靠谱电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > 马基雅维里 君主论英文prince >

第10部分

马基雅维里 君主论英文prince-第10部分

小说: 马基雅维里 君主论英文prince 字数: 每页4000字

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!




Bartolomeo da Bergamo; Roberto da San Severino; the Count of Pitigliano;

and the like; under whom they had to dread loss and not gain; as

happened afterwards at Vaila; where in one battle they lost that which

in eight hundred years they had acquired with so much trouble。 Because

from such arms conquests e but slowly; long delayed and

inconsiderable; but the losses sudden and portentous。



And as with these examples I have reached Italy; which has been ruled

for many years by mercenaries; I wish to discuss them more seriously; in

order that; having seen their rise and progress; one may be better

prepared to counteract them。 You must understand that the empire has

recently e to be repudiated in Italy; that the Pope has acquired more

temporal power; and that Italy has been divided up into more states; for

the reason that many of the great cities took up arms against their

nobles; who; formerly favoured by the emperor; were oppressing them;

whilst the Church was favouring them so as to gain authority in temporal

power: in many others their citizens became princes。 From this it came

to pass that Italy fell partly into the hands of the Church and of

republics; and; the Church consisting of priests and the republic of

citizens unaccustomed to arms; both menced to enlist foreigners。



The first who gave renown to this soldiery was Alberigo da Conio; a

native of the Romagna。 From the school of this man sprang; among others;

Braccio and Sforza; who in their time were the arbiters of Italy。 After

these came all the other captains who till now have directed the arms of

Italy; and the end of all their valour has been; that she has been

overrun by Charles; robbed by Louis; ravaged by Ferdinand; and insulted

by the Switzers。 The principle that has guided them has been; first; to

lower the credit of infantry so that they might increase their own。 They

did this because; subsisting on their pay and without territory; they

were unable to support many soldiers; and a few infantry did not give

them any authority; so they were led to employ cavalry; with a moderate

force of which they were maintained and honoured; and affairs were

brought to such a pass that; in an army of twenty thousand soldiers;

there were not to be found two thousand foot soldiers。 They had; besides

this; used every art to lessen fatigue and danger to themselves and

their soldiers; not killing in the fray; but taking prisoners and

liberating without ransom。 They did not attack towns at night; nor did

the garrisons of the towns attack encampments at night; they did not

surround the camp either with stockade or ditch; nor did they campaign

in the winter。 All these things were permitted by their military rules;

and devised by them to avoid; as I have said; both fatigue and dangers;

thus they have brought Italy to slavery and contempt。



1。 With which to chalk up the billets for his soldiers。



2。 As Sir John Hawkwood; the English leader of mercenaries; was called

by the Italians。



CHAPTER XIII



CONCERNING AUXILIARIES; MIXED SOLDIERY; AND ONE'S OWN



AUXILIARIES; which are the other useless arm; are employed when a prince

is called in with his forces to aid and defend; as was done by Pope

Julius in the most recent times; for he; having; in the enterprise

against Ferrara; had poor proof of his mercenaries; turned to

auxiliaries; and stipulated with Ferdinand; King of Spain; for his

assistance with men and arms。 These arms may be useful and good in

themselves; but for him who calls them in they are always

disadvantageous; for losing; one is undone; and winning; one is their

captive。



And although ancient histories may be full of examples; I do not wish to

leave this recent one of Pope Julius II; the peril of which cannot fall

to be perceived; for he; wishing to get Ferrara; threw himself entirely

into the hands of the foreigner。 But his good fortune brought about a

third event; so that he did not reap the fruit of his rash choice;

because; having auxiliaries routed at Ravenna; and the Switzers having

risen and driven out the conquerors (against all expectation; both his

and others); it so came to pass that he did not bee prisoner to his

enemies; they having fled; nor to his auxiliaries; he having conquered

by other arms than theirs。



The Florentines; being entirely without arms; sent ten thousand

Frenchmen to take Pisa; whereby they ran more danger than at any other

time of their troubles。



The Emperor of Constantinople; to oppose his neighbours; sent ten

thousand Turks into Greece; who; on the war being finished; were not

willing to quit; this was the beginning of the servitude of Greece to

the infidels。



Therefore; let him who has no desire to conquer make use of these arms;

for they are much more hazardous than mercenaries; because with them the

ruin is ready made; they are all united; all yield obedience to others;

but with mercenaries; when they have conquered; more time and better

opportunities are needed to injure you; they are not all of one

munity; they are found and paid by you; and a third party; which you

have made their head; is not able all at once to assume enough authority

to injure you。 In conclusion; in mercenaries dastardy is most dangerous;

in auxiliaries; valour。 The wise prince; therefore; has always avoided

these arms and turned to his own; and has been willing rather to lose

with them than to conquer with others; not deeming that a real victory

which is gained with the arms of others。



I shall never hesitate to cite Cesare Borgia and his actions。 This duke

entered the Romagna with auxiliaries; taking there only French soldiers;

and with them he captured Imola and Forli; but afterwards; such forces

not appearing to him reliable; he turned to mercenaries; discerning less

danger in them; and enlisted the Orsini and Vitelli; whom presently; on

handling and finding them doubtful; unfaithful; and dangerous; he

destroyed and turned to his own men。 And the difference between one and

the other of these forces can easily be seen when one considers the

difference there was in the reputation of the duke; when he had the

French; when he had the Orsini and Vitelli; and when he relied on his

own soldiers; on whose fidelity he could always count and found it ever

increasing; he was never esteemed more highly than when every one saw

that he was plete master of his own forces。



I was not intending to go beyond Italian and recent examples; but I am

unwilling to leave out Hiero; the Syracusan; he being one of those I

have named above。 This man; as I have said; made head of the army by the

Syracusans; soon found out that a mercenary soldiery; constituted like

our Italian condottieri; was of no use; and it appearing to him that he

could neither keep them nor let them go; he had them all cut to pieces;

and afterwards made war with his own forces and not with aliens。



I wish also to recall to memory an instance from the Old Testament

applicable to this subject。 David offered himself to Saul to fight with

Goliath; the Philistine champion; and; to give him courage; Saul armed

him with his own weapons; which David rejected as soon as he had them on

his back; saying he could make no use of them; and that he wished to

meet the enemy with his sling and his knife。 In conclusion; the arms of

others either fall from your back; or they weigh you down; or they bind

you fast。



Charles VII; the father of King Louis XI; having by good fortune and

valour liberated France from the English; recognized the necessity of

being armed with forces of his own; and he established in his kingdom

ordinances concerning men…at…arms and infantry。 Afterwards his son; King

Louis; abolished the infantry and began to enlist the Switzers; which

mistake; followed by others; is; as is now seen; a source of peril to

that kingdom; because; having raised the reputation of the Switzers; he

has entirely diminished the value of his own arms; for he has destroyed

the infantry altogether; and his men…at…arms he has subordinated to

others; for; being as they are so accustomed to fight along with

Switzers; it does not appear that they can now conquer without them。

Hence it arises that the French cannot stand against the Switzers; and

without the Switzers they do not e off well against others。 The

armies of the French have thus bee mixed; partly mercenary and partly

national; both of which arms together are much better than mercenaries

alone or auxiliaries alone; yet much inferior to one's own forces。 And

this example proves it; the kingdom of France would be unconquerable if

the ordinance of Charles had been enlarged or maintained。



But the scanty wisdom of man; on entering into an affair which looks

well at first; cannot discern the poison that is hidden in it; as I have

said above of hectic fevers。 Therefore; if he who rules a principality

cannot recognize evils until they are upon him; he is not truly w

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的