the prince-第6部分

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oes　it　utmost　to　support　him；　and　therefore　he　who　would　keep　a　city　accustomed　to　freedom　will　hold　it　more　easily　by　the　means　of　its　own　citizens　than　in　any　other　way。

There　are；　for　example；　the　Spartans　and　the　Romans。　The　Spartans　held　Athens　and　Thebes；　establishing　there　an　oligarchy；　nevertheless　they　lost　them。　The　Romans；　in　order　to　hold　Capua；　Carthage；　and　Numantia；　dismantled　them；　and　did　not　lose　them。　They　wished　to　hold　Greece　as　the　Spartans　held　it；　making　it　free　and　permitting　its　laws；　and　did　not　succeed。　So　to　hold　it　they　were　compelled　to　dismantle　many　cities　in　the　country；　for　in　truth　there　is　no　safe　way　to　retain　them　otherwise　than　by　ruining　them。　And　he　who　becomes　master　of　a　city　accustomed　to　freedom　and　does　not　destroy　it；　may　expect　to　be　destroyed　by　it；　for　in　rebellion　it　has　always　the　watchword　of　liberty　and　its　ancient　privileges　as　a　rallying　point；　which　neither　time　nor　benefits　will　ever　cause　it　to　forget。　And　whatever　you　may　do　or　provide　against；　they　never　forget　that　name　or　their　privileges　unless　they　are　disunited　or　dispersed；　but　at　every　chance　they　immediately　rally　to　them；　as　Pisa　after　the　hundred　years　she　had　been　held　in　bondage　by　the　Florentines。

But　when　cities　or　countries　are　accustomed　to　live　under　a　prince；　and　his　family　is　exterminated；　they；　being　on　the　one　hand　accustomed　to　obey　and　on　the　other　hand　not　having　the　old　prince；　cannot　agree　in　making　one　from　amongst　themselves；　and　they　do　not　know　how　to　govern　themselves。　For　this　reason　they　are　very　slow　to　take　up　arms；　and　a　prince　can　gain　them　to　himself　and　secure　them　much　more　easily。　But　in　republics　there　is　more　vitality；　greater　hatred；　and　more　desire　for　vengeance；　which　will　never　permit　them　to　allow　the　memory　of　their　former　liberty　to　rest；　so　that　the　safest　way　is　to　destroy　them　or　to　reside　there。



CHAPTER　VI

CONCERNING　NEW　PRINCIPALITIES　WHICH　ARE　ACQUIRED　BY　ONE'S　OWN　ARMS　AND　ABILITY

Let　no　one　be　surprised　if；　in　speaking　of　entirely　new　principalities　as　I　shall　do；　I　adduce　the　highest　examples　both　of　prince　and　of　state；　because　men；　walking　almost　always　in　paths　beaten　by　others；　and　following　by　imitation　their　deeds；　are　yet　unable　to　keep　entirely　to　the　ways　of　others　or　attain　to　the　power　of　those　they　imitate。　A　wise　man　ought　always　to　follow　the　paths　beaten　by　great　men；　and　to　imitate　those　who　have　been　supreme；　so　that　if　his　ability　does　not　equal　theirs；　at　least　it　will　savour　of　it。　Let　him　act　like　the　clever　archers　who；　designing　to　hit　the　mark　which　yet　appears　too　far　distant；　and　knowing　the　limits　to　which　the　strength　of　their　bow　attains；　take　aim　much　higher　than　the　mark；　not　to　reach　by　their　strength　or　arrow　to　so　great　a　height；　but　to　be　able　with　the　aid　of　so　high　an　aim　to　hit　the　mark　they　wish　to　reach。

I　say；　therefore；　that　in　entirely　new　principalities；　where　there　is　a　new　prince；　more　or　less　difficulty　is　found　in　keeping　them；　accordingly　as　there　is　more　or　less　ability　in　him　who　has　acquired　the　state。　Now；　as　the　fact　of　becoming　a　prince　from　a　private　station　presupposes　either　ability　or　fortune；　it　is　clear　that　one　or　other　of　these　things　will　mitigate　in　some　degree　many　difficulties。　Nevertheless；　he　who　has　relied　least　on　fortune　is　established　the　strongest。　Further；　it　facilitates　matters　when　the　prince；　having　no　other　state；　is　compelled　to　reside　there　in　person。

But　to　come　to　those　who；　by　their　own　ability　and　not　through　fortune；　have　risen　to　be　princes；　I　say　that　Moses；　Cyrus；　Romulus；　Theseus；　and　such　like　are　the　most　excellent　examples。　And　although　one　may　not　discuss　Moses；　he　having　been　a　mere　executor　of　the　will　of　God；　yet　he　ought　to　be　admired；　if　only　for　that　favour　which　made　him　worthy　to　speak　with　God。　But　in　considering　Cyrus　and　others　who　have　acquired　or　founded　kingdoms；　all　will　be　found　admirable；　and　if　their　particular　deeds　and　conduct　shall　be　considered；　they　will　not　be　found　inferior　to　those　of　Moses；　although　he　had　so　great　a　preceptor。　And　in　examining　their　actions　and　lives　one　cannot　see　that　they　owed　anything　to　fortune　beyond　opportunity；　which　brought　them　the　material　to　mould　into　the　form　which　seemed　best　to　them。　Without　that　opportunity　their　powers　of　mind　would　have　been　extinguished；　and　without　those　powers　the　opportunity　would　have　come　in　vain。

It　was　necessary；　therefore；　to　Moses　that　he　should　find　the　people　of　Israel　in　Egypt　enslaved　and　oppressed　by　the　Egyptians；　in　order　that　they　should　be　disposed　to　follow　him　so　as　to　be　delivered　out　of　bondage。　It　was　necessary　that　Romulus　should　not　remain　in　Alba；　and　that　he　should　be　abandoned　at　his　birth；　in　order　that　he　should　become　King　of　Rome　and　founder　of　the　fatherland。　It　was　necessary　that　Cyrus　should　find　the　Persians　discontented　with　the　government　of　the　Medes；　and　the　Medes　soft　and　effeminate　through　their　long　peace。　Theseus　could　not　have　shown　his　ability　had　he　not　found　the　Athenians　dispersed。　These　opportunities；　therefore；　made　those　men　fortunate；　and　their　high　ability　enabled　them　to　recognize　the　opportunity　whereby　their　country　was　ennobled　and　made　famous。

Those　who　by　valorous　ways　become　princes；　like　these　men；　acquire　a　principality　with　difficulty；　but　they　keep　it　with　ease。　The　difficulties　they　have　in　acquiring　it　rise　in　part　from　the　new　rules　and　methods　which　they　are　forced　to　introduce　to　establish　their　government　and　its　security。　And　it　ought　to　be　remembered　that　there　is　nothing　more　difficult　to　take　in　hand；　more　perilous　to　conduct；　or　more　uncertain　in　its　success；　then　to　take　the　lead　in　the　introduction　of　a　new　order　of　things。　Because　the　innovator　has　for　enemies　all　those　who　have　done　well　under　the　old　conditions；　and　lukewarm　defenders　in　those　who　may　do　well　under　the　new。　This　coolness　arises　partly　from　fear　of　the　opponents；　who　have　the　laws　on　their　side；　and　partly　from　the　incredulity　of　men；　who　do　not　readily　believe　in　new　things　until　they　have　had　a　long　experience　of　them。　Thus　it　happens　that　whenever　those　who　are　hostile　have　the　opportunity　to　attack　they　do　it　like　partisans；　whilst　the　others　defend　lukewarmly；　in　such　wise　that　the　prince　is　endangered　along　with　them。

It　is　necessary；　therefore；　if　we　desire　to　discuss　this　matter　thoroughly；　to　inquire　whether　these　innovators　can　rely　on　themselves　or　have　to　depend　on　others：　that　is　to　say；　whether；　to　consummate　their　enterprise；　have　they　to　use　prayers　or　can　they　use　force？　In　the　first　instance　they　always　succeed　badly；　and　never　compass　anything；　but　when　they　can　rely　on　themselves　and　use　force；　then　they　are　rarely　endangered。　Hence　it　is　that　all　armed　prophets　have　conquered；　and　the　unarmed　ones　have　been　destroyed。　Besides　the　reasons　mentioned；　the　nature　of　the　people　is　variable；　and　whilst　it　is　easy　to　persuade　them；　it　is　difficult　to　fix　them　in　that　persuasion。　And　thus　it　is　necessary　to　take　such　measures　that；　when　they　believe　no　longer；　it　may　be　possible　to　make　them　believe　by　force。

If　Moses；　Cyrus；　Theseus；　and　Romulus　had　been　unarmed　they　could　not　have　enforced　their　constitutions　for　longas　happened　in　our　time　to　Fra　Girolamo　Savonarola；　who　was　ruined　with　his　new　order　of　things　immediately　the　multitude　believed　in　him　no　longer；　and　he　had　no　means　of　keeping　steadfast　those　who　believed　or　of　making　the　unbelievers　to　believe。　Therefore　such　as　these　have　great　difficulties　in　consummating　their　enterprise；　for　all　their　dangers　are　in　the　ascent；　yet　with　ability　they　will　overcome　them；　but　when　these　are　overcome；　and　those　who　envied　them　their　success　are　exterminated；　they　will　begin　to　be　respected；　and　they　will　continue　afterwards　powerful；　secure；　honoured；　and　happy。

To　these　great　examples　I　wish　to　add　a　lesser　one；　still　it　bears　some　resemblance　to　them；　and　I　wish　it　to　suffice　me　for　all　of　a　like　kind：　it　is　Hiero　the　Syracusan。＇*＇　This　man　rose　from　a　private　station　to　be　Prince　of　Syracuse；　nor　did　he；　either；　owe　anything　to　fortune　but　opportunity；　for　the　Syracusans；　being　oppressed；　chose　him　for　their　captain；　afterwards　he　was　rewarded　by　being　made　their　prince。　He　was　of　so　great　ability；　even　as　a　private　citizen；　that　one　who　writes　of　him　says　he　wanted　nothing　but　a　kingdom　to　be　a　king。　This　man　abolished　the　old　soldiery；　organized　the　new；　gave　up　old　alliances；　made　new　ones；　and　as　he　had　his　own　soldiers　and　allies；　on　such　foundations　he　was　able　to　build　any　edifice：　thus；　whilst　he　had　endured　much　trouble　in　acquiring；　he　had　but　little　in　keeping。

＇*＇　Hiero　II；　born　about　307　B。C。；　died　216　B。C。



CHAPTER　VII

CONCERNING　NEW　PRINCIPALITIES　WHICH　ARE　ACQUIRED　EITHER　BY　THE　ARMS　OF　OTHERS　OR　BY　GOOD　FORTUNE

Those　who　solely　by　good　fortune　become　princes　from　being　private　citizens　have　little　trouble　in　rising；　but　much　in　keeping　atop；　they　have　not　any　difficulties　on　the　way　up；　because　they　fly；　but　they　have　many　when　they　reach　the　summit。　Such　are　those　to　whom　some　state　is　given　either　for　money　or　by　the　favour　of　him　who　bestows　it；　as　happened　to　many　in　Greece；　in　the　cities　of　Ionia　and　of　the　Hellespont；　where　princes　were　made　by　Darius；　in　order　that　they　might　hold　the　cities　both　for　his　security　and　his　glory；　as　also　were　those　emperors　who；　by　the　corruption　of　the　soldiers；　from　being　citizens　came　to　empire。　Such　stand　simply　elevated　upon　the　goodwill　and　the　fortune　of　him　who　has　elevated　themtwo　most　inconstant　and　unstable　things。　Neither　have　they　the　knowledge　requisite　for　the　position；　because；　unless　they　are　men　of　great　worth　and　ability；　it　is　not　reasonable　to　expect　that　they　should　know　how　to　command；　having　always　lived　in　a　private　condition；　besides；　they　cannot　hold　it　because　they　have　not　forces　which　they　can　keep　friendly　and　faithful。

States　that　rise　unexpectedly；　then；　like　all　other　things　in　nature　which　are　born　and　grow　rapidly；　cannot　leave　their　foundations　and　correspondencies＇*＇　fixed　in　such　a　way　that　the　first　storm　will　not　overthrow　them；　unless；　as　is　said；　those　who　unexpectedly　become　princes　are　men　of　so　much　ability　that　they　know　they　hav