WHYTHEPRINCESOFITALYH**ELOSTTHEIRSTATES
Theprevioussuggestions, carefullyobserved, willenableanewprincetoappearwellestablished, , andwhentheyareseentobeabletheygainmoremenandbindfartighterthanancientblood; becausemenareattractedmorebythepresentthanbythepast, andwhentheyfindthepresentgoodtheyenjoyitandseeknofurther; , andadornedandstrengtheneditwithgoodlaws, goodarms, goodallies, andwithagoodexample; sowillitbeadoubledisgracetohimwho, bornaprince, shalllosehisstatebywantofwisdom.
AndifthoseseigniorsareconsideredwhohavelosttheirstatesinItalyinourtimes, suchastheKingofNaples, theDukeofMilan, andothers, therewillbefoundinthem, firstly, onecommondefectinregardtoarmsfromthecauseswhichhavebeendiscussedatlength; inthenextplace, someoneofthemwillbeseen, eithertohavehadthepeoplehostile, orifhehashadthepeoplefriendly, .
PhilipofMacedon, notthefatherofAlexandertheGreat, buthewhowasconqueredbyTitusQuintius, hadnotmuchterritorycomparedtothegreatnessoftheRomansandofGreecewhoattackedhim, yetbeingawarlikemanwhoknewhowtoattractthepeopleandsecurethenobles, hesustainedthewaragainsthisenemiesformanyyears, andifintheendhelostthedominionofsomecities, neverthelessheretainedthekingdom.
Therefore, donotletourprincesaccusefortuneforthelossoftheirprincipalitiesaftersomanyyears' possession, butrathertheirownsloth, becauseinquiettimestheyneverthoughttherecouldbeachange (itisacommondefectinmannottomakeanyprovisioninthecalmagainstthetempest), andwhenafterwardsthebadtimescametheythoughtofflightandnotofdefendingthemselves, andtheyhopedthatthepeople, disgustedwiththeinsolenceoftheconquerors, , whenothersfail, maybegood, butitisverybadtohaveneglectedallotherexpedientsforthat, , or, ifitdoes, itwillnotbeforyoursecurity, becausethatdeliveranceisofnoavailwhichdoesnotdependuponyourself; thoseonlyarereliable, certain, anddurablethatdependonyourselfandyourvalour.
