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君主论-the prince(英文版)-第5部分

小说: 君主论-the prince(英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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a with the block and a bloody knife at his side。 The barbarity ofthis spectacle caused the people to be at once satisfied and dismayed。But let us return whence we started。 I say that the duke; findinghimself now sufficiently powerful and partly secured from immediatedangers by having armed himself in his own way; and having in a greatmeasure crushed those forces in his vicinity that could injure him if hewished to proceed with his conquest; had next to consider France; for heknew that the king; who too late was aware of his mistake; would notsupport him。 And from this time he began to seek new alliances and totemporize with France in the expedition which she was making towards thekingdom of Naples against the Spaniards who were besieging Gaeta。 It washis intention to secure himself against them; and this he plished had Alexander lived。Such was his line of action as to present affairs。 But as to the futurehe had to fear; in the first place; that a new successor to the Churchmight not be friendly to him and might seek to take from him that whichAlexander had given him; so he decided to act in four ways。 Firstly; byexterminating the families of those lords whom he had despoiled; so asto take away that pretext from the Pope。 Secondly; by winning to himselfall the gentlemen of Rome; so as to be able to curb the Pope with theiraid; as has been observed。 Thirdly; by converting the college more tohimself。 Fourthly; by acquiring so much power before the Pope should diethat he could by his own measures resist the first shock。 Of these fourthings; at the death of Alexander; he had acplished three。 For he hadkilled as many of the dispossessed lords as he could lay hands on; andfew had escaped; he had won over the Roman gentlemen; and he had themost numerous party in the college。 And as to any fresh acquisition; heintended to bee master of Tuscany; for he already possessed Perugiaand Piombino; and Pisa was under his protection。 And as he had no longerto study France (for the French were already driven out of the kingdomof Naples by the Spaniards; and in this way both were pelled to buyhis goodwill); he pounced down upon Pisa。 After this; Lucca and Sienayielded at once; partly through hatred and partly through fear of theFlorentines; and the Florentines would have had no remedy had hecontinued to prosper; as he was prospering the year that Alexander died;for he had acquired so much power and reputation that he would havestood by himself; and no longer have depended on the luck and the forcesof others; but solely on his own power and ability。But Alexander died five years after he had first drawn the sword。 Heleft the duke with the state of Romagna alone consolidated; with therest in the air; between two most powerful hostile armies; and sick untodeath。 Yet there were in the duke such boldness and ability; and he knewso well how men are to be won or lost; and so firm were the foundationswhich in so short a time he had laid; that if he had not had thosearmies on his back; or if he had been in good health; he would haveovere all difficulties。 And it is seen that his foundations weregood; for the Romagna awaited him for more than a month。 In Rome;although but half alive; he remained secure; and whilst the Baglioni;the Vitelli; and the Orsini might e to Rome; they could not effectanything against him。 If he could not have made Pope him whom he wished;at least the one whom he did not wish would not have been elected。 Butif he had been in sound health at the death of Alexander; everythingwould have been easy to him。 On the day that Julius II was elected; hetold me that he had thought of everything that might occur at the deathof his father; and had provided a remedy for all; except that he hadnever anticipated that; when the death did happen; he himself would beon the point to die。When all the actions of the duke are recalled; I do not know how toblame him; but rather it appears to me; as I have said; that I ought tooffer him for imitation to all those who; by the fortune or the arms ofothers; are raised to government。 Because he; having a lofty spirit andfar…reaching aims; could not have regulated his conduct otherwise; andonly the shortness of the life of Alexander and his own sicknessfrustrated his designs。 Therefore; he who considers it necessary tosecure himself in his new principality; to win friends; to overeeither by force or fraud; to make himself beloved and feared by thepeople; to be followed and revered by the soldiers; to exterminate thosewho have power or reason to hurt him; to change the old order of thingsfor new; to be severe and gracious; magnanimous and liberal; to destroya disloyal soldiery and to create new; to maintain friendship with kingsand princes in such a way that they must help him with zeal and offendwith caution; cannot find a more lively example than the actions of thisman。Only can he be blamed for the election of Julius II; in whom he made abad choice; because; as is said; not being able to elect a Pope to hisown mind; he could have hindered any other from being elected Pope; andhe ought never to have consented to 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 honour

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