马基雅维里 君主论英文prince-第16章

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way　that　his　administration　is　successful；　his　fortune　is　made；　but　if

times　and　affairs　change；　he　is　ruined　if　he　does　not　change　his　course

of　action。　But　a　man　is　not　often　found　sufficiently　circumspect　to　know

how　to　acmodate　himself　to　the　change；　both　because　he　cannot　deviate

from　what　nature　inclines　him　to；　and　also　because；　having　always

prospered　by　acting　in　one　way；　he　cannot　be　persuaded　that　it　is　well

to　leave　it；　and；　therefore；　the　cautious　man；　when　it　is　time　to　turn

adventurous；　does　not　know　how　to　do　it；　hence　he　is　ruined；　but　had　he

changed　his　conduct　with　the　times　fortune　would　not　have　changed。



Pope　Julius　II　went　to　work　impetuously　in　all　his　affairs；　and　found

the　times　and　circumstances　conform　so　well　to　that　line　of　action　that

he　always　met　with　success。　Consider　his　first　enterprise　against

Bologna；　Messer　Giovanni　Bentivogli　being　still　alive。　The　Venetians

were　not　agreeable　to　it；　nor　was　the　King　of　Spain；　and　he　had　the

enterprise　still　under　discussion　with　the　King　of　France；　nevertheless

he　personally　entered　upon　the　expedition　with　his　accustomed　boldness

and　energy；　a　move　which　made　Spain　and　the　Venetians　stand　irresolute

and　passive；　the　latter　from　fear；　the　former　from　desire　to　recover　all

the　kingdom　of　Naples；　on　the　other　hand；　he　drew　after　him　the　King　of

France；　because　that　king；　having　observed　the　movement；　and　desiring　to

make　the　Pope　his　friend　so　as　to　humble　the　Venetians；　found　it

impossible　to　refuse　him　soldiers　without　manifestly　offending　him。

Therefore　Julius　with　his　impetuous　action　acplished　what　no　other

pontiff　with　simple　human　wisdom　could　have　done；　for　if　he　had　waited

in　Rome　until　he　could　get　away；　with　his　plans　arranged　and　everything

fixed；　as　any　other　pontiff　would　have　done；　he　would　never　have

succeeded。　Because　the　King　of　France　would　have　made　a　thousand

excuses；　and　the　others　would　have　raised　a　thousand　fears。



I　will　leave　his　other　actions　alone；　as　they　were　all　alike；　and　they

all　succeeded；　for　the　shortness　of　his　life　did　not　let　him　experience

the　contrary；　but　if　circumstances　had　arisen　which　required　him　to　go

cautiously；　his　ruin　would　have　followed；　because　he　would　never　have

deviated　from　those　ways　to　which　nature　inclined　him。



I　conclude　therefore　that；　fortune　being　changeful　and　mankind　steadfast

in　their　ways；　so　long　as　the　two　are　in　agreement　men　are　successful；

but　unsuccessful　when　they　fall　out。　For　my　part　I　consider　that　it　is

better　to　be　adventurous　than　cautious；　because　fortune　is　a　woman；　and

if　you　wish　to　keep　her　under　it　is　necessary　to　beat　and　ill…use　her；

and　it　is　seen　that　she　allows　herself　to　be　mastered　by　the　adventurous

rather　than　by　those　who　go　to　work　more　coldly。　She　is；　therefore；

always；　woman…like；　a　lover　of　young　men；　because　they　are　less

cautious；　more　violent；　and　with　more　audacity　mand　her。



CHAPTER　XXVI



AN　EXHORTATION　TO　LIBERATE　ITALY　FROM　THE　BARBARIANS



HAVING　carefully　considered　the　subject　of　the　above　discourses；　and

wondering　within　myself　whether　the　present　times　were　propitious　to　a

new　prince；　and　whether　there　were　the　elements　that　would　give　an

opportunity　to　a　wise　and　virtuous　one　to　introduce　a　new　order　of

things　which　would　do　honour　to　him　and　good　to　the　people　of　this

country；　it　appears　to　me　that　so　many　things　concur　to　favour　a　new

prince　that　I　never　knew　a　time　more　fit　than　the　present。



And　if；　as　I　said；　it　was　necessary　that　the　people　of　Israel　should　be

captive　so　as　to　make　manifest　the　ability　of　Moses；　that　the　Persians

should　be　oppressed　by　the　Medes　so　as　to　discover　the　greatness　of　the

soul　of　Cyrus；　and　that　the　Athenians　should　be　dispersed　to　illustrate

the　capabilities　of　Theseus：　then　at　the　present　time；　in　order　to

discover　the　virtue　of　an　Italian　spirit；　it　was　necessary　that　Italy

should　be　reduced　to　the　extremity　she　is　now　in；　that　she　should　be

more　enslaved　than　the　Hebrews；　more　oppressed　than　the　Persians；　more

scattered　than　the　Athenians；　without　head；　without　order；　beaten；

despoiled；　torn；　overrun；　and　to　have　endured　every　kind　of　desolation。



Although　lately　some　spark　may　have　been　shown　by　one；　which　made　us

think　he　was　ordained　by　God　for　our　redemption；　nevertheless　it　was

afterwards　seen；　in　the　height　of　his　career；　that　fortune　rejected　him；

so　that　Italy；　left　as　without　life；　waits　for　him　who　shall　yet　heal

her　wounds　and　put　an　end　to　the　ravaging　and　plundering　of　Lombardy；　to

the　swindling　and　taxing　of　the　kingdom　and　of　Tuscany；　and　cleanse

those　sores　that　for　long　have　festered。　It　is　seen　how　she　entreats　God

to　send　someone　who　shall　deliver　her　from　these　wrongs　and　barbarous

insolencies。　It　is　seen　also　that　she　is　ready　and　willing　to　follow　a

banner　if　only　someone　will　raise　it。



Nor　is　there　to　be　seen　at　present　one　in　whom　she　can　place　more　hope

than　in　your　illustrious　house；　with　its　valour　and　fortune；　favoured　by

God　and　by　the　Church　of　which　it　is　now　the　chief；　and　which　could　be

made　the　head　of　this　redemption。　This　will　not　be　difficult　if　you　will

recall　to　yourself　the　actions　and　lives　of　the　men　I　have　named。　And

although　they　were　great　and　wonderful　men；　yet　they　were　men；　and　each

one　of　them　had　no　more　opportunity　than　the　present　offers；　for　their

enterprises　were　neither　more　just　nor　easier　than　this；　nor　was　God

more　their　friend　than　He　is　yours。



With　us　there　is　great　justice；　because　that　war　is　just　which　is

necessary；　and　arms　are　hallowed　when　there　is　no　other　hope　but　in

them。　Here　there　is　the　greatest　willingness；　and　where　the　willingness

is　great　the　difficulties　cannot　be　great　if　you　will　only　follow　those

men　to　whom　I　have　directed　your　attention。　Further　than　this；　how

extraordinarily　the　ways　of　God　have　been　manifested　beyond　example：　the

sea　is　divided；　a　cloud　has　led　the　way；　the　rock　has　poured　forth

water；　it　has　rained　manna；　everything　has　contributed　to　your

greatness；　you　ought　to　do　the　rest。　God　is　not　willing　to　do

everything；　and　thus　take　away　our　free　will　and　that　share　of　glory

which　belongs　to　us。



And　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　if　none　of　the　above…named　Italians　have

been　able　to　acplish　all　that　is　expected　from　your　illustrious

house；　and　if　in　so　many　revolutions　in　Italy；　and　in　so　many　campaigns；

it　has　always　appeared　as　if　military　virtue　were　exhausted；　this　has

happened　because　the　old　order　of　things　was　not　good；　and　none　of　us

have　known　how　to　find　a　new　one。　And　nothing　honours　a　man　more　than　to

establish　new　laws　and　new　ordinances　when　he　himself　was　newly　risen。

Such　things　when　they　are　well　founded　and　dignified　will　make　him

revered　and　admired；　and　in　Italy　there　are　not　wanting　opportunities　to

bring　such　into　use　in　every　form。



Here　there　is　great　valour　in　the　limbs　whilst　it　fails　in　the　head。

Look　attentively　at　the　duels　and　the　hand…to…hand　bats；　how　superior

the　Italians　are　in　strength；　dexterity；　and　subtlety。　But　when　it　es

to　armies　they　do　not　bear　parison；　and　this　springs　entirely　from

the　insufficiency　of　the　leaders；　since　those　who　are　capable　are　not

obedient；　and　each　one　seems　to　himself　to　know；　there　having　never　been

any　one　so　distinguished　above　the　rest；　either　by　valour　or　fortune；

that　others　would　yield　to　him。　Hence　it　is　that　for　so　long　a　time；　and

during　so　much　fighting　in　the　past　twenty　years；　whenever　there　has

been　an　army　wholly　Italian；　it　has　always　given　a　poor　account　of

itself；　as　witness　Taro；　Alessandria；　Capua；　Genoa；　Vaila；　Bologna；

Mestre。



If；　therefore；　your　illustrious　house　wishes　to　follow　those　remarkable

men　who　have　redeemed　their　country；　it　is　necessary　before　all　things；

as　a　true　foundation　for　every　enterprise；　to　be　provided　with　your　own

forces；　because　there　can　be　no　more　faithful；　truer；　or　better

soldiers。　And　although　singly　they　are　good；　altogether　they　will　be

much　better　when　they　find　themselves　manded　by　their　prince；

honoured　by　him；　and　maintained　at　his　expense。　Therefore　it　is

necessary　to　be　prepared　with　such　arms；　so　that　you　can　be　defended

against　foreigners　by　Italian　valour。



And　although　Swiss　and　Spanish　infantry　may　be　considered　very

formidable；　nevertheless　there　is　a　defect　in　both；　by　reason　of　which　a

third　order　would　not　only　be　able　to　oppose　them；　but　might　be　relied

upon　to　overthrow　them。　For　the　Spaniards　cannot　resist　cavalry；　and　the

Switzers　are　afraid　of　infantry　whenever　they　encounter　them　in　close

bat。　Owing　to　this；　as　has　been　and　may　again　be　seen；　the　Spaniards

are　unable　to　resist　French　cavalry；　and　the　Switzers　are　overthrown　by

infantry。　And　although　a　plete　proof　of　this　latter　cannot　be　shown；

nevertheless　there　was　some　evidence　of　it　at　the　battle　of　Ravenna；

when　the　Spanish　infantry　were　confronted　by　German　battalions；　who

follow　the　same　tactics　as　the　Swiss；　when　the　Spaniards；　by　agility　of

body　and　with　the　aid　of　their　shields；　got　in　under　the　pikes　of　the

Germans　and　stood　out　of　danger；　able　to　attack；　while　the　Germans　stood

helpless；　and；　if　the　cavalry　had　not　dashed　up；　all　would　have　been

over　with　them。　It　is　possible；　therefore；　knowing　the　defects　of　both

these　infantries；　to　invent　a　new　one；　which　will　resist　cavalry　and　not

be　afraid　of　infantry；　this　need　not　create　a　new　order　of　arms；　but　a

variation　upon　the　old。　And　these　are　the　kind　of　improvements　which

confer　reputation　and　power　upon　a　new　prince。



This　opportunity；　therefore；　ought　not　to　be　allowed　to　pass　for　letting

Italy　at　last　see　her　liberator　appear。　Nor　can　one　express　the　love

with　which　he　would　be　received　in　all　those　provinces　which　have

suffered　so　much　from　these　foreign　scourings；　with　what　thirst　for

revenge；　with　what　stubborn　faith；　with　what　devotion；　with　what　tears。

What　door　would　be　closed　to　him？　Who　would　refuse　obedience　to　him？

What　envy　would　hinder　him？　What　Italian　would　refuse　him　homage？　To　all

of　us　this　barbarous　dominion　stinks。　Let；　therefore；　your　illustrious

house　take　up　this　charge　with　that　courage　and　hope　with　which　all　just

enterprises　are　undertaken；　so　that　under　its　standard　our　native

country　may　be　ennobled；　and　under　its　auspices　may　be　verified　that

saying　of　Petrarch：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Virtu　contro　al　Furore

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Prendera　l'arme；　e　fia　il　batter　corto：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Che　l'antico　valore

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Negli　italici　cuor　non　e　ancor　morto。　＇1＇



1。　Virtue　against　fury　shall　advance　the　fight；

　　　And　it　i'　th'　bat　soon　shall　put　to　flight；

　　　For　the　old　Roman；　valour　is　not　dead；

　　　Nor　in　th'　Italians'　breasts　extinguished。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END