the prince-第8部分

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！


　have　depended　on　the　luck　and　the　forces　of　others；　but　solely　on　his　own　power　and　ability。

But　Alexander　died　five　years　after　he　had　first　drawn　the　sword。　He　left　the　duke　with　the　state　of　Romagna　alone　consolidated；　with　the　rest　in　the　air；　between　two　most　powerful　hostile　armies；　and　sick　unto　death。　Yet　there　were　in　the　duke　such　boldness　and　ability；　and　he　knew　so　well　how　men　are　to　be　won　or　lost；　and　so　firm　were　the　foundations　which　in　so　short　a　time　he　had　laid；　that　if　he　had　not　had　those　armies　on　his　back；　or　if　he　had　been　in　good　health；　he　would　have　overcome　all　difficulties。　And　it　is　seen　that　his　foundations　were　good；　for　the　Romagna　awaited　him　for　more　than　a　month。　In　Rome；　although　but　half　alive；　he　remained　secure；　and　whilst　the　Baglioni；　the　Vitelli；　and　the　Orsini　might　come　to　Rome；　they　could　not　effect　anything　against　him。　If　he　could　not　have　made　Pope　him　whom　he　wished；　at　least　the　one　whom　he　did　not　wish　would　not　have　been　elected。　But　if　he　had　been　in　sound　health　at　the　death　of　Alexander；＇*＇　everything　would　have　been　different　to　him。　On　the　day　that　Julius　the　Second＇＋＇　was　elected；　he　told　me　that　he　had　thought　of　everything　that　might　occur　at　the　death　of　his　father；　and　had　provided　a　remedy　for　all；　except　that　he　had　never　anticipated　that；　when　the　death　did　happen；　he　himself　would　be　on　the　point　to　die。

＇*＇　Alexander　VI　died　of　fever；　18th　August　1503。

＇＋＇　Julius　II　was　Giuliano　della　Rovere；　Cardinal　of　San　Pietro　ad　　　　　Vincula；　born　1443；　died　1513。

When　all　the　actions　of　the　duke　are　recalled；　I　do　not　know　how　to　blame　him；　but　rather　it　appears　to　be；　as　I　have　said；　that　I　ought　to　offer　him　for　imitation　to　all　those　who；　by　the　fortune　or　the　arms　of　others；　are　raised　to　government。　Because　he；　having　a　lofty　spirit　and　far…reaching　aims；　could　not　have　regulated　his　conduct　otherwise；　and　only　the　shortness　of　the　life　of　Alexander　and　his　own　sickness　frustrated　his　designs。　Therefore；　he　who　considers　it　necessary　to　secure　himself　in　his　new　principality；　to　win　friends；　to　overcome　either　by　force　or　fraud；　to　make　himself　beloved　and　feared　by　the　people；　to　be　followed　and　revered　by　the　soldiers；　to　exterminate　those　who　have　power　or　reason　to　hurt　him；　to　change　the　old　order　of　things　for　new；　to　be　severe　and　gracious；　magnanimous　and　liberal；　to　destroy　a　disloyal　soldiery　and　to　create　new；　to　maintain　friendship　with　kings　and　princes　in　such　a　way　that　they　must　help　him　with　zeal　and　offend　with　caution；　cannot　find　a　more　lively　example　than　the　actions　of　this　man。

Only　can　he　be　blamed　for　the　election　of　Julius　the　Second；　in　whom　he　made　a　bad　choice；　because；　as　is　said；　not　being　able　to　elect　a　Pope　to　his　own　mind；　he　could　have　hindered　any　other　from　being　elected　Pope；　and　he　ought　never　to　have　consented　to　the　election　of　any　cardinal　whom　he　had　injured　or　who　had　cause　to　fear　him　if　they　became　pontiffs。　For　men　injure　either　from　fear　or　hatred。　Those　whom　he　had　injured；　amongst　others；　were　San　Pietro　ad　Vincula；　Colonna；　San　Giorgio；　and　Ascanio。＇*＇　The　rest；　in　becoming　Pope；　had　to　fear　him；　Rouen　and　the　Spaniards　excepted；　the　latter　from　their　relationship　and　obligations；　the　former　from　his　influence；　the　kingdom　of　France　having　relations　with　him。　Therefore；　above　everything；　the　duke　ought　to　have　created　a　Spaniard　Pope；　and；　failing　him；　he　ought　to　have　consented　to　Rouen　and　not　San　Pietro　ad　Vincula。　He　who　believes　that　new　benefits　will　cause　great　personages　to　forget　old　injuries　is　deceived。　Therefore；　the　duke　erred　in　his　choice；　and　it　was　the　cause　of　his　ultimate　ruin。

＇*＇　San　Giorgio　is　Raffaello　Riario。　Ascanio　is　Ascanio　Sforza。



CHAPTER　VIII

CONCERNING　THOSE　WHO　HAVE　OBTAINED　A　PRINCIPALITY　BY　WICKEDNESS

Although　a　prince　may　rise　from　a　private　station　in　two　ways；　neither　of　which　can　be　entirely　attributed　to　fortune　or　genius；　yet　it　is　manifest　to　me　that　I　must　not　be　silent　on　them；　although　one　could　be　more　copiously　treated　when　I　discuss　republics。　These　methods　are　when；　either　by　some　wicked　or　nefarious　ways；　one　ascends　to　the　principality；　or　when　by　the　favour　of　his　fellow…citizens　a　private　person　becomes　the　prince　of　his　country。　And　speaking　of　the　first　method；　it　will　be　illustrated　by　two　examplesone　ancient；　the　other　modernand　without　entering　further　into　the　subject；　I　consider　these　two　examples　will　suffice　those　who　may　be　compelled　to　follow　them。

Agathocles；　the　Sicilian；＇*＇　became　King　of　Syracuse　not　only　from　a　private　but　from　a　low　and　abject　position。　This　man；　the　son　of　a　potter；　through　all　the　changes　in　his　fortunes　always　led　an　infamous　life。　Nevertheless；　he　accompanied　his　infamies　with　so　much　ability　of　mind　and　body　that；　having　devoted　himself　to　the　military　profession；　he　rose　through　its　ranks　to　be　Praetor　of　Syracuse。　Being　established　in　that　position；　and　having　deliberately　resolved　to　make　himself　prince　and　to　seize　by　violence；　without　obligation　to　others；　that　which　had　been　conceded　to　him　by　assent；　he　came　to　an　understanding　for　this　purpose　with　Amilcar；　the　Carthaginian；　who；　with　his　army；　was　fighting　in　Sicily。　One　morning　he　assembled　the　people　and　the　senate　of　Syracuse；　as　if　he　had　to　discuss　with　them　things　relating　to　the　Republic；　and　at　a　given　signal　the　soldiers　killed　all　the　senators　and　the　richest　of　the　people；　these　dead；　he　seized　and　held　the　princedom　of　that　city　without　any　civil　commotion。　And　although　he　was　twice　routed　by　the　Carthaginians；　and　ultimately　besieged；　yet　not　only　was　he　able　to　defend　his　city；　but　leaving　part　of　his　men　for　its　defence；　with　the　others　he　attacked　Africa；　and　in　a　short　time　raised　the　siege　of　Syracuse。　The　Carthaginians；　reduced　to　extreme　necessity；　were　compelled　to　come　to　terms　with　Agathocles；　and；　leaving　Sicily　to　him；　had　to　be　content　with　the　possession　of　Africa。

＇*＇　Agathocles　the　Sicilian；　born　361　B。C。；　died　289　B。C。

Therefore；　he　who　considers　the　actions　and　the　genius　of　this　man　will　see　nothing；　or　little；　which　can　be　attributed　to　fortune；　inasmuch　as　he　attained　pre…eminence；　as　is　shown　above；　not　by　the　favour　of　any　one；　but　step　by　step　in　the　military　profession；　which　steps　were　gained　with　a　thousand　troubles　and　perils；　and　were　afterwards　boldly　held　by　him　with　many　hazardous　dangers。　Yet　it　cannot　be　called　talent　to　slay　fellow…citizens；　to　deceive　friends；　to　be　without　faith；　without　mercy；　without　religion；　such　methods　may　gain　empire；　but　not　glory。　Still；　if　the　courage　of　Agathocles　in　entering　into　and　extricating　himself　from　dangers　be　considered；　together　with　his　greatness　of　mind　in　enduring　and　overcoming　hardships；　it　cannot　be　seen　why　he　should　be　esteemed　less　than　the　most　notable　captain。　Nevertheless；　his　barbarous　cruelty　and　inhumanity　with　infinite　wickedness　do　not　permit　him　to　be　celebrated　among　the　most　excellent　men。　What　he　achieved　cannot　be　attributed　either　to　fortune　or　genius。

In　our　times；　during　the　rule　of　Alexander　the　Sixth；　Oliverotto　da　Fermo；　having　been　left　an　orphan　many　years　before；　was　brought　up　by　his　maternal　uncle；　Giovanni　Fogliani；　and　in　the　early　days　of　his　youth　sent　to　fight　under　Pagolo　Vitelli；　that；　being　trained　under　his　discipline；　he　might　attain　some　high　position　in　the　military　profession。　After　Pagolo　died；　he　fought　under　his　brother　Vitellozzo；　and　in　a　very　short　time；　being　endowed　with　wit　and　a　vigorous　body　and　mind；　he　became　the　first　man　in　his　profession。　But　it　appearing　a　paltry　thing　to　serve　under　others；　he　resolved；　with　the　aid　of　some　citizens　of　Fermo；　to　whom　the　slavery　of　their　country　was　dearer　than　its　liberty；　and　with　the　help　of　the　Vitelleschi；　to　seize　Fermo。　So　he　wrote　to　Giovanni　Fogliani　that；　having　been　away　from　home　for　many　years；　he　wished　to　visit　him　and　his　city；　and　in　some　measure　to　look　upon　his　patrimony；　and　although　he　had　not　laboured　to　acquire　anything　except　honour；　yet；　in　order　that　the　citizens　should　see　he　had　not　spent　his　time　in　vain；　he　desired　to　come　honourably；　so　would　be　accompanied　by　one　hundred　horsemen；　his　friends　and　retainers；　and　he　entreated　Giovanni　to　arrange　that　he　should　be　received　honourably　by　the　Fermians；　all　of　which　would　be　not　only　to　his　honour；　but　also　to　that　of　Giovanni　himself；　who　had　brought　him　up。

Giovanni；　therefore；　did　not　fail　in　any　attentions　due　to　his　nephew；　and　he　caused　him　to　be　honourably　received　by　the　Fermians；　and　he　lodged　him　in　his　own　house；　where；　having　passed　some　days；　and　having　arranged　what　was　necessary　for　his　wicked　designs；　Oliverotto　gave　a　solemn　banquet　to　which　he　invited　Giovanni　Fogliani　and　the　chiefs　of　Fermo。　When　the　viands　and　all　the　other　entertainments　that　are　usual　in　such　banquets　were　finished；　Oliverotto　artfully　began　certain　grave　discourses；　speaking　of　the　greatness　of　Pope　Alexander　and　his　son　Cesare；　and　of　their　enterprises；　to　which　discourse　Giovanni　and　others　answered；　but　he　rose　at　once；　saying　that　such　matters　ought　to　be　discussed　in　a　more　private　place；　and　he　betook　himself　to　a　chamber；　whither　Giovanni　and　the　rest　of　the　citizens　went　in　after　him。　No　sooner　were　they　seated　than　soldiers　issued　from　secret　places　and　slaughtered　Giovanni　and　the　rest。　After　these　murders　Oliverotto；　mounted　on　horseback；　rode　up　and　down　the　town　and　besieged　the　chief　magistrate　in　the　palace；　so　that　in　fear　the　people　were　forced　to　obey　him；　and　to　form　a　government；　of　which　he　made　himself　the　prince。　He　killed　all　the　malcontents　who　were　able　to　injure　him；　and　strengthened　himself　with　new　civil　and　military　ordinances；　in　such　a　way　that；　in　the　year　during　which　he　held　the　principality；　not　only　was　he　secure　in　the　city　of　Fermo；　but　he　had　become　formidable　to　all　his　neighbours。　And　his　destruction　would　have　been　as　difficult　as　that　of　Agathocles　if　he　had　not　allowed　himself　to　be　overreached　by　Cesare　Borgia；　who　took　him　with　the　Orsini　and　Vitelli　at　Sinigalia；　as　was　stated　above。　Thus　one　year　after　he　had　committed　this　parricide；　he　was　strangled；　together　with　Vitellozzo；　whom　he　had　made　his　leader　in　valour　and　wickedness。

Som