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. XXV.

How far in human affairs Fortune may avail; and in what manner she may be resisted.

I Am not ignorant that it is, and has been of old the opinion of many people, that the affairs of the world are so govern'd by Fortune and Divine Providence, that Man can∣not by his Wisdom correct them, or apply any remedy at all; from whence they would infer that we are not to labour and sweat, but to leave every thing to its own tendancy and event. This opinion has obtained more in our days, by the many and frequent revolutions, which have been, and are still seen beyond all humane conjecture. And when I think of it seriously sometimes, I am in some measure inclined to it my self; nevertheless that our own free will may not utterly be exploded, I conceive it may be true that fortune may have the arbitrement of one half of our actions, but that she leaves the other half (or little less) to be governed by our selves. Fortune, I do resemble to a rapid and impetuous River, which when swelled, and enraged, overwhelms the Plains, subverts the T••ees, and the Houses, forces away the Earth from one place, and carries it to another, every body fears, every body shuns, but no body knows how to resist it; Yet though it be thus furious some∣times, it does not follow but when it is quiet and calm, men may by banks, and fences, and other provisions correct it in such manner, that when it swells again, it may be carried off by some Canal, or the violence thereof rendered less licentious and destructive. So it is with Fortune, which shows her power where there is no predisposed virtue to resist it, and turns all her force and impetuosity, where she knows there are no banks, no fences to restrain her: If you consider Italy (the seat of all these revolutions) and what it was that caus'd them, you will find it an open field, without any bounds or Ramparts of secure it; and that, had it been defended by the Courage of their Ancestors, as Germany, and Spain, and France have been, those inundations had never hapned, or never made such devasta∣tion as they have done. And this I hold sufficient to have spoken in general against For∣tune. But restraining my self a little more to particulars, I say it is ordinary to see a Prince happy one day, and ruined the next, without discerning any difference in his humor or Government; and this I impute to the reasons of which I have discoursed largely before; and one of them is, because that Prince which relies wholly upon Fortune, being subject to her Variations, must of necessity be ruined. I believe, again that Prince may be happy, whose manner of proceeding concerts with the times, and he unhappy who cannot accom∣modate to them: For in things leading to the end of their designs (which every man has in his eye, and they are riches and honour) we see men have various methods of proceeding. Some with circumspection, others with heat; some with violence, others with cunning; some with patience, and others with fury, and every one (notwithstanding the diversity of their ways) may possibly attain them. Again we see two persons equally cautious, one of them prospers, and the other miscarri••s, and on the other side, two equally happy by different measures, one being deliberate, and the other as hasty; and this proceeds from nothing but the condition of the times which suits, or does not suit; with the manner of their proceedings. From hence arises what I have said, That two persons by different operations do attain the same end, whil'st two others steer the same Course, and one of them succeeds, and the other is ruined. From hence likewise may be deduced the Vicissi∣tudes of good; for if to one who manages with deliberation and patience, the times and conjuncture of affairs, come about so favourably that his Conduct be in fashion, he must needs be happy; but if the face of affairs, and the times change, and he changes not with them, he is certainly ruined. Nor is there any man to be found so wise, that knows how to accommodate, or frame himself to all these varieties, both because he cannot deviate from that to which Nature has inclined him; as likewise because if a man has constantly prospered in one way, it is no easie matter to persuade him to another; and he that is so cautious, being at a loss when time requires he should be vigorous, must of necessity be de∣stroyed; whereas if he could turn with the times, his fortune would never betray him. Pope Iulius XI. in all his Enterprizes, acted with passion and vehemence, and the times and accident of affairs were so sutable to his manner of proceeding, that he prospered in whatever he undertook. Consider his Expedition of Bolonia in the days of Messer Giovanni Ben••ivogli, The V••netians were against it, and the Kings of Spain and France were in treaty, and had a mind to it themselves; yet he with his promptitude and fury, undertook it per∣sonally himself, and that activity of his, kept both Spaniard, and Venetian in suspence (the Venetians for fear; the Spaniards, in hopes to recover the whole Kingdom of Naples, and

the King of France came over to his side; for seeing him in motion, and desirous to make him his friend, and thereby to correct the insolence of the Venetian, he thought he could not deny him his assistance, without manifest injustice; so that Iulius with his rashness and huffing, did that which never any other Pope could have done with all his cunning and insinuation: For had he deferred his departure from Rome, till all things had been put into exact order, and his whole progress concluded (as any other Pope would have done) he could never have succeeded; The King of France would have pretended a thousand ex∣cuses, and others, would have suggested twice as many fears; I will pass by the rest of his Enterprizes, which were all alike, and prospered as well, and the shortness of his life secured him against change: for had the times fallen out so, that he had been forced to proceed with accurate circumspection, he would have certainly been ruined, for he could never have left those ways to which his Nature inclined him. I conclude then, That whil'st the obstinacy of Princes consists with the motion of fortune, 'tis possible they may be happy; but when once they disagree, the poor Prince comes certainly to the ground. I am of opinion likewise, that 'tis better to be hot and precipitate, then cautious and apprehensive, for fortune is a Woman, and must be Hector'd, to keep her under; and 'tis visible every day she suffers her self to be managed by those who are brisk and audacious, rather than by those who are cold and phlegmatick in their Motions, and therefore (like a Woman) she is always a friend to those who are young; because being less circumspect, they attack her with more security and boldness.