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

it is possible he may be well governd: but this would last but little: for that governor in a short time would deprive him of his State; but a Prince not having any parts of nature, being advised of more then one, shall never be able to unite these counsels: of himself shall he never know how to unite them; and each one of the Counsellers, probably will follow that which is most properly his owne; and he shall never find the meanes to amend or discerne these things; nor can they fall out otherwise, because men alwayes prove mischievous, unlesse upon some necessity they be forc'd to become good: we conclude therefore, that counsells from whencesoever they proceed, must needs take their beginning from the Princes wisdome, and not the wisdome of the Prince from good counsells.

In this Chapter our Authour prescribes some rules how to avoyd
flattery, and not to fall into contempt. The extent of these two
extreames is so large on both sides, that there is left but a
very narrow path for the right temper to walke between them
both: and happy were that Prince, who could light on so good a
Pilote as to bring him to Port between those rocks and those
quicksands. Where Majesty becomes familiar, unlesse endued with
a super-eminent vertue, it loses all awfull regards: as the
light of the Sunne, because so ordinary, because so common, we
should little value, were it not that all Creatures feele
themselves quickned by the rayes thereof. On the other side,
Omnis insipiens arrogantiâ et plausibus capitur, Every foole
is taken with his owne pride and others flatteryes: and this
foole keeps company so much with all great wise men, that hardly
with a candle and lantern can they be discernd betwixt. The
greatest men are more subject to grosse and palpable flatteries;
and especially the greatest of men, who are Kings and Princes:
for many seek the Rulers favour. Prov. 28. 26. For there are
divers meanes whereby private men are instructed; Princes have
not that good hap: but they whose instruction is of most
importance, so soone as they have taken the government upon
them, no longer suffer any reproovers: for but few have accesse
unto them, and they who familiary converse with them, doe and
say all for favour. Isocrat, to Nicocles, All are afraid to give
him occasion of displeasure, though by telling him truth. To
this purpose therefore sayes one; a Prince excells in learning
to ride the great horse, rather than in any other exercise,
because his horse being no flatterer, will shew him he makes no
difference between him and another man, and unlesse he keepe his
seate well, will lay him on the ground. This is plaine dealing.
Men are more subtile, more double-hearted, they have a heart and
a heart neither is their tongue their hearts true interpreter.
Counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters; but a man of
understanding will draw it out. Prov. 20. 5. This
understanding is most requisite in a Prince, inasmuch as the
whole Globe is in his hand, and the inferiour Orbes are swayed
by the motion of the highest. And therefore surely it is the
honour of a King to search out such a secret: Prov. 25. 2. His
counsellours are his eyes and eares; as they ought to be dear to
him, so they ought to be true to him, and make him the true
report of things without disguise. If they prove false eyes, let
him pluck them out; he may as they use glasse eyes, take them
forth without paine, and see never a whit the worse for it. The
wisdome of a Princes Counsellours is a great argument of the
Princes wisdome. And being the choyce of them imports the
Princes credit and safety, our Authour will make him amends for
his other errours by his good advice in his 22 Chap. whether I
referre him.


CHAP. XXIV

Wherefore the Princes of Italy have lost their States.


When these things above said are well observ'd, they make a new Prince seeme as if he had been of old, and presently render him more secure and firme in the State, than if he had already grown ancient therein: for a new Prince is much more observd in his action, than a Prince by inheritance; and when they are known to bee vertuous, men are much more gaind and oblig'd to them thereby, than by the antiquity of their blood: for men are much more taken by things present, than by things past, and when in the present they find good, they content themselves therein, and seeke no further; or rather they undertake the defence of him to their utmost, when the Prince is not wanting in other matters to himself; and so shall he gaine double glory to have given a beginning to a new Principality, adornd, and strengthnd it with good lawes, good arms, good friends, and good examples; as he shall have double shame, that is born a Prince, and by reason of his small discretion hath lost it. And if we shall consider those Lords, that in Italy have lost their States in our dayes, as the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and others; first we shall find in them a common defect, touching their armes, for the reasons which have been above discoursd at length. Afterwards we shall see some of them, that either shall have had the people for their enemies; or be it they had the people to friend, could never know how to assure themselves of the great ones: for without such defects as these, States are not lost, which have so many nerves, that they are able to maintaine an army in the feld. Philip of Macedon, not the father of Alexander the Great, but he that was vanquished by Titus Quintius, had not much State in regard of the greatnesse of the Romanes and of Greece that assail'd him; neverthelesse in that he was a warlike man and knew how to entertaine the people, and assure himself of the Nobles, for many yeares he made the warre good against them: and though at last some town perhaps were taken from him, yet the Kingdome remaind in his hands still. Wherefore these our Princes who for many yeares had continued in their Principalities, for having afterwards lost them, let them not blame Fortune, but their own sloth; because they never having thought during the time of quiet, that they could suffer a change (which is the common fault of men, while faire weather lasts, not to provide for the tempest) when afterwards mischiefes came upon them, thought rather upon flying from them, than upon their defence, and hop'd that the people, weary of the vanquishers insolence, would recall them: which course when the others faile, is good: but very ill is it to leave the other remedies for that: for a man wou'd never go to fall, beleeving another would come to take him up: which may either not come to passe, or if it does, it is not for thy security, because that defence of his is vile, and depends not upon thee; but those defences only are good, certaine, and durable, which depend upon thy owne selfe, and thy owne vertues.


CHAP. XXV

How great power Fortune hath in humane affaires, and what meanes there is to resist it.


It is not unknown unto me, how that many have held opinion, and still hold it, that the affaires of the world are so governd by fortune, and by God, that men by their wisdome cannot amend or alter them; or rather that there is no remedy for them: and hereupon they would think that it were of no availe to take much paines in any thing, but leave all to be governd by chance. This opinion hath gain'd the more credit in our dayes, by reason of the great alteration of things, which we have of late seen, and do every day see, beyond all humane conjecture: upon which, I sometimes thinking, am in some parte inclind to their opinion: neverthelesse not to extinguish quite our owne free will, I think it may be true, that Fortune is the mistrisse of one halfe of our actions; but yet that she lets us have rule of the other half, or little lesse. And I liken her to a precipitous torrent, which when it rages, over-flows the plaines, overthrowes the trees, and buildings, removes the earth from one side, and laies it on another, every one flyes before it, every one yeelds to the fury thereof, as unable to withstand it; and yet however it be thus, when the times are calmer, men are able to make provision against these excesses, with banks and fences so, that afterwards when it swels again, it shall all passe smoothly along, within its channell, or else the violence thereof shall not prove so licentious and hurtfull. In like manner befals it us with fortune, which there shewes her power where vertue is not ordeind to resist her, and thither turnes she all her forces, where she perceives that no provisions nor resistances are made to uphold her. And if you shall consider Italy, which is the seat of these changes, and that which hath given them their motions, you shall see it to be a plaine field, without any trench or bank; which had it been fenc'd with convenient vertue as was Germany, Spain or France; this inundation would never have causd these great alterations it hath, or else would it not have reach'd to us: and this shall suffice to have said, touching the opposing of fortune in generall. But restraining my selfe more to particulars, I say that to day we see a Prince prosper and flourish and to morrow utterly go to ruine; not seeing that he hath alterd any condition or quality; which I beleeve arises first from the causes which we have long since run over, that is because that Prince that relies wholly upon fortune, runnes as her wheele turnes. I beleeve also, that he proves the fortunate man, whose manner of proceeding meets with the quality of the time; and so likewise he unfortunate from whose course of proceeding the times differ: for we see that men, in the things that induce them to the end, (which every one propounds to himselfe, as glory and riches) proceed therein diversly; some with respects, others more bold, and rashly; one with violence, and th'other with cunning; the one with patience, th'other with its contrary; and every one of severall wayes may attaine thereto; we see