CHAP. XXIV.
How it came to pass that the Princes of Italy have most of them lost their Dominions.
THE Qualities aforesaid being observed; they make a new Prince appear in the number of the more Ancient, and render him presently more firm and secure in his Govern∣ment, than if he had descended to it by right of inheritance; for the Actions of a new Prince are liable to stricter observation, than if he were Hereditary, and when they are known to be virtuous, gain more upon people, and oblige them farther than antiquity of Blood; because Men are more affected with present, than pass'd things, and when in their present condition they find themselves well, they content themselves with it, without looking out any where else, employing themselves wholly in defence of their Prince, unless in other things he be defective to himself: So that thereby he will have double honor, in having laid the foundation of a new Principality, and embellished and fortified it, with good Laws, good Force, good Friends, and good Example: whereas he multiplies his disgrace, who being born Prince, loses his inheritance by his own ill management and imprudence. And if the Soveraign Princes in Italy, who in our time have lost their Dominions, be con∣sidered, as the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and others, there will be found in their beginning one common defect as to the management of their Arms, for the reasons largely discours'd of before: besides some of them will appear to have been hated by the people, or if they have had so much prudence as to preserve a friendship with them, they have been ignorant how to secure themselves against the Grandees; for without these errors no States are lost that have Money and strength enough to bring an Army into the Field. Philip of Macedon (not Alexander the Great's Father, but he who was overcome by Titus Quintus) had no great force in comparison of the Romans and the Grecians which invaded him; yet, being a Martial Man, and one that understood how to insinuate with the Peo∣ple, and oblige the Nobility, he maintained War several years agaisnt both of them, and though at last he lost some Towns, yet he kept his Kingdom in spight of them. Those therefore of our Princes who for many years together were settled in their Principalities, if they lost them afterwards, they cannot accuse fortune, but their own negligence and indis∣cretion, for not having in quiet times considered they might change (and it is the common infirmity of Mankind in a calm to make no reckoning of a Tempest) when adversity ap∣proached, they thought more of making their escape than defence, resting their whole hopes upon this, that when the people were weary of the insolence of the Conqueror, they would recal them again. Which resolution is tolerable indeed, when others are wanting, but to neglect all other remedies, and trust only to that, is much to be condemned, for a man would never throw himself down, that another might take him up; besides, that may not happen, or if it does, not with your security, because that kind of defence is poor, and depends not on your self, and no defences are good, certain, and lasting, which proceed not from the Princes own Courage and Virtue.