君主论-the prince(英文版)-第12部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Because this is to be asserted in general of men； thatthey are ungrateful； fickle； false； cowardly； covetous； and as long asyou succeed they are yours entirely； they will offer you their blood；property； life and children； as is said above； when the need is fardistant； but when it approaches they turn against you。 And that princewho； relying entirely on their promises； has neglected otherprecautions； is ruined； because friendships that are obtained bypayments； and not by greatness or nobility of mind； may indeed beearned； but they are not secured； and in time of need cannot be reliedupon； and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than onewho is feared； for love is preserved by the link of obligation which；owing to the baseness of men； is broken at every opportunity for theiradvantage； but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which neverfails。Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that； if hedoes not win love； he avoids hatred； because he can endure very wellbeing feared whilst he is not hated； which will always be as long as heabstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from theirwomen。 But when it is necessary for him to proceed against the life ofsomeone； he must do it on proper justification and for manifest cause；but above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others；because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the lossof their patrimony。 Besides； pretexts for taking away the property arenever wanting； for he who has once begun to live by robbery will alwaysfind pretexts for seizing what belongs to others； but reasons for takinglife； on the contrary； are more difficult to find and sooner lapse。 Butwhen a prince is with his army； and has under control a multitude ofsoldiers； then it is quite necessary for him to disregard the reputationof cruelty； for without it he would never hold his army united ordisposed to its duties。Among the wonderful deeds of Hannibal this one is enumerated： thathaving led an enormous army； posed of many various races of men； tofight in foreign lands； no dissensions arose either among them oragainst the prince； whether in his bad or in his good fortune。 Thisarose from nothing else than his inhuman cruelty； which； with hisboundless valour； made him revered and terrible in the sight of hissoldiers； but without that cruelty； his other virtues were notsufficient to produce this effect。 And shortsighted writers admire hisdeeds from one point of view and from another condemn the principalcause of them。 That it is true his other virtues would not have beensufficient for him may be proved by the case of Scipio； that mostexcellent man； not of his own times but within the memory of man；against whom； nevertheless； his army rebelled in Spain； this arose fromnothing but his too great forbearance； which gave his soldiers morelicence than is consistent with military discipline。 For this he wasupbraided in the Senate by Fabius Maximus； and called the corrupter ofthe Roman soldiery。 The Locrians were laid waste by a legate of Scipio；yet they were not avenged by him； nor was the insolence of the legatepunished； owing entirely to his easy nature。 Insomuch that someone inthe Senate； wishing to excuse him； said there were many men who knewmuch better how not to err than to correct the errors of others。 Thisdisposition； if he had been continued in the mand； would havedestroyed in time the fame and glory of Scipio； but； he being under thecontrol of the Senate； this injurious characteristic not only concealeditself； but contributed to his glory。Returning to the question of being feared or loved； I e to theconclusion that； men loving according to their own will and fearingaccording to that of the prince； a wise prince should establish himselfon that which is in his own control and not in that of others； he mustendeavour only to avoid hatred； as is noted。1。 。。。against my will； my fate； A throne unsettled； and an infant state； Bid me defend my realms with all my pow'rs； And guard with these severities my shores。CHAPTER XVIIICONCERNING THE WAY IN WHICH PRINCES SHOULD KEEP FAITHEVERY one admits how praiseworthy it is in a prince to keep faith； andto live with integrity and not with craft。 Nevertheless our experiencehas been that those princes who have done great things have held goodfaith of little account； and have known how to circumvent the intellectof men by craft； and in the end have overe those who have relied ontheir word。 You must know there are two ways of contesting； the one bythe law； the other by force； the first method is proper to men； thesecond to beasts； but because the first is frequently not sufficient； itis necessary to have recourse to the second。 Therefore it is necessaryfor a prince to understand how to avail himself of the beast and theman。 This has been figuratively taught to princes by ancient writers；who describe how Achilles and many other princes of old were given tothe Centaur Chiron to nurse； who brought them up in his discipline；which means solely that； as they had for a teacher one who was halfbeast and half man； so it is necessary for a prince to know how to makeuse of both natures； and that one without the other is not durable。 Aprince； therefore； being pelled knowingly to adopt the beast； oughtto choose the fox and the lion； because the lion cannot defend himselfagainst snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves。Therefore； it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lionto terrify the wolves。 Those who rely simply on the lion do notunderstand what they are about。 Therefore a wise lord cannot； nor oughthe to； keep faith when such observance may be turned against him； andwhen the reasons that caused him to pledge it exist no longer。 If menwere entirely good this precept would not hold； but because they arebad； and will not keep faith with you； you too are not bound to observeit with them。 Nor will there ever be wanting to a prince legitimatereasons to excuse this nonobservance。 Of this endless modern examplescould be given； showing how many treaties and engagements have been madevoid and of no effect through the faithlessness of princes； and he whohas known best how to employ the fox has succeeded best。But it is necessary to know well how to disguise this characteristic；and to be a great pretender and dissembler； and men are so simple； andso subject to present necessities； that he who seeks to deceive willalways find someone who will allow himself to be deceived。 One recentexample I cannot pass over in silence。 Alexander VI did nothing else butdeceive men； nor ever thought of doing otherwise； and he always foundvictims； for there never was a man who had greater power in asserting；or who with greater oaths would affirm a thing； yet would observe itless； nevertheless his deceits always succeeded according to his wishes；because he well understood this side of mankind。Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualitiesI have enumerated； but it is very necessary to appear to have them。 AndI shall dare to say this also； that to have them and always to observethem is injurious； and that to appear to have them is useful； to appearmerciful； faithful； humane； religious； upright； and to be so； but with amind so framed that should you require not to be so； you may be able andknow how to change to the opposite。And you have to understand this； that a prince； especially a new one；cannot observe all those things for which men are esteemed； being oftenforced； in order to maintain the state； to act contrary to faith；friendship； humanity； and religion。 Therefore it is necessary for him tohave a mind ready to turn itself accordingly as the winds and variationsof fortune force it； yet； as I have said above； not to diverge from thegood if he can avoid doing so； but； if pelled； then to know how toset about it。For this reason a prince ought to take care that he never lets anythingslip from his lips that is not replete with the above…named fivequalities； that he may appear to him who sees and hears him altogethermerciful； faithful； humane； upright； and religious。 There is nothingmore necessary to appear to have than this last quality； inasmuch as menjudge generally more by the eye than by the hand； because it belongs toeverybody to see you； to few to e in touch with you。 Every one seeswhat you appear to be； few really know what you are； and those few darenot oppose themselves to the opinion of the many； who have the majestyof the state to defend them； and in the actions of all men； andespecially of princes； which it is not prudent to challenge； one judgesby the result。For that reason； let a prince have the credit of conquering and holdinghis state； the means will always be considered honest； and he will bepraised by everybody because the vulgar are always taken by what a thingseems to be and by what es of it； and in the world there are only thevulgar； for the few find a place there only when the many have no groundto rest on。One prince ＇1＇ of the present time； whom it is not well to name； neverpreaches anything else but peace and good faith； and to both he is mosthostile； and either； if he had kept it； would have deprived him ofreputation and kingdom many a time。1。 Maximilian I； Holy Roman E
