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！
Lombardy； had made the king master of two…thirds of Italy。
Let any one now consider with what little difficulty the king could
have maintained his position in Italy had he observed the rules above laid
down； and kept all his friends secure and protected； for although they were
numerous they were both weak and timid； some afraid of the Church；
some of the Venetians； and thus they would always have been forced to
stand in with him； and by their means he could easily have made himself
secure against those who remained powerful。 But he was no sooner in
Milan than he did the contrary by assisting Pope Alexander to occupy the
Romagna。 It never occurred to him that by this action he was weakening
himself； depriving himself of friends and of those who had thrown
themselves into his lap； whilst he aggrandized the Church by adding much
temporal power to the spiritual； thus giving it greater authority。 And
having committed this prime error； he was obliged to follow it up； so much
so that； to put an end to the ambition of Alexander； and to prevent his
becoming the master of Tuscany； he was himself forced to come into Italy。
And as if it were not enough to have aggrandized the Church； and
deprived himself of friends； he； wishing to have the kingdom of Naples；
divides it with the King of Spain； and where he was the prime arbiter in
Italy he takes an associate； so that the ambitious of that country and the
malcontents of his own should have somewhere to shelter； and whereas he
could have left in the kingdom his own pensioner as king； he drove him
out； to put one there who was able to drive him； Louis； out in turn。
The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and common； and men
always do so when they can； and for this they will be praised not blamed；
but when they cannot do so； yet wish to do so by any means； then there is
folly and blame。 Therefore； if France could have attacked Naples with her
own forces she ought to have done so； if she could not； then she ought not
to have divided it。 And if the partition which she made with the Venetians
22
… Page 23…
The Prince
in Lombardy was justified by the excuse that by it she got a foothold in
Italy； this other partition merited blame； for it had not the excuse of that
necessity。
Therefore Louis made these five errors： he destroyed the minor powers；
he increased the strength of one of the greater powers in Italy； he brought
in a foreign power； he did not settle in the country； he did not send
colonies。 Which errors； had he lived； were not enough to injure him had he
not made a sixth by taking away their dominions from the Venetians；
because； had he not aggrandized the Church； nor brought Spain into Italy；
it would have been very reasonable and necessary to humble them； but
having first taken these steps； he ought never to have consented to their
ruin； for they； being powerful； would always have kept off others from
designs on Lombardy； to which the Venetians would never have consented
except to become masters themselves there； also because the others would
not wish to take Lombardy from France in order to give it to the Venetians；
and to run counter to both they would not have had the courage。
And if any one should say： 〃King Louis yielded the Romagna to
Alexander and the kingdom to Spain to avoid war； I answer for the reasons
given above that a blunder ought never to be perpetrated to avoid war；
because it is not to be avoided； but is only deferred to your disadvantage。
And if another should allege the pledge which the king had given to the
Pope that he would assist him in the enterprise； in exchange for the
dissolution of his marriage＇*＇ and for the cap to Rouen；＇＋＇ to that I reply
what I shall write later on concerning the faith of princes； and how it ought
to be kept。
＇*＇ Louis XII divorced his wife； Jeanne； daughter of Louis XI； and
married in 1499 Anne of Brittany； widow of Charles VIII； in order to
retain the Duchy of Brittany for the crown。
＇＋＇ The Archbishop of Rouen。 He was Georges d'Amboise； created a
cardinal by Alexander VI。 Born 1460； died 1510。
Thus King Louis lost Lombardy by not having followed any of the
conditions observed by those who have taken possession of countries and
wished to retain them。 Nor is there any miracle in this； but much that is
reasonable and quite natural。 And on these matters I spoke at Nantes with
23
… Page 24…
The Prince
Rouen； when Valentino； as Cesare Borgia； the son of Pope Alexander； was
usually called； occupied the Romagna； and on Cardinal Rouen observing
to me that the Italians did not understand war； I replied to him that the
French did not understand statecraft； meaning that otherwise they would
not have allowed the Church to reach such greatness。 And in fact is has
been seen that the greatness of the Church and of Spain in Italy has been
caused by France； and her ruin may be attributed to them。 From this a
general rule is drawn which never or rarely fails： that he who is the cause
of another becoming powerful is ruined； because that predominancy has
been brought about either by astuteness or else by force； and both are
distrusted by him who has been raised to power。
24
… Page 25…
The Prince
CHAPTER IV
WHY THE KINGDOM OF DARIUS； CONQUERED BY
ALEXANDER； DID NOT REBEL AGAINST THE SUCCESSORS
OF ALEXANDER AT HIS DEATH
Considering the difficulties which men have had to hold to a newly
acquired state； some might wonder how； seeing that Alexander the Great
became the master of Asia in a few years； and died whilst it was scarcely
settled （whence it might appear reasonable that the whole empire would
have rebelled）； nevertheless his successors maintained themselves； and
had to meet no other difficulty than that which arose among themselves
from their own ambitions。
I answer that the principalities of which one has record are found to be
governed in two different ways； either by a prince； with a body of servants；
w