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The Prince: X

The Prince
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table of contents
  1. Titlepage
  2. Imprint
  3. Introduction
    1. Youth
    2. Office
    3. Literature and Death
  4. The Man and His Works
  5. The Prince
    1. Dedication
    2. I: How Many Kinds of Principalities There Are, and by What Means They Are Acquired
    3. II: Concerning Hereditary Principalities
    4. III: Concerning Mixed Principalities
    5. IV: Why the Kingdom of Darius, Conquered by Alexander, Did Not Rebel Against the Successors of Alexander at His Death
    6. V: Concerning the Way to Govern Cities or Principalities Which Lived Under Their Own Laws Before They Were Annexed
    7. VI: Concerning New Principalities Which Are Acquired by One’s Own Arms and Ability
    8. VII: Concerning New Principalities Which Are Acquired Either by the Arms of Others or by Good Fortune
    9. VIII: Concerning Those Who Have Obtained a Principality by Wickedness
    10. IX: Concerning a Civil Principality
    11. X: Concerning the Way in Which the Strength of All Principalities Ought to Be Measured
    12. XI: Concerning Ecclesiastical Principalities
    13. XII: How Many Kinds of Soldiery There Are, and Concerning Mercenaries
    14. XIII: Concerning Auxiliaries, Mixed Soldiery, and One’s Own
    15. XIV: That Which Concerns a Prince on the Subject of the Art of War
    16. XV: Concerning Things for Which Men, and Especially Princes, Are Praised or Blamed
    17. XVI: Concerning Liberality and Meanness
    18. XVII: Concerning Cruelty and Clemency, and Whether It Is Better to Be Loved Than Feared
    19. XVIII: Concerning the Way in Which Princes Should Keep Faith
    20. XIX: That One Should Avoid Being Despised and Hated
    21. XX: Are Fortresses, and Many Other Things to Which Princes Often Resort, Advantageous or Hurtful?
    22. XXI: How a Prince Should Conduct Himself So as to Gain Renown
    23. XXII: Concerning the Secretaries of Princes
    24. XXIII: How Flatterers Should Be Avoided
    25. XXIV: Why the Princes of Italy Have Lost Their States
    26. XXV: What Fortune Can Effect in Human Affairs and How to Withstand Her
    27. XXVI: An Exhortation to Liberate Italy from the Barbarians
  6. Endnotes
  7. Colophon
  8. Uncopyright

X

Concerning the Way in Which the Strength of All Principalities Ought to Be Measured

It is necessary to consider another point in examining the character of these principalities: that is, whether a prince has such power that, in case of need, he can support himself with his own resources, or whether he has always need of the assistance of others. And to make this quite clear I say that I consider those who are able to support themselves by their own resources who can, either by abundance of men or money, raise a sufficient army to join battle against anyone who comes to attack them; and I consider those always to have need of others who cannot show themselves against the enemy in the field, but are forced to defend themselves by sheltering behind walls. The first case has been discussed, but we will speak of it again should it recur. In the second case one can say nothing except to encourage such princes to provision and fortify their towns, and not on any account to defend the country. And whoever shall fortify his town well, and shall have managed the other concerns of his subjects in the way stated above, and to be often repeated, will never be attacked without great caution, for men are always adverse to enterprises where difficulties can be seen, and it will be seen not to be an easy thing to attack one who has his town well fortified, and is not hated by his people.

The cities of Germany are absolutely free, they own but little country around them, and they yield obedience to the emperor when it suits them, nor do they fear this or any other power they may have near them, because they are fortified in such a way that every one thinks the taking of them by assault would be tedious and difficult, seeing they have proper ditches and walls, they have sufficient artillery, and they always keep in public depots enough for one year’s eating, drinking, and firing. And beyond this, to keep the people quiet and without loss to the state, they always have the means of giving work to the community in those labours that are the life and strength of the city, and on the pursuit of which the people are supported; they also hold military exercises in repute, and moreover have many ordinances to uphold them.

Therefore, a prince who has a strong city, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked, or if anyone should attack he will only be driven off with disgrace; again, because that the affairs of this world are so changeable, it is almost impossible to keep an army a whole year in the field without being interfered with. And whoever should reply: If the people have property outside the city, and see it burnt, they will not remain patient, and the long siege and self-interest will make them forget their prince; to this I answer that a powerful and courageous prince will overcome all such difficulties by giving at one time hope to his subjects that the evil will not be for long, at another time fear of the cruelty of the enemy, then preserving himself adroitly from those subjects who seem to him to be too bold.

Further, the enemy would naturally on his arrival at once burn and ruin the country at the time when the spirits of the people are still hot and ready for the defence; and, therefore, so much the less ought the prince to hesitate; because after a time, when spirits have cooled, the damage is already done, the ills are incurred, and there is no longer any remedy; and therefore they are so much the more ready to unite with their prince, he appearing to be under obligations to them now that their houses have been burnt and their possessions ruined in his defence. For it is the nature of men to be bound by the benefits they confer as much as by those they receive. Therefore, if everything is well considered, it will not be difficult for a wise prince to keep the minds of his citizens steadfast from first to last, when he does not fail to support and defend them.

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The source text and artwork in this ebook edition are believed to be in the U.S. public domain. This ebook edition is released under the terms in the CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication, available at https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/. For full license information see the Uncopyright file included at the end of this ebook.
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