the prince-第16章

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3。　　Our　forefathers；　and　those　who　were　reckoned　wise；　were　accustomed　to　say　that　it　was　necessary　to　hold　Pistoia　by　factions　and　Pisa　by　fortresses；　and　with　this　idea　they　fostered　quarrels　in　some　of　their　tributary　towns　so　as　to　keep　possession　of　them　the　more　easily。　This　may　have　been　well　enough　in　those　times　when　Italy　was　in　a　way　balanced；　but　I　do　not　believe　that　it　can　be　accepted　as　a　precept　for　to…day；　because　I　do　not　believe　that　factions　can　ever　be　of　use；　rather　it　is　certain　that　when　the　enemy　comes　upon　you　in　divided　cities　you　are　quickly　lost；　because　the　weakest　party　will　always　assist　the　outside　forces　and　the　other　will　not　be　able　to　resist。　The　Venetians；　moved；　as　I　believe；　by　the　above　reasons；　fostered　the　Guelph　and　Ghibelline　factions　in　their　tributary　cities；　and　although　they　never　allowed　them　to　come　to　bloodshed；　yet　they　nursed　these　disputes　amongst　them；　so　that　the　citizens；　distracted　by　their　differences；　should　not　unite　against　them。　Which；　as　we　saw；　did　not　afterwards　turn　out　as　expected；　because；　after　the　rout　at　Vaila；　one　party　at　once　took　courage　and　seized　the　state。　Such　methods　argue；　therefore；　weakness　in　the　prince；　because　these　factions　will　never　be　permitted　in　a　vigorous　principality；　such　methods　for　enabling　one　the　more　easily　to　manage　subjects　are　only　useful　in　times　of　peace；　but　if　war　comes　this　policy　proves　fallacious。

4。　　Without　doubt　princes　become　great　when　they　overcome　the　difficulties　and　obstacles　by　which　they　are　confronted；　and　therefore　fortune；　especially　when　she　desires　to　make　a　new　prince　great；　who　has　a　greater　necessity　to　earn　renown　than　an　hereditary　one；　causes　enemies　to　arise　and　form　designs　against　him；　in　order　that　he　may　have　the　opportunity　of　overcoming　them；　and　by　them　to　mount　higher；　as　by　a　ladder　which　his　enemies　have　raised。　For　this　reason　many　consider　that　a　wise　prince；　when　he　has　the　opportunity；　ought　with　craft　to　foster　some　animosity　against　himself；　so　that；　having　crushed　it；　his　renown　may　rise　higher。

5。　　Princes；　especially　new　ones；　have　found　more　fidelity　and　assistance　in　those　men　who　in　the　beginning　of　their　rule　were　distrusted　than　among　those　who　in　the　beginning　were　trusted。　Pandolfo　Petrucci；　Prince　of　Siena；　ruled　his　state　more　by　those　who　had　been　distrusted　than　by　others。　But　on　this　question　one　cannot　speak　generally；　for　it　varies　so　much　with　the　individual；　I　will　only　say　this；　that　those　men　who　at　the　commencement　of　a　princedom　have　been　hostile；　if　they　are　of　a　description　to　need　assistance　to　support　themselves；　can　always　be　gained　over　with　the　greatest　ease；　and　they　will　be　tightly　held　to　serve　the　prince　with　fidelity；　inasmuch　as　they　know　it　to　be　very　necessary　for　them　to　cancel　by　deeds　the　bad　impression　which　he　had　formed　of　them；　and　thus　the　prince　always　extracts　more　profit　from　them　than　from　those　who；　serving　him　in　too　much　security；　may　neglect　his　affairs。　And　since　the　matter　demands　it；　I　must　not　fail　to　warn　a　prince；　who　by　means　of　secret　favours　has　acquired　a　new　state；　that　he　must　well　consider　the　reasons　which　induced　those　to　favour　him　who　did　so；　and　if　it　be　not　a　natural　affection　towards　him；　but　only　discontent　with　their　government；　then　he　will　only　keep　them　friendly　with　great　trouble　and　difficulty；　for　it　will　be　impossible　to　satisfy　them。　And　weighing　well　the　reasons　for　this　in　those　examples　which　can　be　taken　from　ancient　and　modern　affairs；　we　shall　find　that　it　is　easier　for　the　prince　to　make　friends　of　those　men　who　were　contented　under　the　former　government；　and　are　therefore　his　enemies；　than　of　those　who；　being　discontented　with　it；　were　favourable　to　him　and　encouraged　him　to　seize　it。

6。　　It　has　been　a　custom　with　princes；　in　order　to　hold　their　states　more　securely；　to　build　fortresses　that　may　serve　as　a　bridle　and　bit　to　those　who　might　design　to　work　against　them；　and　as　a　place　of　refuge　from　a　first　attack。　I　praise　this　system　because　it　has　been　made　use　of　formerly。　Notwithstanding　that；　Messer　Nicolo　Vitelli　in　our　times　has　been　seen　to　demolish　two　fortresses　in　Citta　di　Castello　so　that　he　might　keep　that　state；　Guido　Ubaldo；　Duke　of　Urbino；　on　returning　to　his　dominion；　whence　he　had　been　driven　by　Cesare　Borgia；　razed　to　the　foundations　all　the　fortresses　in　that　province；　and　considered　that　without　them　it　would　be　more　difficult　to　lose　it；　the　Bentivogli　returning　to　Bologna　came　to　a　similar　decision。　Fortresses；　therefore；　are　useful　or　not　according　to　circumstances；　if　they　do　you　good　in　one　way　they　injure　you　in　another。　And　this　question　can　be　reasoned　thus：　the　prince　who　has　more　to　fear　from　the　people　than　from　foreigners　ought　to　build　fortresses；　but　he　who　has　more　to　fear　from　foreigners　than　from　the　people　ought　to　leave　them　alone。　The　castle　of　Milan；　built　by　Francesco　Sforza；　has　made；　and　will　make；　more　trouble　for　the　house　of　Sforza　than　any　other　disorder　in　the　state。　For　this　reason　the　best　possible　fortress　isnot　to　be　hated　by　the　people；　because；　although　you　may　hold　the　fortresses；　yet　they　will　not　save　you　if　the　people　hate　you；　for　there　will　never　be　wanting　foreigners　to　assist　a　people　who　have　taken　arms　against　you。　It　has　not　been　seen　in　our　times　that　such　fortresses　have　been　of　use　to　any　prince；　unless　to　the　Countess　of　Forli；＇*＇　when　the　Count　Girolamo；　her　consort；　was　killed；　for　by　that　means　she　was　able　to　withstand　the　popular　attack　and　wait　for　assistance　from　Milan；　and　thus　recover　her　state；　and　the　posture　of　affairs　was　such　at　that　time　that　the　foreigners　could　not　assist　the　people。　But　fortresses　were　of　little　value　to　her　afterwards　when　Cesare　Borgia　attacked　her；　and　when　the　people；　her　enemy；　were　allied　with　foreigners。　Therefore；　it　would　have　been　safer　for　her；　both　then　and　before；　not　to　have　been　hated　by　the　people　than　to　have　had　the　fortresses。　All　these　things　considered　then；　I　shall　praise　him　who　builds　fortresses　as　well　as　him　who　does　not；　and　I　shall　blame　whoever；　trusting　in　them；　cares　little　about　being　hated　by　the　people。

＇*＇　Catherine　Sforza；　a　daughter　of　Galeazzo　Sforza　and　Lucrezia　　　　　Landriani；　born　1463；　died　1509。　It　was　to　the　Countess　of　Forli　　　　　that　Machiavelli　was　sent　as　envy　on　1499。　A　letter　from　Fortunati　　　　　to　the　countess　announces　the　appointment：　〃I　have　been　with　the　　　　　signori；〃　wrote　Fortunati；　〃to　learn　whom　they　would　send　and　　　　　when。　They　tell　me　that　Nicolo　Machiavelli；　a　learned　young　　　　　Florentine　noble；　secretary　to　my　Lords　of　the　Ten；　is　to　leave　　　　　with　me　at　once。〃　Cf。　〃Catherine　Sforza；〃　by　Count　Pasolini；　　　　　translated　by　P。　Sylvester；　1898。



CHAPTER　XXI

HOW　A　PRINCE　SHOULD　CONDUCT　HIMSELF　SO　AS　TO　GAIN　RENOWN

Nothing　makes　a　prince　so　much　esteemed　as　great　enterprises　and　setting　a　fine　example。　We　have　in　our　time　Ferdinand　of　Aragon；　the　present　King　of　Spain。　He　can　almost　be　called　a　new　prince；　because　he　has　risen；　by　fame　and　glory；　from　being　an　insignificant　king　to　be　the　foremost　king　in　Christendom；　and　if　you　will　consider　his　deeds　you　will　find　them　all　great　and　some　of　them　extraordinary。　In　the　beginning　of　his　reign　he　attacked　Granada；　and　this　enterprise　was　the　foundation　of　his　dominions。　He　did　this　quietly　at　first　and　without　any　fear　of　hindrance；　for　he　held　the　minds　of　the　barons　of　Castile　occupied　in　thinking　of　the　war　and　not　anticipating　any　innovations；　thus　they　did　not　perceive　that　by　these　means　he　was　acquiring　power　and　authority　over　them。　He　was　able　with　the　money　of　the　Church　and　of　the　people　to　sustain　his　armies；　and　by　that　long　war　to　lay　the　foundation　for　the　military　skill　which　has　since　distinguished　him。　Further；　always　using　religion　as　a　plea；　so　as　to　undertake　greater　schemes；　he　devoted　himself　with　pious　cruelty　to　driving　out　and　clearing　his　kingdom　of　the　Moors；　nor　could　there　be　a　more　admirable　example；　nor　one　more　rare。　Under　this　same　cloak　he　assailed　Africa；　he　came　down　on　Italy；　he　has　finally　attacked　France；　and　thus　his　achievements　and　designs　have　always　been　great；　and　have　kept　the　minds　of　his　people　in　suspense　and　admiration　and　occupied　with　the　issue　of　them。　And　his　actions　have　arisen　in　such　a　way；　one　out　of　the　other；　that　men　have　never　been　given　time　to　work　steadily　against　him。

Again；　it　much　assists　a　prince　to　set　unusual　examples　in　internal　affairs；　similar　to　those　which　are　related　of　Messer　Bernabo　da　Milano；　who；　when　he　had　the　opportunity；　by　any　one　in　civil　life　doing　some　extraordinary　thing；　either　good　or　bad；　would　take　some　method　of　rewarding　or　punishing　him；　which　would　be　much　spoken　about。　And　a　prince　ought；　above　all　things；　always　endeavour　in　every　action　to　gain　for　himself　the　reputation　of　being　a　great　and　remarkable　man。

A　prince　is　also　respected　when　he　is　either　a　true　friend　or　a　downright　enemy；　that　is　to　say；　when；　without　any　reservation；　he　declares　himself　in　favour　of　one　party　against　the　other；　which　course　will　always　be　more　advantageous　than　standing　neutral；　because　if　two　of　your　powerful　neighbours　come　to　blows；　they　are　of　such　a　character　that；　if　one　of　them　conquers；　you　have　either　to　fear　him　or　not。　In　either　case　it　will　always　be　more　advantageous　for　you　to　declare　yourself　and　to　make　war　strenuously；　because；　in　the　first　case；　if　you　do　not　declare　yourself；　you　will　invariably　fall　a　prey　to　the　conqueror；　to　the　pleasure　and　satisfaction　of　him　who　has　been　conquered；　and　you　will　have　no　reasons　to　offer；　nor　anything　to　protect　or　to　shelter　you。　Because　he　who　conquers　does　not　want　doubtful　friends　who　will　not　aid　him　in　the　time　of　trial；　and　he　who　loses　will　not　harbour　you　because　you　did　not　willingly；　sword　in　hand；　court　his　fate。

Antiochus　went　into　Greece；　being　sent　for　by　the　Aetolians　to　drive　out　the　Romans。　He　sent　envoys　to　the　Achaeans；　who　were　friends　of　the　Romans；　exhorting　them　to　remain　neutral；　and　on　the　other　hand　the　Romans　urged　them　to　take　up　arms。　This　question　came　to　be　discussed　in　the　council　of　the　Achaeans；　where　the　legate　of　Antiochus　urged　them　to　stand　neutral。　To　this　the　Roman　legate　answered：　〃As　for　that　which　has　been　said；　that　it　is　better　and　more　advantageous　for　your　state　not　to　interfere　in　our　war；　nothing　can　be　more　erroneous；　because　by　not　interfering　you　will　be　left；　without　favour　or　consideration；　the　guerdon　of　the　conqueror。〃　Thus　it　will　always　happen　that　he　who　is　not　your　friend　will　demand　your　neutrality；　whilst　he　who　is　your　friend　will　entreat　you　to　declare　yourself　with　arms。　And　irresolute　princes；　to　avoid　present　dangers；　generally　follow　the　neutral　path；　and　are　generally　ruined。　But　when　a　prince　declares　himself　gallantly　in　favour　of　one　side；　if　the　party　with　whom　he　allies　himself　conquers；　although　the　victor　may　be　powerful　and　may　have　him　at　his　mercy；　yet　he　is　indebted　to　him；　and　there　is　established　a　bond　of　amity；　and　men　are　never　so　shameless　as　to　become　a　monument　of　ingratitude　by　oppressing　you。　Victories　after　all　are　never　so　complete　that　the　victor　must　not　show　some　regard；　especially　to　justice。　But　if　he　with　whom　you　ally　yourself　lo