Machiavelli, Volume I by Niccolò Machiavelli (best ereader for students .txt) 📕

service: which if you shall accept and protect, I shall remain

Your Graces humble and devoted servant,

EDWARD DACRES.


THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.


Questionless some men will blame me for making this Author speak in our vulgar tongue. For his Maximes and Tenents are condemnd of all, as pernicious to all Christian States, and hurtfull to all humane Societies. Herein I shall answer for my self with the Comoedian, Placere studeo bonis quam plurimis, et minimé multos lædere: I endeavor to give content to the most I can of those that are well disposed, and no scandal to any. I grant, I find him blamed and condemned: I do no less my self. Reader, either do thou read him without a prejudicate opinion, and out of thy own judgement taxe his errors; or at least, if thou canst stoop so low, make use of my pains to help thee; I will promise thee this reward for thy labor: if thou consider well the actions of the world, thou shalt find him much practised by those that condemn him; who willingly would walk as theeves do with close lanternes in the night, that they being undescried, and yet seeing all, might surprise the unwary in the dark. Surely this book will infect no man: out of the wicked treasure of a mans own wicked heart, he drawes his malice and mischief. From the same flower the Bee sucks honey, from whence the Spider hath his poyson. And he that means well, shall be here warnd, where the deceitfull man learnes to set his snares. A judge who hath often used to examine theeves, becomes the more expert to sift out their tricks. If mischief come hereupon, blame not me, nor blame my Author: lay the saddle on the right horse: but Hony soit qui mal y pense: let shame light on him that hatcht the mischief.


THE PRINCE

NICHOLAS MACHIAVELLI,

to the Magnificent LAURENCE sonne to PETER OF MEDICIS health.


They that desire to ingratiate themselves with a Prince, commonly use to offer themselves to his view, with things of that nature as such persons take most pleasure and delight in: whereupon we see they are many times presented with Horses and Armes, cloth of gold, pretious stones, and such like ornaments, worthy of their greatness. Having then a mind to offer up my self to your Magnificence, with some testimony of my service to you, I found nothing in my whole inventory, that I think better of, or more esteeme, than the knowlege of great mens actions, which I have learned by a long experience of modern affairs, and a continual reading of those of the ancients. Which, now that I have with great diligence long workt it out, and throughly sifted, I commend to your Magnificence. And, however I may well think this work unworthy of your view; yet such is your humanity, that I doubt not but it shall find acceptance, considering, that for my part I am not able to tender a greater gift, than to present you with the means, whereby in a very short time you may be able to understand all that, which I, in the space of many years, and with many sufferances and dangers, have made proof and gaind the knowledge of. And this work I have not set forth either with elegancy of discourse or stile, nor with any other ornament whereby to captivate the reader, as others use, because I would not have it gain its esteem from elsewhere than from the truth of the matter, and the gravity of the subject. Nor can this be thought presumption, if a man of humble and low condition venture to dilate and discourse upon the governments of Princes; for even as they that with their pensils designe out countreys, get themselves into the plains below to consider the nature of the mountains, and other high places above; and again to consider the plains below, they get up to the tops of the mountains; in like manner to understand the nature of the people, it is fit to be a Prince; and to know well the dispositions of Princes, sutes best with the understanding of a subject. Your Magnificence then may be pleased, to receive this small present, with the same mind that I send it; which if you shall throughly peruse and consider, you shall perceive therein that I exceedingly wish, that you may attain to that greatness, which your own fortune, and your excellent endowments promise you: and if your Magnificence from the very point of your Highness shall sometime cast your eyes upon these inferior places, you shall see how undeservedly I undergoe an extream and continual despight of Fortune.


THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS

CHAP. 1.

How many sorts of Principalities there are, and how many wayes they are attained to, 263

CHAP. 2.

Of hereditary Principalities, 264

CHAP. 3.

Of mixt Principalities, 265

CHAP. 4.

Wherefore Darius his Kingdome, taken by Alexander, rebelled not against his successors after Alexanders death, 273

CHAP. 5.

In what manner Cities and Principalities are to be governed, which before they were conquered, lived under their own laws, 276

CHAP. 6.

Of new Principalities that are conquered by ones own armes and valor, 277

CHAP. 7.

Of new Principalities gotten by fortune and other mens forces, 281

CHAP. 8.

Concerning those who by wicked means have attaind to a Principality, 289

CHAP. 9.

Of the Civil Principality, 293

CHAP. 10.

In what manner the forces of all Principalities ought to be measured, 297

CHAP. 11.

Concerning Ecclesiastical Principalities, 299

CHAP. 12.

How many sorts of Military discipline there be; and touching mercenary soldiers, 302

CHAP. 13.

Of Auxiliary Soldiers, mixt and natives, 307

CHAP. 14.

What belongs to the Prince touching military discipline, 310

CHAP. 15.

Of those things in respect whereof men, and especially Princes are prais'd or disprais'd, 313

CHAP. 16.

Of Liberality and Miserableness, 315

CHAP. 17.

Of Cruelty and Clemency, and whether it is better to be belov'd or feared, 318

CHAP. 18.

In what manner Princes ought to keep their word, 321

CHAP. 19.

That Princes should take a care not to incur contempt or hatred, 325

CHAP. 20.

Whether the Citadels and many other things, which Princes make use of, are profitable or dammageable, 335

CHAP. 21.

How a Prince ought to behave himself to gain reputation, 339

CHAP. 22.

Touching Princes Secretaries, 343

CHAP. 23.

That Flatterers are to be avoyded, 344

CHAP. 24.

Wherefore the Princes of Italy have lost their States, 347

CHAP. 25.

How great power Fortune hath in humane affairs, and what means there is to resist it, 349

CHAP. 26.

An exhortation to free Italy from the Barbarions, 353


THE PRINCE

Written by

NICHOLAS MACHIAVELLI, Secretary and Citizen of Florence.


CHAP. I

How many sorts of Principalities there are, and how many wayes they are attained to.


All States, all Dominions that have had, or now have rule over men, have been and are, either Republiques or Principalities. Principalities are either hereditary, whereof they of the blood of the Lord thereof have long time been Princes; or else they are new; and those that are new, are either all new, as was the Dutchy of Millan to Francis Sforce; or are as members adjoyned to the hereditary State of the Prince that gains it; as the Kingdom of Naples is to the King of Spain. These Dominions so gotten, are accustomed either to live under a Prince, or to enjoy their liberty; and are made conquest of, either with others forces, or ones own, either by fortune, or by valor.


CHAP. II

Of Hereditary Principalities.


I will not here discourse of Republiques, because I have other where treated of them at large: I will apply my self only to a Principality, and proceed, while I weave this web, by arguing thereupon, how these Principallities can be governed and maintained. I say then that in States of inheritance, and accustomed to the blood of their Princes, there are far fewer difficulties to keep them, than in the new: for it suffices only not to transgress the course his Ancestors took, and so afterward to temporise with those accidents that can happen; that if such a Prince be but of ordinary industry, he shall allwaies be able to maintain himself in his State, unless by some extraordinary or excessive power he be deprived thereof; and when he had lost it, upon the least sinister chance that befalls the usurper, he recovers it again. We have in Italy the Duke of Ferrara for example hereof, who was of ability to resist the Venetians, in the year 84, and to withstand Pope Julius in the tenth for no other reason, than because he had of old continued in that rule; for the natural Prince hath fewer occasions, and less heed to give offence, whereupon of necessity he must be more beloved; and unless it be that some extravagant vices of his bring him into hatred, it is agreeable to reason, that naturally he should be well beloved by his own subjects: and in the antiquity and continuation of the Dominion, the remembrances and occasions of innovations are quite extinguished: for evermore one change leaves a kind of breach or dent, to fasten the building of another.


CHAP. III

Of mixt Principalities.


But the difficulties consist in the new Principality; and first, if it be not all new, but as a member, so that it may be termed altogether as mixt; and the variations thereof proceed in the first place from a natural difficulty, which we commonly finde in all new Principalities; for men do willingly change their Lord, beleeving to better their condition; and this beliefe causes them to take armes against him that rules over them, whereby they deceive themselves, because they find after by experience, they have made it worse: which depends upon another natural and ordinary necessity, forcing him alwaies to offend those, whose Prince he newly becomes, as well by his soldiers he is put to entertain upon them as by many other injuries, which a new conquest draws along with it; in such manner as thou findest all those thine enemies, whom thou hast endammaged in the seizing of that Principality, and afterwards canst not keep them thy friends that have seated thee in it, for not being able to satisfie them according to their expectations, nor put in practice strong remedies against them, being obliged to them. For however one be very well provided with strong armies, yet hath he alwaies need of the favor of the inhabitants in the Countrey, to enter thereinto. For these reasons, Lewis the twelfth, King of France, suddenly took Milan, and as soon lost it; and the first time Lodwick his own forces served well enough to wrest it out of his hands; for those people that had opened him the gates, finding themselves deceived of their opinion, and of that future good which they had promised themselves, could not endure the distastes the new Prince gave them. True it is, that Countreys that have rebelled again the second time, being recovered, are harder lost; for their Lord, taking occasion from their rebellion, is less respective of persons, but cares only to secure himself, by punishing the delinquents, to clear all suspicions, and to provide for himself where he thinks he is weakest: so that if to