The works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel, citizen and secretary of Florence written originally in Italian, and from thence newly and faithfully translated into English.

CHAP. XIV.

The duty of a Prince in relation to his Militia.

A Prince then is to have no other design, nor thought, nor study, but War, and the Arts and Disciplines of it; for indeed that is the only profession worthy of a Prince, and is of so much importance, that it not only preserves those who are born Princes in their patrimonies, but advances men of private condition to that Honorable degree. On the otherside it is frequently seen when Princes have addicted themselves more to delicacy and softness, than to Arms, they have lost all, and been driven out of their States; for the prin∣cipal things which deprives or gains a man authority, is the neglect or profession of that Art: Francesco Sforza by his Experience in War, of a private person made himself Duke of Milan, and his Children, seeking to avoid the fatigues and incommodities thereof, of Dukes became private Men; for among other evils and inconveniences which attend when you are ignorant in War, it makes you contemptible, which is a scandal a Prince ought with all diligence to avoid, for reasons I shall name hereafter; besides betwixt a potent, and an impotent, a vigilant and a negligent Prince there is no proportion, it being unreasona∣ble that a Martial and Generous person should be subject willingly to one that is weak and remiss; or that those who are careless and effeminate, should be safe amongst those who are Military and Active; for the one is too insolent, and the other too captious, ever to do any thing well together; so that a Prince unacquainted with the Discipline of War, besides, other infelicities to which he is expos'd, cannot be beloved by, nor confident in his Armies. He never therefore ought to relax his thoughts from the Exercises of War, not so much as in time of Peace, and indeed then he should employ his thoughts more studiously therein, than in War it self, which may be done two ways, by the application of the body, and the mind. As to his bodily application, or matter of action, besides that he is obliged to keep his Armies in good Discipline and Exercise, he ought to inure himself to sports, and by

Hunting and Hawking, and such like recreation, accustom his body to hardship, and hun∣ger, and thirst, and at the same time inform himself of the Coasts and situation of the Country, the bigness and elevation of the Mountains, the largeness and avenues of the Val∣lies, the extent of the Plains, the Nature of the Rivers and Fens, which is to be done with great curiosity; and this knowledge is useful two ways; for hereby he not only learns to know his own Country, and to provide better for its defence, but it prepares and adapts him, by observing their situations, to comprehend the situations of other Countries, which will perhaps be necessary for him to discover: For the Hills, the Vales, the Plains, the Rivers, and the Marshes (for Example) in Tuscany, have a certain similitude and resem∣blance with those in other Provinces; so that by the knowledge of one, we may easily ima∣gine the rest: and that Prince who is defective in this, wants the most necessary qualification of a General; for by knowing the Country, he knows how to beat up his Enemy; take up his quarters; March his Armies; Draw up his Men; and besiege a Town with advantage. In the Character which Historians give of Philopomenes Prince of Achaia, one of his great Commendations is, that in time of peace he thought of nothing but Military affairs, and when he was in Company with his Friends in the Country, he would many times stop sud∣denly, and expostulate with them; if the Enemy were upon that Hill, and our Army where we are, which would have the advantage of the ground? How could we come at them with most security? if we would draw off, how might we do it best? Or if they would retreat, how might we follow? so that as he was travelling, he would propose all the accidents to which an Army was subject; he would hear their opinion, give them his own, and reinforce it with arguments; and this he did so frequently, that by continual pra∣ctice, and a constant intention of his thoughts upon that business, he brought himself to that perfection, no accident could happen, no inconvenience could occur to an Army, but he could presently redress it. But as to the exercise of the mind, a Prince is to do that by diligence in History, and solemn consideration of the actions of the most Excellent Men; by observing how they demean'd themselves in the Wars, examining the grounds and rea∣sons of their Victories, and Losses, that he may be able to avoid the one, and imitate the other; and above all, to keep close to the Example of some great Captain of old (if any such occurs in his reading) and not only to make him his pattern, but to have all his actions perpetually in his mind, as it was said Alexander did by Achilles; Caesar by Alexander, Scipio by Cyrus. And whoever reads the life of Cyrus written by Xenophon, will find how much Scipio advantaged his renown by that imitation, and how much in modesty, affability, humanity, and liberality he framed himself to the description which Xenophon had given him. A wise Prince therefore is to observe all these rules, and never be idle in time of peace, but employ himself therein with all his industry, that in his adversity he may reap the fruit of it, and when fortune frowns, be ready to defie her.