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. XXX.

What rules are to be observed by a Prince or Commonwealth to avoid this Vice of ingratitude, and how a General or great Citizen is to demean him∣self to elude it.

TO avoid the necessity of living always in suspicion, and being ingrateful to his Mi∣nisters, a Prince ought to go personally with his Armies, as was done at first by the Emperors of Rome, as the great Turk does now, and as all they do and have done that are valiant and couragious; for in so doing, the honor and profit of their Victories accrews to themselves; but where they are not present at their Conquests themselves, the honor re∣dounds upon their Officers, and they have not any compleat enjoyment of their successes, till they have eclipsed, if not extinguished that glory in other people, which they durst not venture for themselves; so that their ingratitude, and injustice to their Officers, does them more mischief, than their Conquests do them good. But when out of negligence, or

imprudence, they lie at home idle themselves, and send their Generals in their stead, know no better precept to give them, than what they know already themselves. As to the General, if he finds that jealousie inevitable, he has his choice of two things. As soon as the War is ended, he is voluntarily to lay down his Commission; and to pre∣sent it to his Master, before he has occasion to demand it, using great care that none of his actions discover him to be either insolent or ambitious, that his Prince having no cause to suspect him, may have the greater obligation to reward him. If this way does not please, the other is quite contrary; and that is, to declare himself boldly, and try always to set up for himself, cajoling and sweetning his Soldiers and Subjects, making new alliances with his Neighbours, seizing upon the strong Towns, corrupting the Officers, and where they will not be corrupted, securing them some other way, and by doing thus, he shall be even with his Lord, for his ingratitude designed: And besides these two ways, there is none that I know. But (as I said before) because men can neither be good nor bad in extremity, it happens that great men are unwilling to quit their Commands, and retire after the gaining of a Victory; behave themselves modestly they cannot: and to use rigour in an honourable way is impossible. So that whil'st they are in suspence, and uncertain which course to steer, they are many times destroyed. As to a Commonwealth that would preserve and exempt it self from this detestable vice of ingratitude, the same remedy can∣not be prescribed, as was prescribed to a Prince; for not being able to manage its Wars in Person as a Prince may do, the command of their Forces must of necessity be committed to some of their Subjects. The best way they can take, is to follow the Example of Rome, and that will render them less ingrateful than their Neighbors. In the wars of the Ro∣mans, by ancient Custom all people were employed, as well Nobles as others, and from thence it came that they were always well furnished with Generals and Officers of all sorts, which kept them from being jealous of any one, having so many of equal merit to oppose him: Besides which, there were express Laws against ambition, and all people so narrowly observed, that no man durst discover the least design or inclination that way; and in the creation, of Dictators, he was commonly prefer'd, who debas'd himself most, or disco∣vered least desire to obtain it; by which means preventing the occasion of suspicion, they prevented the ingratitude. That State therefore which would avoid the guilt of ingrati∣tude, is to imitate Rome, and that person who would avoid the effects, must observe how the Romans defended themselves.