AREFORTRESSES, ANDMANYOTHERTHINGSTOWHICHPRINCESOFTENRESORT, ADVANTAGEOUSORHURTFUL?
Someprinces, soastoholdsecurelythestate, havedisarmedtheirsubjects; othershavekepttheirsubjecttownsdistractedbyfactions; othershavefosteredenmitiesagainstthemselves; othershavelaidthemselvesouttogainoverthosewhomtheydistrustedinthebeginningoftheirgovernments; somehavebuiltfortresses; , neverthelessIwillspeakascomprehensivelyasthematterofitselfwilladmit.
; ratherwhenhehasfoundthemdisarmedhehasalwaysarmedthem, because, byarmingthem, thosearmsbecomeyours, thosemenwhoweredistrustedbecomefaithful, andthosewhowerefaithfularekeptso, , yetwhenthosewhomyoudoarmarebenefited, theotherscanbehandledmorefreely, andthisdifferenceintheirtreatment, whichtheyquiteunderstand, makestheformeryourdependents, andthelatter, consideringittobenecessarythatthosewhohavethemostdangerandserviceshouldhavethemostreward, , youatonceoffendthembyshowingthatyoudistrustthem, eitherforcowardiceorforwantofloyalty, , itfollowsthatyouturntomercenaries, whichareofthecharacteralreadyshown; , asIhavesaid, , whichheaddsasaprovincetohisoldone, thenitisnecessarytodisarmthemenofthatstate, exceptthosewhohavebeenhisadherentsinacquiringit; andtheseagain, withtimeandopportunity, shouldberenderedsoftandeffeminate; andmattersshouldbemanagedinsuchawaythatallthearmedmeninthestateshallbeyourownsoldierswhoinyouroldstatewerelivingnearyou.
