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君主论-the prince(英文版)-第6节

小说: 君主论-the prince(英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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 the election of any cardinal whom hehad injured or who had cause to fear him if they became pontiffs。 Formen injure either from fear or hatred。 Those whom he had injured;amongst others; were San Pietro ad Vincula; Colonna; San Giorgio; andAscanio。 '1' Any one of the others; on being Pope; would have had tofear him; Rouen and the Spaniards excepted; the latter from theirrelationship and obligations; the former from his influence; the kingdomof France having relations with him。 Therefore; above everything; theduke ought to have created a Spaniard Pope; and; failing him; he oughtto have consented to Rouen and not San Pietro ad Vincula。 He whobelieves that new benefits will cause great personages to forget oldinjuries is deceived。 Therefore; the duke erred in his choice; and itwas the cause of his ultimate ruin。1。 Julius II had been Cardinal of San Pietro ad Vincula; San Giorgio wasRaffaells Riaxis; and Ascanio was Cardinal Ascanio Sforza。CHAPTER VIIICONCERNING THOSE WHO HAVE OBTAINED A PRINCIPALITY BY WICKEDNESSALTHOUGH a prince may rise from a private station in two ways; neitherof which can be entirely attributed to fortune or genius; yet it ismanifest to me that I must not be silent on them; although one could bemore copiously treated when I discuss republics。 These methods are when;either by some wicked or nefarious ways; one ascends to theprincipality; or when by the favour of his fellow…citizens a privateperson bees the prince of his country。 And speaking of the firstmethod; it will be illustrated by two examples …… one ancient; the othermodern …… and without entering further into the subject; I considerthese two examples will suffice those who may be pelled to followthem。Agathocles; the Sicilian; became King of Syracuse not only from aprivate but from a low and abject position。 This man; the son of apotter; through all the changes in his fortunes always led an infamouslife。 Nevertheless; he acpanied his infamies with so much ability ofmind and body that; having devoted himself to the military profession;he rose through its ranks to be Praetor of Syracuse。 Being establishedin that position; and having deliberately resolved to make himselfprince and to seize by violence; without obligation to others; thatwhich had been conceded to him by assent; he came to an understandingfor this purpose with Hamilcar; the Carthaginian; who; with his army;was fighting in Sicily。 One morning he assembled the people and senateof Syracuse; as if he had to discuss with them things relating to theRepublic; and at a given signal the soldiers killed all the senators andthe richest of the people; these dead; he seized and held the princedomof that city without any civil motion。 And although he was twicerouted by the Carthaginians; and ultimately besieged; yet not only washe able to defend his city; but leaving part of his men for its defence;with the others he attacked Africa; and in a short time raised the siegeof Syracuse。 The Carthaginians; reduced to extreme necessity; werepelled to e to terms with Agathocles; and; leaving Sicily to him;had to be content with the possession of Africa。Therefore; he who considers the actions and the genius of this man willsee nothing; or little; which can be attributed to fortune; inasmuch ashe attained pre…eminence; as is shown above; not by the favour of anyone; but step by step in the military profession; which steps weregained with a thousand troubles and perils; and were afterwards boldlyheld by him with many hazards and dangers。 Yet it cannot be calledtalent to slay fellow…citizens; to deceive friends; to be without faith;without mercy; without religion; such methods may gain empire; but notglory。 Still; if the courage of Agathocles in entering into andextricating himself from dangers be considered; together with hisgreatness of mind in enduring overing hardships; it cannot be seenwhy he should be esteemed less than the most notable captain。Nevertheless; his barbarous cruelty and inhumanity with infinitewickednesses do not permit him to be celebrated among the most excellentmen。 What he achieved cannot be attributed either to fortune or togenius。In our times; during the rule of Alexander VI; Oliverotto da Fermo;having been left an orphan many years before; was brought up by hismaternal uncle; Giovanni Fogliani; and in the early days of his youthsent to fight under Paolo Vitelli; that; being trained under hisdiscipline; he might attain some high position in the militaryprofession。 After Paolo died; he fought under his brother Vitellozzo;and in a very short time; being endowed with wit and a vigorous body andmind; he became the first man in his profession。 But it appearing to hima paltry thing to serve under others; he resolved; with the aid of somecitizens of Fermo; to whom the slavery of their country was dearer thanits liberty; and with the help of the Vitelli; to seize Fermo。 So hewrote to Giovanni Fogliani that; having been away from home for manyyears; he wished to visit him and his city; and in some measure to lookinto his patrimony; and although he had not laboured to acquire anythingexcept honour; yet; in order that the citizens should see he had notspent his time in vain; he desired to e honourably; so would beacpanied by one hundred horsemen; his friends and retainers; and heentreated Giovanni to arrange that he should be received honourably bythe citizens of Fermo; all of which would be not only to his honour; butalso to that of Giovanni himself; who had brought him up。Giovanni; therefore; did not fail in any attentions due to his nephew;and he caused him to be honourably received by the Fermans; and helodged him in his own house; where; having passed some days; and havingarranged what was necessary for his wicked designs; Oliverotto gave asolemn banquet to which he invited Giovanni Fogliani and the chiefs ofFermo。 When the viands and all the other entertainments that are usualin such banquets were finished; Oliverotto artfully began certain gravediscourses; speaking of the greatness of Pope Alexander and his sonCesare; and of their enterprises; to which discourse Giovanni and othersanswered; but he rose at once; saying that such matters ought to bediscussed in a more private place; and he betook himself to a chamber;whither Giovanni and the rest of the citizens went in after him。 Nosooner were they seated than soldiers issued from secret places andslaughtered Giovanni and the rest。 After these murders Oliverotto;mounted on horseback; rode up and down the town and besieged the chiefmagistrate in the palace; so that in fear the people were forced to obeyhim; and to form a government; of which he made himself the prince。 Hekilled all the malcontents who were able to injure him; and strengthenedhimself with new civil and military ordinances; in such a way that; inthe year during which he held the principality; not only was he securein the city of Fermo; but he had bee formidable to all hisneighbours。 And his destruction would have been as difficult as that ofAgathocles if he had not allowed himself to be overreached by CesareBorgia; who took him with the Orsini and Vitelli at Sinigaglia; as wasstated above。 Thus one year after he had mitted this parricide; hewas strangled; together with Vitellozzo; whom he had made his leader invalour and wickedness。Some may wonder how it can happen that Agathocles; and his like; afterinfinite treacheries and cruelties; should live for long secure in hiscountry; and defend himself from external enemies; and never beconspired against by his own citizens; seeing that many others; by meansof cruelty; have never been able even in peaceful times to hold thestate; still less in the doubtful times of war。 I believe that thisfollows from severities being badly or properly used。 Those may becalled properly used; if of evil it is lawful to speak well; that areapplied at one blow and are necessary to one's security; and that arenot persisted in afterwards unless they can be turned to the advantageof the subjects。 The badly employed are those which; notwithstandingthey may be few in the mencement; multiply with time rather thandecrease。 Those who practise the first system are able; by aid of God orman; to mitigate in some degree their rule; as Agathocles did。 It isimpossible for those who follow the other to maintain themselves。Hence it is to be remarked that; in seizing a state; the usurper oughtto examine closely into all those injuries which it is necessary for himto inflict; and to do them all at one stroke so as not to have to repeatthem daily; and thus by not unsettling men he will be able to reassurethem; and win them to himself by benefits。 He who does otherwise; eitherfrom timidity or evil advice; is always pelled to keep the knife inhis hand; neither can he rely on his subjects; nor can they attachthemselves to him; owing to their continued and repeated wrongs。 Forinjuries ought to be done all at one time; so that; being tasted less;they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little; so thatthe flavour of them may last longer。And above all things; a prince ought to live amongst his people in sucha way that no unexpected circumstances; whether of good or evil; shallmake him change; because if the necessity for this es in troubledtimes; you are too late for harsh measure

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