the prince-第25章

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ou　hast　no　hope　in　anything　but　in　thine　own　abilities；　and　in　the　memory　of　my　valour；　and　in　the　prestige　which　this　latest　victory　has　brought　thee；　which；　as　thou　knowest　how　to　use　it　with　prudence；　will　assist　thee　to　come　to　terms　with　the　Florentines；　who；　as　they　are　suffering　under　this　great　defeat；　should　be　inclined　to　listen　to　thee。　And　whereas　I　have　sought　to　make　them　my　enemies；　because　I　believed　that　war　with　them　would　conduce　to　my　power　and　glory；　thou　hast　every　inducement　to　make　friends　of　them；　because　their　alliance　will　bring　thee　advantages　and　security。　It　is　of　the　greatest　important　in　this　world　that　a　man　should　know　himself；　and　the　measure　of　his　own　strength　and　means；　and　he　who　knows　that　he　has　not　a　genius　for　fighting　must　learn　how　to　govern　by　the　arts　of　peace。　And　it　will　be　well　for　thee　to　rule　they　conduct　by　my　counsel；　and　to　learn　in　this　way　to　enjoy　what　my　life…work　and　dangers　have　gained；　and　in　this　thou　wilt　easily　succeed　when　thou　hast　learnt　to　believe　that　what　I　have　told　thee　is　true。　And　thou　wilt　be　doubly　indebted　to　me；　in　that　I　have　left　thee　this　realm　and　have　taught　thee　how　to　keep　it。〃

After　this　there　came　to　Castruccio　those　citizens　of　Pisa；　Pistoia；　and　Lucca；　who　had　been　fighting　at　his　side；　and　whilst　recommending　Pagolo　to　them；　and　making　them　swear　obedience　to　him　as　his　successor；　he　died。　He　left　a　happy　memory　to　those　who　had　known　him；　and　no　prince　of　those　times　was　ever　loved　with　such　devotion　as　he　was。　His　obsequies　were　celebrated　with　every　sign　of　mourning；　and　he　was　buried　in　San　Francesco　at　Lucca。　Fortune　was　not　so　friendly　to　Pagolo　Guinigi　as　she　had　been　to　Castruccio；　for　he　had　not　the　abilities。　Not　long　after　the　death　of　Castruccio；　Pagolo　lost　Pisa；　and　then　Pistoia；　and　only　with　difficulty　held　on　to　Lucca。　This　latter　city　continued　in　the　family　of　Guinigi　until　the　time　of　the　great…grandson　of　Pagolo。

From　what　has　been　related　here　it　will　be　seen　that　Castruccio　was　a　man　of　exceptional　abilities；　not　only　measured　by　men　of　his　own　time；　but　also　by　those　of　an　earlier　date。　In　stature　he　was　above　the　ordinary　height；　and　perfectly　proportioned。　He　was　of　a　gracious　presence；　and　he　welcomed　men　with　such　urbanity　that　those　who　spoke　with　him　rarely　left　him　displeased。　His　hair　was　inclined　to　be　red；　and　he　wore　it　cut　short　above　the　ears；　and；　whether　it　rained　or　snowed；　he　always　went　without　a　hat。　He　was　delightful　among　friends；　but　terrible　to　his　enemies；　just　to　his　subjects；　ready　to　play　false　with　the　unfaithful；　and　willing　to　overcome　by　fraud　those　whom　he　desired　to　subdue；　because　he　was　wont　to　say　that　it　was　the　victory　that　brought　the　glory；　not　the　methods　of　achieving　it。　No　one　was　bolder　in　facing　danger；　none　more　prudent　in　extricating　himself。　He　was　accustomed　to　say　that　men　ought　to　attempt　everything　and　fear　nothing；　that　God　is　a　lover　of　strong　men；　because　one　always　sees　that　the　weak　are　chastised　by　the　strong。　He　was　also　wonderfully　sharp　or　biting　though　courteous　in　his　answers；　and　as　he　did　not　look　for　any　indulgence　in　this　way　of　speaking　from　others；　so　he　was　not　angered　with　others　did　not　show　it　to　him。　It　has　often　happened　that　he　has　listened　quietly　when　others　have　spoken　sharply　to　him；　as　on　the　following　occasions。　He　had　caused　a　ducat　to　be　given　for　a　partridge；　and　was　taken　to　task　for　doing　so　by　a　friend；　to　whom　Castruccio　had　said：　〃You　would　not　have　given　more　than　a　penny。〃　〃That　is　true；〃　answered　the　friend。　Then　said　Castruccio　to　him：　〃A　ducat　is　much　less　to　me。〃　Having　about　him　a　flatterer　on　whom　he　had　spat　to　show　that　he　scorned　him；　the　flatterer　said　to　him：　〃Fisherman　are　willing　to　let　the　waters　of　the　sea　saturate　them　in　order　that　they　make　take　a　few　little　fishes；　and　I　allow　myself　to　be　wetted　by　spittle　that　I　may　catch　a　whale〃；　and　this　was　not　only　heard　by　Castruccio　with　patience　but　rewarded。　When　told　by　a　priest　that　it　was　wicked　for　him　to　live　so　sumptuously；　Castruccio　said：　〃If　that　be　a　vice　than　you　should　not　fare　so　splendidly　at　the　feasts　of　our　saints。〃　Passing　through　a　street　he　saw　a　young　man　as　he　came　out　of　a　house　of　ill　fame　blush　at　being　seen　by　Castruccio；　and　said　to　him：　〃Thou　shouldst　not　be　ashamed　when　thou　comest　out；　but　when　thou　goest　into　such　places。〃　A　friend　gave　him　a　very　curiously　tied　knot　to　undo　and　was　told：　〃Fool；　do　you　think　that　I　wish　to　untie　a　thing　which　gave　so　much　trouble　to　fasten。〃　Castruccio　said　to　one　who　professed　to　be　a　philosopher：　〃You　are　like　the　dogs　who　always　run　after　those　who　will　give　them　the　best　to　eat；〃　and　was　answered：　〃We　are　rather　like　the　doctors　who　go　to　the　houses　of　those　who　have　the　greatest　need　of　them。〃　Going　by　water　from　Pisa　to　Leghorn；　Castruccio　was　much　disturbed　by　a　dangerous　storm　that　sprang　up；　and　was　reproached　for　cowardice　by　one　of　those　with　him；　who　said　that　he　did　not　fear　anything。　Castruccio　answered　that　he　did　not　wonder　at　that；　since　every　man　valued　his　soul　for　what　is　was　worth。　Being　asked　by　one　what　he　ought　to　do　to　gain　estimation；　he　said：　〃When　thou　goest　to　a　banquet　take　care　that　thou　dost　not　seat　one　piece　of　wood　upon　another。〃　To　a　person　who　was　boasting　that　he　had　read　many　things；　Castruccio　said：　〃He　knows　better　than　to　boast　of　remembering　many　things。〃　Someone　bragged　that　he　could　drink　much　without　becoming　intoxicated。　Castruccio　replied：　〃An　ox　does　the　same。〃　Castruccio　was　acquainted　with　a　girl　with　whom　he　had　intimate　relations；　and　being　blamed　by　a　friend　who　told　him　that　it　was　undignified　for　him　to　be　taken　in　by　a　woman；　he　said：　〃She　has　not　taken　me　in；　I　have　taken　her。〃　Being　also　blamed　for　eating　very　dainty　foods；　he　answered：　〃Thou　dost　not　spend　as　much　as　I　do？〃　and　being　told　that　it　was　true；　he　continued：　〃Then　thou　art　more　avaricious　than　I　am　gluttonous。〃　Being　invited　by　Taddeo　Bernardi；　a　very　rich　and　splendid　citizen　of　Luca；　to　supper；　he　went　to　the　house　and　was　shown　by　Taddeo　into　a　chamber　hung　with　silk　and　paved　with　fine　stones　representing　flowers　and　foliage　of　the　most　beautiful　colouring。　Castruccio　gathered　some　saliva　in　his　mouth　and　spat　it　out　upon　Taddeo；　and　seeing　him　much　disturbed　by　this；　said　to　him：　〃I　knew　not　where　to　spit　in　order　to　offend　thee　less。〃　Being　asked　how　Caesar　died　he　said：　〃God　willing　I　will　die　as　he　did。〃　Being　one　night　in　the　house　of　one　of　his　gentlemen　where　many　ladies　were　assembled；　he　was　reproved　by　one　of　his　friends　for　dancing　and　amusing　himself　with　them　more　than　was　usual　in　one　of　his　station；　so　he　said：　〃He　who　is　considered　wise　by　day　will　not　be　considered　a　fool　at　night。〃　A　person　came　to　demand　a　favour　of　Castruccio；　and　thinking　he　was　not　listening　to　his　plea　threw　himself　on　his　knees　to　the　ground；　and　being　sharply　reproved　by　Castruccio；　said：　〃Thou　art　the　reason　of　my　acting　thus　for　thou　hast　thy　ears　in　thy　feet；〃　whereupon　he　obtained　double　the　favour　he　had　asked。　Castruccio　used　to　say　that　the　way　to　hell　was　an　easy　one；　seeing　that　it　was　in　a　downward　direction　and　you　travelled　blindfolded。　Being　asked　a　favour　by　one　who　used　many　superfluous　words；　he　said　to　him：　〃When　you　have　another　request　to　make；　send　someone　else　to　make　it。〃　Having　been　wearied　by　a　similar　man　with　a　long　oration　who　wound　up　by　saying：　〃Perhaps　I　have　fatigued　you　by　speaking　so　long；〃　Castruccio　said：　〃You　have　not；　because　I　have　not　listened　to　a　word　you　said。〃　He　used　to　say　of　one　who　had　been　a　beautiful　child　and　who　afterwards　became　a　fine　man；　that　he　was　dangerous；　because　he　first　took　the　husbands　from　the　wives　and　now　he　took　the　wives　from　their　husbands。　To　an　envious　man　who　laughed；　he　said：　〃Do　you　laugh　because　you　are　successful　or　because　another　is　unfortunate？〃　Whilst　he　was　still　in　the　charge　of　Messer　Francesco　Guinigi；　one　of　his　companions　said　to　him：　〃What　shall　I　give　you　if　you　will　let　me　give　you　a　blow　on　the　nose？〃　Castruccio　answered：　〃A　helmet。〃　Having　put　to　death　a　citizen　of　Lucca　who　had　been　instrumental　in　raising　him　to　power；　and　being　told　that　he　had　done　wrong　to　kill　one　of　his　old　friends；　he　answered　that　people　deceived　themselves；　he　had　only　killed　a　new　enemy。　Castruccio　praised　greatly　those　men　who　intended　to　take　a　wife　and　then　did　not　do　so；　saying　that　they　were　like　men　who　said　they　would　go　to　sea；　and　then　refused　when　the　time　came。　He　said　that　it　always　struck　him　with　surprise　that　whilst　men　in　buying　an　earthen　or　glass　vase　would　sound　it　first　to　learn　if　it　were　good；　yet　in　choosing　a　wife　they　were　content　with　only　looking　at　her。　He　was　once　asked　in　what　manner　he　would　wish　to　be　buried　when　he　died；　and　answered：　〃With　the　face　turned　downwards；　for　I　know　when　I　am　gone　this　country　will　be　turned　upside　down。〃　On　being　asked　if　it　had　ever　occurred　to　him　to　become　a　friar　in　order　to　save　his　soul；　he　answered　that　it　had　not；　because　it　appeared　strange　to　him　that　Fra　Lazerone　should　go　to　Paradise　and　Uguccione　della　Faggiuola　to　the　Inferno。　He　was　once　asked　when　should　a　man　eat　to　preserve　his　health；　and　replied：　〃If　the　man　be　rich　let　him　eat　when　he　is　hungry；　if　he　be　poor；　then　when　he　can。〃　Seeing　on　of　his　gentlemen　make　a　member　of　his　family　lace　him　up；　he　said　to　him：　〃I　pray　God　that　you　will　let　him　feed　you　also。〃　Seeing　that　someone　had　written　upon　his　house　in　Latin　the　words：　〃May　God　preserve　this　house　from　the　wicked；〃　he　said；　〃The　owner　must　never　go　in。〃　Passing　through　one　of　the　streets　he　saw　a　small　house　with　a　very　large　door；　and　remarked：　〃That　house　will　fly　through　the　door。〃　He　was　having　a　discussion　with　the　ambassador　of　the　King　of　Naples　concerning　the　property　of　some　banished　nobles；　when　a　dispute　arose　between　them；　and　the　ambassador　asked　him　if　he　had　no　fear　of　the　king。　〃Is　this　king　of　yours　a　bad　man　or　a　good　one？〃　asked　Castruccio；　and　was　told　that　he　was　a　good　one；　whereupon　he　said；　〃Why　should　you　suggest　that　I　should　be　afraid　of　a　good　man？〃

I　could　recount　many　other　stories　of　his　sayings　both　witty　and　weighty；　but　I　think　that　the　above　will　be　sufficient　testimony　to　his　high　qualities。　He　lived　forty…four　years；　and　was　in　every　way　a　prince。　And　as　he　was　surrounded　by　many　evidences　of　his　good　fortune；　so　he　also　desired　to　have　near　him　some　memorials　of　his　bad　fortune；　therefore　the　manacles　with　which　he　was　chained　in　prison　are　to　be　seen　to　this　day　fixed　up　in　the　tower　of　his　residence；　where　they　were　placed　by　him　to　testify　for　ever　to　his　days　of　adversity。　As　in　his　life　he　was　inferior　neither　to　Philip　of　Macedon；　the　father　of　Alexander；　nor　to　Scipio　of　Rome；　so　he　died　in　the　same　year　of　his　age　as　they　did；　and　he　would　doubtless　have　excelled　both　of　them　had　Fortune　decreed　that　he　should　be　born；　not　in　Lucca；　but　in　Macedonia　or　Rome。





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