Thatprinceishighlyesteemedwhoconveysthisimpressionofhimself, andhewhoishighlyesteemedisnoteasilyconspiredagainst; for, provideditiswellknownthatheisanexcellentmanandreveredbyhispeople, , onefromwithin, onaccountofhissubjects, theotherfromwithout, , andifheiswellarmedhewillhavegoodfriends, andaffairswillalwaysremainquietwithinwhentheyarequietwithout, unlesstheyshouldhavebeenalreadydisturbedbyconspiracy; andevenshouldaffairsoutsidebedisturbed, ifhehascarriedouthispreparationsandhaslivedasIhavesaid, aslongashedoesnotdespair, hewillresisteveryattack, asIsaidNabistheSpartandid.
Butconcerninghissubjects, whenaffairsoutsidearedisturbedhehasonlytofearthattheywillconspiresecretly, fromwhichaprincecaneasilysecurehimselfbyavoidingbeinghatedanddespised, andbykeepingthepeoplesatisfiedwithhim, whichitismostnecessaryforhimtoaccomplish, , forhewhoconspiresagainstaprincealwaysexpectstopleasethembyhisremoval; butwhentheconspiratorcanonlylookforwardtooffendingthem, hewillnothavethecouragetotakesuchacourse, , manyhavebeentheconspiracies, butfewhavebeensuccessful; becausehewhoconspirescannotactalone, norcanhetakeacompanionexceptfromthosewhomhebelievestobemalcontents, andassoonasyouhaveopenedyourmindtoamalcontentyouhavegivenhimthematerialwithwhichtocontenthimself, forbydenouncingyouhecanlookforeveryadvantage; sothat, seeingthegainfromthiscoursetobeassured, andseeingtheothertobedoubtfulandfullofdangers, hemustbeaveryrarefriend, orathoroughlyobstinateenemyoftheprince, tokeepfaithwithyou.
