Therefore, onewhobecomesaprincethroughthefavourofthepeopleoughttokeepthemfriendly, , inoppositiontothepeople, becomesaprincebythefavourofthenobles, ought, aboveeverything, toseektowinthepeopleovertohimself, , whentheyreceivegoodfromhimofwhomtheywereexpectingevil, areboundmorecloselytotheirbenefactor; thusthepeoplequicklybecomemoredevotedtohimthanifhehadbeenraisedtotheprincipalitybytheirfavours; andtheprincecanwintheiraffectionsinmanyways, butasthesevaryaccordingtothecircumstancesonecannotgivefixedrules, soIomitthem; but, Irepeat, itisnecessaryforaprincetohavethepeoplefriendly, otherwisehehasnosecurityinadversity.
Nabis,[1] PrinceoftheSpartans, sustainedtheattackofallGreece, andofavictoriousRomanarmy, andagainstthemhedefendedhiscountryandhisgovernment; andfortheovercomingofthisperilitwasonlynecessaryforhimtomakehimselfsecureagainstafew, "Hewhobuildsonthepeople, buildsonthemud," forthisistruewhenaprivatecitizenmakesafoundationthere, andpersuadeshimselfthatthepeoplewillfreehimwhenheisoppressedbyhisenemiesorbythemagistrates; whereinhewouldfindhimselfveryoftendeceived, ashappenedtotheGracchiinRomeandtoMesserGiorgioScali[2] , whocancommand, andisamanofcourage, undismayedinadversity, whodoesnotfailinotherqualifications, andwho, byhisresolutionandenergy, keepsthewholepeopleencouraged—suchaonewillneverfindhimselfdeceivedinthem, anditwillbeshownthathehaslaidhisfoundationswell.
Theseprincipalitiesareliabletodangerwhentheyarepassingfromtheciviltotheabsoluteorderofgovernment, , becauseitrestsentirelyonthegoodwillofthosecitizenswhoareraisedtothemagistracy, andwho, especiallyintroubledtimes, candestroythegovernmentwithgreatease, eitherbyintrigueoropendefiance; andtheprincehasnotthechanceamidtumultstoexerciseabsoluteauthority, becausethecitizensandsubjects, accustomedtoreceiveordersfrommagistrates, arenotofamindtoobeyhimamidtheseconfusions, , whencitizenshaveneedofthestate, becausetheneveryoneagreeswithhim; theyallpromise, andwhendeathisfardistanttheyallwishtodieforhim; butintroubledtimes, whenthestatehasneedofitscitizens, , , andthenhewillalwaysfindthemfaithful.
[1]Nabis, tyrantofSparta, conqueredbytheRomansunderFlamininusin195B.C.; killed192B.C.
[2]'s "FlorentineHistory," BookIII.
