CONCERNINGTHINGSFORWHICHMEN, ANDESPECIALLYPRINCES, AREPRAISEDORBLAMED
, IexpectIshallbeconsideredpresumptuousinmentioningitagain, , itbeingmyintentiontowriteathingwhichshallbeusefultohimwhoapprehendsit, itappearstomemoreappropriatetofollowuptherealtruthofthematterthantheimaginationofit; formanyhavepicturedrepublicsandprincipalitieswhichinfacthaveneverbeenknownorseen, becausehowonelivesissofardistantfromhowoneoughttolive, thathewhoneglectswhatisdoneforwhatoughttobedone, soonereffectshisruinthanhispreservation; foramanwhowishestoactentirelyuptohisprofessionsofvirtuesoonmeetswithwhatdestroyshimamongsomuchthatisevil.
Henceitisnecessaryforaprincewishingtoholdhisowntoknowhowtodowrong, , puttingononesideimaginarythingsconcerningaprince, anddiscussingthosewhicharereal, Isaythatallmenwhentheyarespokenof, andchieflyprincesforbeingmorehighlyplaced, areremarkableforsomeofthosequalitieswhichbringthemeitherblameorpraise; andthusitisthatoneisreputedliberal, anothermiserly, usingaTuscanterm (becauseanavariciouspersoninourlanguageisstillhewhodesirestopossessbyrobbery, whilstwecallonemiserlywhodepriveshimselftoomuchoftheuseofhisown); oneisreputedgenerous, onerapacious; onecruel, onecompassionate; onefaithless, anotherfaithful; oneeffeminateandcowardly, anotherboldandbrave; oneaffable, anotherhaughty; onelascivious, anotherchaste; onesincere, anothercunning; onehard, anothereasy; onegrave, anotherfrivolous; onereligious, anotherunbelieving, ; butbecausetheycanneitherbeentirelypossessednorobserved, forhumanconditionsdonotpermitit, itisnecessaryforhimtobesufficientlyprudentthathemayknowhowtoavoidthereproachofthoseviceswhichwouldlosehimhisstate; andalsotokeephimself, ifitbepossible, fromthosewhichwouldnotlosehimit; butthisnotbeingpossible, , heneednotmakehimselfuneasyatincurringareproachforthoseviceswithoutwhichthestatecanonlybesavedwithdifficulty, forifeverythingisconsideredcarefully, itwillbefoundthatsomethingwhichlookslikevirtue, iffollowed, wouldbehisruin; whilstsomethingelse, whichlookslikevice, yetfollowedbringshimsecurityandprosperity.
