快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

een　enlarged　or　maintained。But　the　scanty　wisdom　of　man；　on　entering　into　an　affair　which　lookswell　at　first；　cannot　discern　the　poison　that　is　hidden　in　it；　as　I　havesaid　above　of　hectic　fevers。　Therefore；　if　he　who　rules　a　principalitycannot　recognize　evils　until　they　are　upon　him；　he　is　not　truly　wise；and　this　insight　is　given　to　few。　And　if　the　first　disaster　to　the　RomanEmpire　should　be　examined；　it　will　be　found　to　have　menced　only　withthe　enlisting　of　the　Goths；　because　from　that　time　the　vigour　of　theRoman　Empire　began　to　decline；　and　all　that　valour　which　had　raised　itpassed　away　to　others。I　conclude；　therefore；　that　no　principality　is　secure　without　having　itsown　forces；　on　the　contrary；　it　is　entirely　dependent　on　good　fortune；not　having　the　valour　which　in　adversity　would　defend　it。　And　it　hasalways　been　the　opinion　and　judgment　of　wise　men　that　nothing　can　be　souncertain　or　unstable　as　fame　or　power　not　founded　on　its　own　strength。And　one's　own　forces　are　those　which　are　posed　either　of　subjects；citizens；　or　dependants；　all　others　are　mercenaries　or　auxiliaries。　Andthe　way　to　take　ready　one's　own　forces　will　be　easily　found　if　the　rulessuggested　by　me　shall　be　reflected　upon；　and　if　one　will　consider　howPhilip；　the　father　of　Alexander　the　Great；　and　many　republics　andprinces　have　armed　and　organized　themselves；　to　which　rules　I　entirelymit　myself。CHAPTER　XIVTHAT　WHICH　CONCERNS　A　PRINCE　ON　THE　SUBJECT　OF　THE　ART　OF　WARA　PRINCE　ought　to　have　no　other　aim　or　thought；　nor　select　anything　elsefor　his　study；　than　war　and　its　rules　and　discipline；　for　this　is　thesole　art　that　belongs　to　him　who　rules；　and　it　is　of　such　force　that　itnot　only　upholds　those　who　are　born　princes；　but　it　often　enables　men　torise　from　a　private　station　to　that　rank。　And；　on　the　contrary；　it　isseen　that　when　princes　have　thought　more　of　ease　than　of　arms　they　havelost　their　states。　And　the　first　cause　of　your　losing　it　is　to　neglectthis　art；　and　what　enables　you　to　acquire　a　state　is　to　be　master　of　theart。　Francesco　Sforza；　through　being　martial；　from　a　private　personbecame　Duke　of　Milan；　and　the　sons；　through　avoiding　the　hardships　andtroubles　of　arms；　from　dukes　became　private　persons。　For　among　otherevils　which　being　unarmed　brings　you；　it　causes　you　to　be　despised；　andthis　is　one　of　those　ignominies　against　which　a　prince　ought　to　guardhimself；　as　is　shown　later　on。　Because　there　is　nothing　proportionatebetween　the　armed　and　the　unarmed；　and　it　is　not　reasonable　that　he　whois　armed　should　yield　obedience　willingly　to　him　who　is　unarmed；　or　thatthe　unarmed　man　should　be　secure　among　armed　servants。　Because；　therebeing　in　the　one　disdain　and　in　the　other　suspicion；　it　is　not　possiblefor　them　to　work　well　together。　And　therefore　a　prince　who　does　notunderstand　the　art　of　war；　over　and　above　the　other　misfortunes　alreadymentioned；　cannot　be　respected　by　his　soldiers；　nor　can　he　rely　on　them。He　ought　never；　therefore；　to　have　out　of　his　thoughts　this　subject　ofwar；　and　in　peace　he　should　addict　himself　more　to　its　exercise　than　inwar；　this　he　can　do　in　two　ways；　the　one　by　action；　the　other　by　study。As　regards　action；　he　ought　above　all　things　to　keep　his　men　wellorganized　and　drilled；　to　follow　incessantly　the　chase；　by　which　heaccustoms　his　body　to　hardships；　and　learns　something　of　the　nature　oflocalities；　and　gets　to　find　out　how　the　mountains　rise；　how　the　valleysopen　out；　how　the　plains　lie；　and　to　understand　the　nature　of　rivers　andmarshes；　and　in　all　this　to　take　the　greatest　care。　Which　knowledge　isuseful　in　two　ways。　Firstly；　he　learns　to　know　his　country；　and　isbetter　able　to　undertake　its　defence；　afterwards；　by　means　of　theknowledge　and　observation　of　that　locality；　he　understands　with　ease　anyother　which　it　may　be　necessary　for　him　to　study　hereafter；　because　thehills；　valleys；　and　plains；　and　rivers　and　marshes　that　are；　forinstance；　in　Tuscany；　have　a　certain　resemblance　to　those　of　othercountries；　so　that　with　a　knowledge　of　the　aspect　of　one　country　one　caneasily　arrive　at　a　knowledge　of　others。　And　the　prince　that　lacks　thisskill　lacks　the　essential　which　it　is　desirable　that　a　captain　shouldpossess；　for　it　teaches　him　to　surprise　his　enemy；　to　select　quarters；to　lead　armies；　to　array　the　battle；　to　besiege　towns　to　advantage。Philopoemen；　Prince　of　the　Achaeans；　among　other　praises　which　writershave　bestowed　on　him；　is　mended　because　in　time　of　peace　he　never　hadanything　in　his　mind　but　the　rules　of　war；　and　when　he　was　in　thecountry　with　friends；　he　often　stopped　and　reasoned　with　them：　〃If　theenemy　should　be　upon　that　hill；　and　we　should　find　ourselves　here　withour　army；　with　whom　would　be　the　advantage？　How　should　one　best　advanceto　meet　him；　keeping　the　ranks？　If　we　should　wish　to　retreat；　how　oughtwe　to　set　about　it？　If　they　should　retreat；　how　ought　we　to　pursue？〃　Andhe　would　set　forth　to　them；　as　he　went；　all　the　chances　that　couldbefall　an　army；　he　would　listen　to　their　opinion　and　state　his；confirming　it　with　reasons；　so　that　by　these　continual　discussions　therecould　never　arise；　in　time　of　war；　any　unexpected　circumstances　that　hecould　deal　with。But　to　exercise　the　intellect　the　prince　should　read　histories；　andstudy　there　the　actions　of　illustrious　men；　to　see　how　they　have　borhemselves　in　war；　to　examine　the　causes　of　their　victories　and　defeat；so　as　to　avoid　the　latter　and　imitate　the　former；　and　above　all　do　as　anillustrious　man　did；　who　took　as　an　exemplar　one　who　had　been　praisedand　famous　before　him；　and　whose　achievements　and　deeds　he　always　keptin　his　mind；　as　it　is　said　Alexander　the　Great　imitated　Achilles；　CaesarAlexander；　Scipio　Cyrus。　And　whoever　reads　the　life　of　Cyrus；　written　byXenophon；　will　recognize　afterwards　in　the　life　of　Scipio　how　thatimitation　was　his　glory；　and　how　in　chastity；　affability；　humanity；　andliberality　Scipio　conformed　to　those　things　which　have　been　written　ofCyrus　by　Xenophon。　A　wise　prince　ought　to　observe　some　such　rules；　andnever　in　peaceful　times　stand　idle；　but　increase　his　resources　withindustry　in　such　a　way　that　they　may　be　available　to　him　in　adversity；so　that　if　fortune　changes　it　may　find　him　prepared　to　resist　her　blows。CHAPTER　XVCONCERNING　THINGS　FOR　WHICH　MEN；　AND　ESPECIALLY　PRINCES；　ARE　PRAISED　ORBLAMEDIT　REMAINS　now　to　see　what　ought　to　be　the　rules　of　conduct　for　a　princetowards　subject　and　friends。　And　as　I　know　that　many　have　written　onthis　point；　I　expect　I　shall　be　considered　presumptuous　in　mentioning　itagain；　especially　as　in　discussing　it　I　shall　depart　from　the　methods　ofother　people。　But；　it　being　my　intention　to　write　a　thing　which　shall　beuseful　to　him　who　apprehends　it；　it　appears　to　me　more　appropriate　tofollow　up　the　real　truth　of　a　matter　than　the　imagination　of　it；　formany　have　pictured　republics　and　principalities　which　in　fact　have　neverbeen　known　or　seen；　because　how　one　lives　is　so　far　distant　from　how　oneought　to　live；　that　he　who　neglects　what　is　done　for　what　ought　to　bedone；　sooner　effects　his　ruin　than　his　preservation；　for　a　man　whowishes　to　act　entirely　up　to　his　professions　of　virtue　soon　meets　withwhat　destroys　him　among　so　much　that　is　evil。Hence　it　is　necessary　for　a　prince　wishing　to　hold　his　own　to　know　howto　do　wrong；　and　to　make　use　of　it　or　not　according　to　necessity。Therefore；　putting　on　one　side　imaginary　things　concerning　a　prince；　anddiscussing　those　which　are　real；　I　say　that　all　men　when　they　are　spokenof；　and　chiefly　princes　for　being　more　highly　placed；　are　remarkable　forsome　of　those　qualities　which　bring　them　either　blame　or　praise；　andthus　it　is　that　one　is　reputed　liberal；　another　miserly；　using　a　Tuscanterm　（because　an　avaricious　person　in　our　language　is　still　he　whodesires　to　possess　by　robbery；　whilst　we　call　one　miserly　who　depriveshimself　too　much　of　the　use　of　his　own）；　one　is　reputed　generous；　onerapacious；　one　cruel；　one　passionate；　one　faithless；　anotherfaithful；　one　effeminate　and　cowardly；　another　bold　and　brave；　oneaffable；　another　haughty；　one　lascivious；　another　chaste；　one　sincere；another　cunning；　one　hard；　another　easy；　one　grave；　another　frivolous；one　religious；　another　unbelieving；　and　the　like。　And　I　know　that　everyone　will　confess　that　it　would　be　most　praiseworthy　in　a　prince　toexhibit　all　the　above　qualities　that　are　considered　good；　but　becausethey　can　neither　be　entirely　possessed　nor　observed；　for　humanconditions　do　not　permit　it；　it　is　necessary　for　him　to　be　sufficientlyprudent　that　he　may　know　how　to　avoid　the　reproach　of　those　vices　whichwould　lose　him　his　state；　and　also　to　keep　himself；　if　it　be　possible；from　those　which　would　not　lose　him　it；　but　this　not　being　possible；　hemay　with　less　hesitation　abandon　himself　to　them。　And　again；　he　need　notmake　himself　uneasy　at　incurring　a　reproach　for　those　vices　withoutwhich　the　state　can　only　be　saved　with　difficulty；　for　if　everything　isconsidered　carefully；　it　will　be　found　that　something　which　looks　likevirtue；　if　followed；　would　be　his　ruin；　whilst　something　else；　whichlooks　like　vice；　yet　followed　brings　him　security　and　prosperity。CHAPTER　XVICONCERNING　LIBERALITY　AND　MEANNESSMENCING　then　with　the　first　of　the　above…named　characteristics；　I　saythat　it　would　be　well　to　be　reputed　liberal。　Nevertheless；　liberalityexercised　in　a　way　that　does　not　bring　you　the　reputation　for　it；injures　you；　for　if　one　exercises　it　honestly　and　as　it　should　beexercised；　it　may　not　bee　known；　and　you　will　not　avoid　the　reproachof　its　opposite。　Therefore；　any　one　wishing　to　maintain　among　men　thename　of　liberal　is　obliged　to　avoid　no　attribute　of　magnificence；　sothat　a　prince　thus　inclined　will　consume　in　such　acts　all　his　property；and　will　be　pelled　in　the　end；　if　he　wish　to　maintain　the　name　ofliberal；　to　unduly　weigh　down　his　people；　and　tax　them；　and　doeverything　he　can　to　get　money。　This　will　soon　make　him　odious　to　hissubjects；　and　being　poor　he　will　be　little　valued　by　any　one；　thus；with　his　liberality；　having　offended　many　and　rewarded　few；　he　isaffected　by　the　very　first　trouble　and　imperilled　by　whatever　may　be　thefirst　danger；　recognizing　this　himself；　and　wishing　to　draw　back　fromit；　he　runs　at　once　into　the　reproach　of　being　miserly。Therefore；　a　prince；　not　being　able　to　exercise　this　virtue　ofliberality　in　such　a　way　that　it　is　recognized；　except　to　his　cost；　ifhe　is　wise　he　ought　not　to　fear　the　reputation　of　being　mean；　for　intime　he　will　e　to　be　more　considered　than　if　liberal；　seeing　thatwith　his　economy　his　revenues　are　enough；　that　he　can　defend　himselfagainst　all　attacks；　and　is　able　to　engage　in　enterprises　withoutburdening　his　people；　thus　it　es　to　pass　that　he　exercises　liberalitytowards　all　from　whom　he　does　not　take；　who　are　numberless；　and　meannesstowards　those　to　whom　he　does　not　give；　who　are　few。We　have　not　seen　great　things　done　in　our　time　except　by　those　who　havebeen　considered　mean；　the　rest　have　failed。　Pope　Julius　the　Second　wasassisted　in　reaching　the　papacy　by　a　reputation　for　liberality；　yet　hedid　not　strive　afterwards　to　keep　it　up；　when　he　made　war　on　the　King　ofFrance；　and　he　made　many　wars　without　imposing　any　extraordinary　tax　onhis　subjects；　for　he　supplied　his　additional　expenses　out　of　his　longthriftiness。　The　present　King　of　Spain　would　not　have　undertaken　orconquered　in　so　many　enterprises　if　he　had　been　reputed　liberal。　Aprince；　therefore；　provided　that　he　has　not　to　rob　his　subjects；　that　hecan　defend　himself；　that　he　does　not　bee　poor　and　abject；　that　he　isnot　forced　to　bee　rapacious；　ought　to　hold　of　little　account　areputation　for　being　mean；　for　it　is　one　of　those　vices　which　willenable　him　to　govern。And　if　any　one　should　say：　Caesar　obtained　empire　by　liberality；　andmany　others　have　reached　the　highest　positions　by　having　been　liberal；and　by　being　considered　so；　I　answer：　Either　you　are　a　prince　in　fact；or　in　a　way　to　bee　one。　In　the　first　case　this　liberality　isdangerous；　in　the　second　it　is　very　necessary　to　be　considered　liberal；and　Caesar　was　one　of　those　who　wished　to　bee　pre…eminent　in　Rome；but　if　he　had　survived　after　being　so；　and　had　not　moderated　hisexpenses；　he　would　have　destroyed　his　government。　And　if　any　one　shouldreply：　Many　have　been　princes；　and　have　done　great　things　with　armies；who　have　been　considered　very　liberal；　I　reply：　Either　a　prince　spendsthat　which　is　his　own　or　his　subjects'　or　else　that　of　others