobardy；　regained　atonce　the　authority　which　Charles　had　lost：　Genoa　yielded；　theFlorentines　became　his　friends；　the　Marquess　of　Mantua；　the　Duke　ofFerrara；　the　Bentivoglio；　my　lady　of　Forli；　the　Lords　of　Faenza；　ofPesaro；　of　Rimini；　of　Camerino；　of　Piombino；　the　Lucchesi；　the　Pisans；the　Sienese　……　everybody　made　advances　to　him　to　bee　his　friend。　Thencould　the　Veians　realize　the　rashness　of　the　course　taken　by　them；which；　in　order　that　they　might　secure　two　towns　in　Lombardy；　had　madethe　king　master　of　two…thirds　of　Italy。Let　any　one　now　consider　with　what　little　difficulty　the　king　could　havemaintained　his　position　in　Italy　had　he　observed　the　rules　above　laiddown；　and　kept　all　his　friends　secure　and　protected；　for　although　theywere　numerous　they　were　both　weak　and　timid；　some　afraid　of　the　Church；some　of　the　Veians；　and　thus　they　would　always　have　been　forced　tostand　in　with　him；　and　by　their　means　he　could　easily　have　made　himselfsecure　against　those　who　remained　powerful。　But　he　was　no　sooner　inMilan　than　he　did　the　contrary　by　assisting　Pope　Alexander　to　occupy　theRomagna。　It　never　occurred　to　him　that　by　this　action　he　was　weakeninghimself；　depriving　himself　of　friends　and　those　who　had　thrownthemselves　into　his　lap；　whilst　he　aggrandized　the　Church　by　adding　muchtemporal　power　to　the　spiritual；　thus　giving　it　great　authority。　Andhaving　mitted　this　prime　error；　he　was　obliged　to　follow　it　up；　somuch　so　that；　to　put　an　end　to　the　ambition　of　Alexander；　and　to　preventhis　being　the　master　of　Tuscany；　he　was　himself　forced　to　e　intoItaly。And　as　if　it　were　not　enough　to　have　aggrandized　the　Church；　anddeprived　himself　friends；　he；　wishing　to　have　the　kingdom　of　Naples；divides　it　with　the　King　of　Spain；　and　where　he　was　the　prime　arbiter　ofItaly　he　takes　an　associate；　so　that　the　ambitious　of　that　country　andthe　malcontents　of　his　own　should　have　where　to　shelter；　and　whereas　hecould　have　left　in　the　kingdom　his　own　pensioner　as　king；　he　drove　himout；　to　put　one　there　who　was　able　to　drive　him；　Louis；　out　in　turn。The　wish　to　acquire　is　in　truth　very　natural　and　mon；　and　men　alwaysdo　so　when　they　can；　and　for　this　they　will　be　praised　not　blamed；　butwhen　they　cannot　do　so；　yet　wish　to　do　so　by　any　means；　then　there　isfolly　and　blame。　Therefore；　if　France　could　have　attacked　Naples　withher　own　forces　she　ought　to　have　done　so；　if　she　could　not；　then　sheought　not　to　have　divided　it。　And　if　the　partition　which　she　made　withthe　Veians　in　Lombardy　was　justified　by　the　excuse　that　by　it　she　gota　foothold　in　Italy；　this　other　partition　merited　blame；　for　it　had　notthe　excuse　of　that　necessity。Therefore　Louis　made　these　five　errors：　he　destroyed　the　minor　powers；he　increased　the　strength　of　one　of　the　greater　powers　in　Italy；　hebrought　in　a　foreign　power；　he　did　not　settle　in　the　country；　he　did　notsend　colonies。　Which　errors；　if　he　had　lived；　were　not　enough　to　injurehim　had　he　not　made　a　sixth　by　taking　away　their　dominions　from　theVeians；　because；　had　he　not　aggrandized　the　Church；　nor　brought　Spaininto　Italy；　it　would　have　been　very　reasonable　and　necessary　to　humblethem；　but　having　first　taken　these　steps；　he　ought　never　to　haveconsented　to　their　ruin；　for　they；　being　powerful；　would　always　havekept　off　others　from　designs　on　Lombardy；　to　which　the　Veians　wouldnever　have　consented　except　to　bee　masters　themselves　there；　alsobecause　the　others　would　not　wish　to　take　Lombardy　from　France　in　orderto　give　it　to　the　Veians；　and　to　run　counter　to　both　they　would　nothave　had　the　courage。And　if　any　one　should　say：　King　Louis　yielded　the　Romagna　to　Alexanderand　the　kingdom　to　Spain　to　avoid　war；　I　answer　for　the　reasons　givenabove　that　a　blunder　ought　never　be　perpetrated　to　avoid　war；　because　itis　not　to　be　avoided；　but　is　only　deferred　to　your　disadvantage。　And　ifanother　should　allege　the　pledge　which　the　king　had　given　to　the　Popethat　he　would　assist　him　in　the　enterprise；　in　exchange　for　thedissolution　of　his　marriage　and　for　the　hat　to　Rouen；　to　that　I　replywhat　I　shall　write　later　on　concerning　the　faith　of　princes；　and　how　itought　to　be　kept。Thus　King　Louis　lost　Lombardy　by　not　having　followed　any　of　theconditions　observed　by　those　who　have　taken　possession　of　countries　andwished　to　retain　them。　Nor　is　there　any　miracle　in　this；　but　much　thatis　reasonable　and　quite　natural。　And　on　these　matters　I　spoke　at　Nanteswith　Rouen；　when　Valentino；　＇1＇　as　Cesare　Borgia；　the　son　of　PopeAlexander；　was　usually　called；　occupied　the　Romagna；　and　on　CardinalRouen　observing　to　me　that　the　Italians　did　not　understand　war；　Ireplied　to　him　that　the　French　did　not　understand　statecraft；　meaningthat　otherwise　they　would　not　have　allowed　the　Church　to　reach　suchgreatness。　And　in　fact　it　has　been　seen　that　the　greatness　of　the　Churchand　of　Spain　in　Italy　has　been　caused　by　France；　and　her　ruin　may　beattributed　to　them。　From　this　a　general　rule　is　drawn　which　never　orrarely　fails：　that　he　who　is　the　cause　of　another　being　powerful　isruined；　because　that　predominancy　has　been　brought　about　either　byastuteness　or　else　by　force；　and　both　are　distrusted　by　him　who　has　beenraised　to　power。1。　So　called　……　in　Italian　……　from　the　duchy　of　Valentinois；　conferredon　him　by　Louis　XII。CHAPTER　IVWHY　THE　KINGDOM　OF　DARIUS；　CONQUERED　BY　ALEXANDER；　DID　NOT　REBEL　AGAINSTTHE　SUCCESSORS　OF　ALEXANDER　AT　HIS　DEATHCONSIDERING　the　difficulties　which　men　have　had　to　hold　a　neight　wonder　how；　seeing　that　Alexander　the　Great　became　themaster　of　Asia　in　a　few　years；　and　died　whilst　it　was　yet　scarcelysettled　（whence　it　might　appear　reasonable　that　the　whole　empire　wouldhave　rebelled）；　nevertheless　his　successors　maintained　themselves；　andhad　to　meet　no　other　difficulty　than　that　which　arose　among　themselvesfrom　their　own　ambitions。I　answer　that　the　principalities　of　which　one　has　record　are　found　to　begoverned　in　two　different　ways：　either　by　a　prince；　with　a　body　ofservants；　who　assist　him　to　govern　the　kingdom　as　ministers　by　hisfavour　and　permission；　or　by　a　prince　and　barons；　who　hold　that　dignityby　antiquity　of　blood　and　not　by　the　grace　of　the　prince。　Such　baronshave　states　and　their　own　subjects；　who　recognize　them　as　lords　and　holdthem　in　natural　affection。　Those　states　that　are　governed　by　a　princeand　his　servants　hold　their　prince　in　more　consideration；　because　in　allthe　country　there　is　no　one　who　is　recognized　as　superior　to　him；　and　ifthey　yield　obedience　to　another　they　do　it　as　to　a　minister　andofficial；　and　they　do　not　bear　him　any　particular　affection。The　examples　of　these　two　governments　in　our　time　are　the　Turk　and　theKing　of　France。　The　entire　monarchy　of　the　Turk　is　governed　by　one　lord；the　others　are　his　servants；　and；　dividing　his　kingdom　into　sanjaks；　hesends　there　different　administrators；　and　shifts　and　changes　them　as　hechooses。　But　the　King　of　France　is　placed　in　the　midst　of　an　ancientbody　of　lords；　acknowledged　by　their　own　subjects；　and　beloved　by　them；they　have　their　own　prerogatives；　nor　can　the　king　take　these　awayexcept　at　his　peril。　Therefore；　he　who　considers　both　of　these　stateswill　recognize　great　difficulties　in　seizing　the　state　of　the　Turk；　but；once　it　is　conquered；　great　ease　in　holding　it。　The　causes　of　thedifficulties　in　seizing　the　kingdom　of　the　Turk　are　that　the　usurpercannot　be　called　in　by　the　princes　of　the　kingdom；　nor　can　he　hope　to　beassisted　in　his　designs　by　the　revolt　of　those　whom　the　lord　has　aroundhim。　This　arises　from　the　reasons　given　above；　for　his　ministers；　beingall　slaves　and　bondmen；　can　only　be　corrupted　with　great　difficulty；　andone　can　expect　little　advantage　from　them　when　they　have　been　corrupted；as　they　cannot　carry　the　people　with　them；　for　the　reasons　assigned。Hence；　he　who　attacks　the　Turk　must　bear　in　mind　that　he　will　find　himunited；　and　he　will　have　to　rely　more　on　his　own　strength　than　on　therevolt　of　others；　but；　if　once　the　Turk　has　been　conquered；　and　routedin　the　field　in　such　a　way　that　he　cannot　replace　his　armies；　there　isnothing　to　fear　but　the　family　of　the　prince；　and；　this　beingexterminated；　there　remains　no　one　to　fear；　the　others　having　no　creditwith　the　people；　and　as　the　conqueror　did　not　rely　on　them　before　hisvictory；　so　he　ought　not　to　fear　them　after　it。The　contrary　happens　in　kingdoms　governed　like　that　of　France；　becauseone　can　easily　enter　there　by　gaining　over　some　baron　of　the　kingdom；for　one　always　finds　malcontents　and　such　as　desire　a　change。　Such　men；for　the　reasons　given；　can　open　the　way　into　the　state　and　render　thevictory　easy；　but　if　you　wish　to　hold　it　afterwards；　you　meet　withinfinite　difficulties；　both　from　those　who　have　assisted　you　and　fromthose　you　have　crushed。　Nor　is　it　enough　for　you　to　have　exterminatedthe　family　of　the　prince；　because　the　lords　that　remain　make　themselvesthe　heads　of　fresh　movements　against　you；　and　as　you　are　unable　eitherto　satisfy　or　exterminate　them；　that　state　is　lost　whenever　time　bringsthe　opportunity。Now　if　you　will　consider　what　was　the　nature　of　the　government　ofDarius；　you　will　find　it　similar　to　the　kingdom　of　the　Turk；　andtherefore　it　was　only　necessary　for　Alexander；　first　to　overthrow　him　inthe　field；　and　then　to　take　the　country　from　him。　After　which　victory；Darius　being　killed；　the　state　remained　secure　to　Alexander；　for　theabove　reasons。　And　if　his　successors　had　been　united　they　would　haveenjoyed　it　securely　and　at　their　ease；　for　there　were　no　tumults　raisedin　the　kingdom　except　those　they　provoked　themselves。But　it　is　impossible　to　hold　with　such　tranquillity　states　constitutedlike　that　of　France。　Hence　arose　those　frequent　rebellions　against　theRomans　in　Spain；　France；　and　Greece；　owing　to　the　many　principalitiesthere　were　in　these　states；　of　which；　as　long　as　the　memory　of　themendured；　the　Romans　always　held　an　insecure　possession；　but　with　thepower　and　long　continuance　of　the　empire　the　memory　of　them　passed　away；and　the　Romans　then　became　secure　possessors。　And　when　fightingafterwards　amongst　themselves；　each　one　was　able　to　attach　to　himselfhis　own　parts　of　the　country；　according　to　the　authority　he　had　assumedthere；　and　the　family　of　the　former　lord　being　exterminated；　none　otherthan　the　Romans　were　acknowledged。When　these　things　are　remembered　no　one　will　marvel　at　the　ease　withwhich　Alexander　held　the　Empire　of　Asia；　or　at　the　difficulties　whichothers　have　had　to　keep　an　acquisition；　such　as　Pyrrhus　and　many　more；this　is　not　occasioned　by　the　little　or　abundance　of　ability　in　theconqueror；　but　by　the　want　of　uniformity　in　the　subject　state。CHAPTER　VCONCERNING　THE　WAY　TO　GOVERN　CITIES　OR　PRINCIPALITIES　WHICH　LIVED　UNDERTHEIR　OWN　LAWS　BEFORE　THEY　WERE　ANNEXEDWHENEVER　those　states　which　have　been　acquired　as　stated　have　beenaccustomed　to　live　under　their　own　laws　and　in　freedom；　there　are　threecourses　for　those　who　wish　to　hold　them：　the　first　is　to　ruin　them；　thenext　is　to　reside　there　in　person；　the　third　is　to　permit　them　to　liveunder　their　own　laws；　drawing　a　tribute；　and　establishing　within　it　anoligarchy　which　will　keep　it　friendly　to　you。　Because　such　a　government；being　created　by　the　prince；　knows　that　it　cannot　stand　without　hisfriendship　and　interest；　and　does　its　utmost　to　support　him；　andtherefore　he　who　would　keep　a　city　accustomed　to　freedom　will　hold　itmore　easily　by　the　means　of　its　own　citizens　than　in　any　other　way。There　are；　fo