CONCERNINGTHEWAYTOGOVERNCITIESORPRINCIPALITIESWHICHLIVEDUNDERTHEIROWNLAWSBEFORETHEYWEREANNEXED
Wheneverthosestateswhichhavebeenacquiredasstatedhavebeenaccustomedtoliveundertheirownlawsandinfreedom, therearethreecoursesforthosewhowishtoholdthem: thefirstistoruinthem, thenextistoresidethereinperson, thethirdistopermitthemtoliveundertheirownlaws, drawingatribute, , beingcreatedbytheprince, knowsthatitcannotstandwithouthisfriendshipandinterest, anddoesitutmosttosupporthim; andthereforehewhowouldkeepacityaccustomedtofreedomwillholditmoreeasilybythemeansofitsowncitizensthaninanyotherway.
Thereare, forexample, , establishingthereanoligarchy, , inordertoholdCapua, Carthage, andNumantia, dismantledthem, , makingitfreeandpermittingitslaws, , , mayexpecttobedestroyedbyit, forinrebellionithasalwaysthewatchwordoflibertyanditsancientprivilegesasarallyingpoint, , theyneverforgetthatnameortheirprivilegesunlesstheyaredisunitedordispersed, butateverychancetheyimmediatelyrallytothem, asPisaafterthehundredyearsshehadbeenheldinbondagebytheFlorentines.
Butwhencitiesorcountriesareaccustomedtoliveunderaprince, andhisfamilyisexterminated, they, beingontheonehandaccustomedtoobeyandontheotherhandnothavingtheoldprince, cannotagreeinmakingonefromamongstthemselves, , , greaterhatred, andmoredesireforvengeance, whichwillneverpermitthemtoallowthememoryoftheirformerlibertytorest; sothatthesafestwayistodestroythemortoresidethere.
