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. VI.

Of Principalities acquired by ones own proper Conduct and Arms.

LEt no man think it strange, if in speaking of new Governments, either by Princes or States, I introduce great and eminent Examples; forasmuch as men in their actions follow commonly the ways that are beaten, and when they would do any generous thing, they propose to themselves some pattern of that Nature; nevertheless, being impossible to come up exactly to that, or to acquire that virtue in perfection which you desire to imitate; a wise man, ought always to set before him for his Example the actions of great Men, who have excell'd in the atchievement of some great Exploit, to the end that though his virtue and power arrives not at that perfection, it may at least come as near as is possible, and receive some tincture thereby: Like Experienced Archers, who observing the Mark to be at great distance, and knowing the strength of their Bow, and how far it will carry, they fix their aim somewhat higher than the Mark, not with design to shoot at that height, but, that by mounting their Arrow to a certain proportion, they may come the nearer to the Mark they intend. I say then, that Principalities newly acquited by an upstart Prince, are more or less difficult to maintain, as he is more or less provident that gains them. And because the happiness of rising from a private person to be a Prince, presupposes great Vir∣tue, or Fortune, where both of them concur, they do much facilitate the conservation of the Conquest: yet he who has committed least to Fortune, has continued the longest. It prevents much trouble likewise when the Prince (having no better residence elsewhere) is constrained to live personally among them. But to speak of such who by their Virtue, rather than Fortune, have advanced themselves to that Dignity, I say, that the most re∣nowned and excellent, are Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, Theseus, and the like: And though Moses might be reasonably excepted, as being only the Executioner of God's immediate Commands, yet he deserves to be mention'd, if it were only for that Grace, which render'd him capable of Communication with God. But if we consider Cyrus, and the rest of the Conquerors and Founders of Monarchies, we shall find them extraordinary; and examining their Lives and Exploits, they will appear, not much different from Moses, who had so incomparable a Master; for by their Conversations and Successes, they do not seem to have received any thing from fortune, but occasion, and opportunity, in introducing what forms of Government they pleas'd; and as without that occasion, the greatness of their Courage had never been known, so had not they been magnanimous, and taken hold of it, that occasion had hapned in vain. It was necessary therefore for Moses, that the people of Israel should be in captivity in Egypt, that to free themselves from bondage, they might be dispos'd to follow him: It was convenient that Romulus should be turned out of Albo, and exposed to the wild beasts when he was young, that he might afterwards be made King of Rome, and Founder of that great Empire. It was not unnecessary likewise that Cyrus should ••ind the Persians mutining at the Tyranny of the Medes, and that the Medes should be grown soft, and effeminate with their long peace. Theseus could never have given proof of his Virtue and Generosity, had not the Athenians been in great troubles and confusion. These great advantages, made those great persons Eminent, and their great Wisdom knew how to improve them to the reputation, and enlargement of their Country. They then who become great by the ways of Virtue (as the Princes abovesaid) do meet with many difficulties, before they arrive at their ends, but having compass'd them once, they easily keep them: The difficulties in the acquisition, arise in part from new Laws and Customs which they are forc'd to introduce for the Establishment and security of their own dominion; and this is to be considered that there is nothing more difficult to undertake, more uncertain to succeed, and more dangerous to manage, than to make ones self Prince, and prescribe new Laws: Because he who innovates in that manner has for his Enemies all those who made any advantage by the Old Laws; and those who expect benefit by the new, will be but cool and luke-warn in his defence; which luke-warmness proceeds from a cer∣tain

awe for their adversaries who have their old Laws on their side, and partly from a na∣tural incredulity in mankind, which gives credit but slowly to any new thing, unless re∣commended first by the experiment of success. Hence it proceeds that the first time the ad∣versary has opportunity to make an attempt, he does it with great briskness, and vigour, but the defence is so t••pid and faint, that for the most part the new Prince, and his adhe∣rents perish together. Wherefore for better discussion of this case, it is necessary to in∣quire whether these innovators do stand upon their own feet, or depend upon other People; that is to say whether in the conduct of their af••airs, they do make more use of their rheto∣rick, than their Arms. In the first case, they commonly miscarry, and their designs sel∣dom succeed; but when their expectations are only from themselves, and they have power in their own hands to make themselves obeyed, they run little or no hazard, and do frequently prevail. For further eviction, the Scripture shows us that those of the Pro∣phets whose Armes were in their hands, and had power to compel, succeeded better in the reformations which they designed; whereas those who came only with exhortation and good language, suffer'd Martyrdom and Banishment, because (besides the reasons above said) the People are unconstant, and susceptible of any new Doctrine at first, but not ea∣sily brought to retain it: so that things are to be ordered in such manner that when their Faith begins to stagger, they may be forc'd to persist. Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, and Ro∣mulus could never have made their Laws to have been long observed, had they not had power to have compelled it; as in our days it happen'd to Frier Ierome Savanorola, who ruined himself by his new institutions, as soon as the People of Florence began to desert him; for he had no means to confirm them who had been of his opinion, nor to constrain such as dissented. Wherefore such persons meet with great difficulty in their affairs; all their dangers are still by the way, which they can hardly overcome, but by some extraor∣dinary virtue, and excellence: nevertheless when once they have surmounted them, and arrived at any degree of veneration, having supplanted those who envyed their advance∣ment, they remain puissant, and firm, and honorable, and happy. I will add to these great examples, another, perhaps not so conspicuous; but one that will bear a proportion and resemblance with the rest, and shall satisfie me for all others of that nature. It is of Hiero of Syracuse, who of a private person was made Prince of that City, for which he was beholding to fortune no further than for the occasion, because the Syracusans being under oppression, chose him for their Captain, in which command he behav'd himself so well, he deserved to be made their Prince, for he was a person of so great virtue and excellence, that those who have writ of him, have given him this Character, that even in his private condition, he wanted nothing, but a Kingdom to make him an admirable King. This Hiero subdued the old Militia, established a new; renounced the old Allies; confederated with others; and having friends and forces of his own, he was able upon such a foundation to erect what fabrick he pleas'd; so that though the acquisition cost him much trouble, he maintain'd it with little.