君主论-the prince(英文版)-第2部分
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kept down thegreater； and did not allow any strong foreign powers to gain authority。Greece appears to me sufficient for an example。 The Achaeans andAetolians were kept friendly by them； the kingdom of Macedonia washumbled； Antiochus was driven out； yet the merits of the Achaeans andAetolians never secured for them permission to increase their power； nordid the persuasions of Philip ever induce the Romans to be his friendswithout first humbling him； nor did the influence of Antiochus make themagree that he should retain any lordship over the country。 Because theRomans did in these instances what all prudent princes ought to do； whohave to regard not only present troubles； but also future ones； forwhich they must prepare with every energy； because； when foreseen； it iseasy to remedy them； but if you wait until they approach； the medicineis no longer in time because the malady has bee incurable； for ithappens in this； as the physicians say it happens in hectic fever； thatin the beginning of the malady it is easy to cure but difficult todetect； but in the course of time； not having been either detected ortreated in the beginning； it bees easy to detect but difficult tocure。 Thus it happens in affairs of state； for when the evils that arisehave been foreseen （which it is only given to a wise man to see）； theycan be quickly redressed； but when； through not having been foreseen；they have been permitted to grow in a way that every one can see them。there is no longer a remedy。 Therefore； the Romans； foreseeing troubles；dealt with them at once； and； even to avoid a war； would not let theme to a head； for they knew that war is not to be avoided； but is onlyput off to the advantage of others； moreover they wished to fight withPhilip and Antiochus in Greece so as not to have to do it in Italy； theycould have avoided both； but this they did not wish； nor did that everplease them which is for ever in the mouths of the wise ones of ourtime：…… Let us enjoy the benefits of the time …… but rather the benefits oftheir own valour and prudence； for time drives everything before it； andis able to bring with it good as well as evil； and evil as well as good。But let us turn to France and inquire whether she has done any of thethings mentioned。 I will speak of Louis ＇XII＇ （and not of Charles＇VIII＇） as the one whose conduct is the better to be observed； he havingheld possession of Italy for the longest period； and you will see thathe has done the opposite to those things which ought to be done toretain a state posed of divers elements。King Louis was brought into Italy by the ambition of the Veians； whodesired to obtain half the state of Lombardy by his intervention。 I willnot blame the course taken by the king； because； wishing to get afoothold in Italy； and having no friends there …… seeing rather thatevery door was shut to him owing to the conduct of Charles …… he wasforced to accept those friendships which he could get； and he would havesucceeded very quickly in his design if in other matters he had not madesome mistakes。 The king； hobardy； regained atonce the authority which Charles had lost： Genoa yielded； theFlorentines became his friends； the Marquess of Mantua； the Duke ofFerrara； the Bentivoglio； my lady of Forli； the Lords of Faenza； ofPesaro； of Rimini； of Camerino； of Piombino； the Lucchesi； the Pisans；the Sienese …… everybody made advances to him to bee his friend。 Thencould the Veians realize the rashness of the course taken by them；which； in order that they might secure two towns in Lombardy； had madethe king master of two…thirds of Italy。Let any one now consider with what little difficulty the king could havemaintained his position in Italy had he observed the rules above laiddown； and kept all his friends secure and protected； for although theywere numerous they were both weak and timid； some afraid of the Church；some of the Veians； and thus they would always have been forced tostand in with him； and by their means he could easily have made himselfsecure against those who remained powerful。 But he was no sooner inMilan than he did the contrary by assisting Pope Alexander to occupy theRomagna。 It never occurred to him that by this action he was weakeninghimself； depriving himself of friends and those who had thrownthemselves into his lap； whilst he aggrandized the Church by adding muchtemporal power to the spiritual； thus giving it great authority。 Andhaving mitted this prime error； he was obliged to follow it up； somuch so that； to put an end to the ambition of Alexander； and to preventhis being the master of Tuscany； he was himself forced to e intoItaly。And as if it were not enough to have aggrandized the Church； anddeprived himself friends； he； wishing to have the kingdom of Naples；divides it with the King of Spain； and where he was the prime arbiter ofItaly he takes an associate； so that the ambitious of that country andthe malcontents of his own should have where to shelter； and whereas hecould have left in the kingdom his own pensioner as king； he drove himout； to put one there who was able to drive him； Louis； out in turn。The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and mon； and men alwaysdo so when they can； and for this they will be praised not blamed； butwhen they cannot do so； yet wish to do so by any means； then there isfolly and blame。 Therefore； if France could have attacked Naples withher own forces she ought to have done so； if she could not； then sheought not to have divided it。 And if the partition which she made withthe Veians in Lombardy was justified by the excuse that by it she gota foothold in Italy； this other partition merited blame； for it had notthe excuse of that necessity。Therefore Louis made these five errors： he destroyed the minor powers；he increased the strength of one of the greater powers in Italy； hebrought in a foreign power； he did not settle in the country； he did notsend colonies。 Which errors； if he had lived； were not enough to injurehim had he not made a sixth by taking away their dominions from theVeians； because； had he not aggrandized the Church； nor brought Spaininto Italy； it would have been very reasonable and necessary to humblethem； but having first taken these steps； he ought never to haveconsented to their ruin； for they； being powerful； would always havekept off others from designs on Lombardy； to which the Veians wouldnever have consented except to bee masters themselves there； alsobecause the others would not wish to take Lombardy from France in orderto give it to the Veians； and to run counter to both they would nothave had the courage。And if any one should say： King Louis yielded the Romagna to Alexanderand the kingdom to Spain to avoid war； I answer for the reasons givenabove that a blunder ought never be perpetrated to avoid war； because itis not to be avoided； but is only deferred to your disadvantage。 And ifanother should allege the pledge which the king had given to the Popethat he would assist him in the enterprise； in exchange for thedissolution of his marriage and for the hat to Rouen； to that I replywhat I shall write later on concerning the faith of princes； and how itought to be kept。Thus King Louis lost Lombardy by not having followed any of theconditions observed by those who have taken possession of countries andwished to retain them。 Nor is there any miracle in this； but much thatis reasonable and quite natural。 And on these matters I spoke at Nanteswith Rouen； when Valentino； ＇1＇ as Cesare Borgia； the son of PopeAlexander； was usually called； occupied the Romagna； and on CardinalRouen observing to me that the Italians did not understand war； Ireplied to him that the French did not understand statecraft； meaningthat otherwise they would not have allowed the Church to reach suchgreatness。 And in fact it has been seen that the greatness of the Churchand of Spain in Italy has been caused by France； and her ruin may beattributed to them。 From this a general rule is drawn which never orrarely fails： that he who is the cause of another being powerful isruined； because that predominancy has been brought about either byastuteness or else by force； and both are distrusted by him who has beenraised to power。1。 So called …… in Italian …… from the duchy of Valentinois； conferredon him by Louis XII。CHAPTER IVWHY THE KINGDOM OF DARIUS； CONQUERED BY ALEXANDER； DID NOT REBEL AGAINSTTHE SUCCESSORS OF ALEXANDER AT HIS DEATHCONSIDERING the difficulties which men have had to hold a neight wonder how； seeing that Alexander the Great became themaster of Asia in a few years； and died whilst it was yet scarcelysettled （whence it might appear reasonable that the whole empire wouldhave rebelled）； nevertheless his successors maintained themselves； andhad to meet no other difficulty than that which arose among themselvesfrom their own ambitions。I answer that the principalities of which one has record are found to begoverned in two different ways： either by a prince； with a body ofservants； who assist him to govern the kingdom as ministers by hisfavour and permission； or by a prince and barons； who hold that dignityby antiquity of blood and not by the grace of the prince。 Such baronshave states and their own subjects； who recognize them as lords and holdthem in natural affection。 Those states that are governed by a princeand his servants hold their prince in more consideration； because in allthe country there is no one who is recognized as superior to him； and ifthey yield obedience to another they do it as to a minister andofficial； and they do not bear him any particular affection。The examples of these two governments in our time are the Turk and theKing of France。 The entire monarchy of the Turk is governed by one lord；the others are his servants； and； dividing his kingdom into sanjaks； hesends there different administrators； and shifts and changes them as hechooses。 But the King of France is placed in the midst of an ancientbody of lords； acknowledged by their own subjects； and beloved by them；they have their own prerogatives； nor can the king take these awayexcept at his peril。 Therefore； he who considers both of these stateswill recognize great difficulties in seizing the state of the Turk； but；once it is conquered； great ease in holding it。 The causes of thedifficulties in seizing the kingdom of the Tur
