the prince-第1部分

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The　Prince

by　Nicolo　Machiavelli

Translated　by　W。　K。　Marriott



Nicolo　Machiavelli；　born　at　Florence　on　3rd　May　1469。　From　1494　to　1512　held　an　official　post　at　Florence　which　included　diplomatic　missions　to　various　European　courts。　Imprisoned　in　Florence；　1512；　later　exiled　and　returned　to　San　Casciano。　Died　at　Florence　on　22nd　June　1527。



INTRODUCTION

Nicolo　Machiavelli　was　born　at　Florence　on　3rd　May　1469。　He　was　the　second　son　of　Bernardo　di　Nicolo　Machiavelli；　a　lawyer　of　some　repute；　and　of　Bartolommea　di　Stefano　Nelli；　his　wife。　Both　parents　were　members　of　the　old　Florentine　nobility。

His　life　falls　naturally　into　three　periods；　each　of　which　singularly　enough　constitutes　a　distinct　and　important　era　in　the　history　of　Florence。　His　youth　was　concurrent　with　the　greatness　of　Florence　as　an　Italian　power　under　the　guidance　of　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；　Il　Magnifico。　The　downfall　of　the　Medici　in　Florence　occurred　in　1494；　in　which　year　Machiavelli　entered　the　public　service。　During　his　official　career　Florence　was　free　under　the　government　of　a　Republic；　which　lasted　until　1512；　when　the　Medici　returned　to　power；　and　Machiavelli　lost　his　office。　The　Medici　again　ruled　Florence　from　1512　until　1527；　when　they　were　once　more　driven　out。　This　was　the　period　of　Machiavelli's　literary　activity　and　increasing　influence；　but　he　died；　within　a　few　weeks　of　the　expulsion　of　the　Medici；　on　22nd　June　1527；　in　his　fifty…eighth　year；　without　having　regained　office。



YOUTH　Aet。　1…251469…94

Although　there　is　little　recorded　of　the　youth　of　Machiavelli；　the　Florence　of　those　days　is　so　well　known　that　the　early　environment　of　this　representative　citizen　may　be　easily　imagined。　Florence　has　been　described　as　a　city　with　two　opposite　currents　of　life；　one　directed　by　the　fervent　and　austere　Savonarola；　the　other　by　the　splendour…　loving　Lorenzo。　Savonarola's　influence　upon　the　young　Machiavelli　must　have　been　slight；　for　although　at　one　time　he　wielded　immense　power　over　the　fortunes　of　Florence；　he　only　furnished　Machiavelli　with　a　subject　of　a　gibe　in　〃The　Prince；〃　where　he　is　cited　as　an　example　of　an　unarmed　prophet　who　came　to　a　bad　end。　Whereas　the　magnificence　of　the　Medicean　rule　during　the　life　of　Lorenzo　appeared　to　have　impressed　Machiavelli　strongly；　for　he　frequently　recurs　to　it　in　his　writings；　and　it　is　to　Lorenzo's　grandson　that　he　dedicates　〃The　Prince。〃

Machiavelli；　in　his　〃History　of　Florence；〃　gives　us　a　picture　of　the　young　men　among　whom　his　youth　was　passed。　He　writes：　〃They　were　freer　than　their　forefathers　in　dress　and　living；　and　spent　more　in　other　kinds　of　excesses；　consuming　their　time　and　money　in　idleness；　gaming；　and　women；　their　chief　aim　was　to　appear　well　dressed　and　to　speak　with　wit　and　acuteness；　whilst　he　who　could　wound　others　the　most　cleverly　was　thought　the　wisest。〃　In　a　letter　to　his　son　Guido；　Machiavelli　shows　why　youth　should　avail　itself　of　its　opportunities　for　study；　and　leads　us　to　infer　that　his　own　youth　had　been　so　occupied。　He　writes：　〃I　have　received　your　letter；　which　has　given　me　the　greatest　pleasure；　especially　because　you　tell　me　you　are　quite　restored　in　health；　than　which　I　could　have　no　better　news；　for　if　God　grant　life　to　you；　and　to　me；　I　hope　to　make　a　good　man　of　you　if　you　are　willing　to　do　your　share。〃　Then；　writing　of　a　new　patron；　he　continues：　〃This　will　turn　out　well　for　you；　but　it　is　necessary　for　you　to　study；　since；　then；　you　have　no　longer　the　excuse　of　illness；　take　pains　to　study　letters　and　music；　for　you　see　what　honour　is　done　to　me　for　the　little　skill　I　have。　Therefore；　my　son；　if　you　wish　to　please　me；　and　to　bring　success　and　honour　to　yourself；　do　right　and　study；　because　others　will　help　you　if　you　help　yourself。〃



OFFICE　Aet。　25…431494…1512

The　second　period　of　Machiavelli's　life　was　spent　in　the　service　of　the　free　Republic　of　Florence；　which　flourished；　as　stated　above；　from　the　expulsion　of　the　Medici　in　1494　until　their　return　in　1512。　After　serving　four　years　in　one　of　the　public　offices　he　was　appointed　Chancellor　and　Secretary　to　the　Second　Chancery；　the　Ten　of　Liberty　and　Peace。　Here　we　are　on　firm　ground　when　dealing　with　the　events　of　Machiavelli's　life；　for　during　this　time　he　took　a　leading　part　in　the　affairs　of　the　Republic；　and　we　have　its　decrees；　records；　and　dispatches　to　guide　us；　as　well　as　his　own　writings。　A　mere　recapitulation　of　a　few　of　his　transactions　with　the　statesmen　and　soldiers　of　his　time　gives　a　fair　indication　of　his　activities；　and　supplies　the　sources　from　which　he　drew　the　experiences　and　characters　which　illustrate　〃The　Prince。〃

His　first　mission　was　in　1499　to　Catherina　Sforza；　〃my　lady　of　Forli〃　of　〃The　Prince；〃　from　whose　conduct　and　fate　he　drew　the　moral　that　it　is　far　better　to　earn　the　confidence　of　the　people　than　to　rely　on　fortresses。　This　is　a　very　noticeable　principle　in　Machiavelli；　and　is　urged　by　him　in　many　ways　as　a　matter　of　vital　importance　to　princes。

In　1500　he　was　sent　to　France　to　obtain　terms　from　Louis　XII　for　continuing　the　war　against　Pisa：　this　king　it　was　who；　in　his　conduct　of　affairs　in　Italy；　committed　the　five　capital　errors　in　statecraft　summarized　in　〃The　Prince；〃　and　was　consequently　driven　out。　He；　also；　it　was　who　made　the　dissolution　of　his　marriage　a　condition　of　support　to　Pope　Alexander　VI；　which　leads　Machiavelli　to　refer　those　who　urge　that　such　promises　should　be　kept　to　what　he　has　written　concerning　the　faith　of　princes。

Machiavelli's　public　life　was　largely　occupied　with　events　arising　out　of　the　ambitions　of　Pope　Alexander　VI　and　his　son；　Cesare　Borgia；　the　Duke　Valentino；　and　these　characters　fill　a　large　space　of　〃The　Prince。〃　Machiavelli　never　hesitates　to　cite　the　actions　of　the　duke　for　the　benefit　of　usurpers　who　wish　to　keep　the　states　they　have　seized；　he　can；　indeed；　find　no　precepts　to　offer　so　good　as　the　pattern　of　Cesare　Borgia's　conduct；　insomuch　that　Cesare　is　acclaimed　by　some　critics　as　the　〃hero〃　of　〃The　Prince。〃　Yet　in　〃The　Prince〃　the　duke　is　in　point　of　fact　cited　as　a　type　of　the　man　who　rises　on　the　fortune　of　others；　and　falls　with　them；　who　takes　every　course　that　might　be　expected　from　a　prudent　man　but　the　course　which　will　save　him；　who　is　prepared　for　all　eventualities　but　the　one　which　happens；　and　who；　when　all　his　abilities　fail　to　carry　him　through；　exclaims　that　it　was　not　his　fault；　but　an　extraordinary　and　unforeseen　fatality。

On　the　death　of　Pius　III；　in　1503；　Machiavelli　was　sent　to　Rome　to　watch　the　election　of　his　successor；　and　there　he　saw　Cesare　Borgia　cheated　into　allowing　the　choice　of　the　College　to　fall　on　Giuliano　delle　Rovere　（Julius　II）；　who　was　one　of　the　cardinals　that　had　most　reason　to　fear　the　duke。　Machiavelli；　when　commenting　on　this　election；　says　that　he　who　thinks　new　favours　will　cause　great　personages　to　forget　old　injuries　deceives　himself。　Julius　did　not　rest　until　he　had　ruined　Cesare。

It　was　to　Julius　II　that　Machiavelli　was　sent　in　1506；　when　that　pontiff　was　commencing　his　enterprise　against　Bologna；　which　he　brought　to　a　successful　issue；　as　he　did　many　of　his　other　adventures；　owing　chiefly　to　his　impetuous　character。　It　is　in　reference　to　Pope　Julius　that　Machiavelli　moralizes　on　the　resemblance　between　Fortune　and　women；　and　concludes　that　it　is　the　bold　rather　than　the　cautious　man　that　will　win　and　hold　them　both。

It　is　impossible　to　follow　here　the　varying　fortunes　of　the　Italian　states；　which　in　1507　were　controlled　by　France；　Spain；　and　Germany；　with　results　that　have　lasted　to　our　day；　we　are　concerned　with　those　events；　and　with　the　three　great　actors　in　them；　so　far　only　as　they　impinge　on　the　personality　of　Machiavelli。　He　had　several　meetings　with　Louis　XII　of　France；　and　his　estimate　of　that　monarch's　character　has　already　been　alluded　to。　Machiavelli　has　painted　Ferdinand　of　Aragon　as　the　man　who　accomplished　great　things　under　the　cloak　of　religion；　but　who　in　reality　had　no　mercy；　faith；　humanity；　or　integrity；　and　who；　had　he　allowed　himself　to　be　influenced　by　such　motives；　would　have　been　ruined。　The　Emperor　Maximilian　was　one　of　the　most　interesting　men　of　the　age；　and　his　character　has　been　drawn　by　many　hands；　but　Machiavelli；　who　was　an　envoy　at　his　court　in　1507…8；　reveals　the　secret　of　his　many　failures　when　he　describes　him　as　a　secretive　man；　without　force　of　characterignoring　the　human　agencies　necessary　to　carry　his　schemes　into　effect；　and　never　insisting　on　the　fulfilment　of　his　wishes。

The　remaining　years　of　Machiavelli's　official　career　were　filled　with　events　arising　out　of　the　League　of　Cambrai；　made　in　1508　between　the　three　great　European　powers　already　mentioned　and　the　pope；　with　the　object　of　crushing　the　Venetian　Republic。　This　result　was　attained　in　the　battle　of　Vaila；　when　Venice　lost　in　one　day　all　that　she　had　won　in　eight　hundred　years。　Florence　had　a　difficult　part　to　play　during　these　events；　complicated　as　they　were　by　the　feud　which　broke　out　between　the　pope　and　the　French；　because　friendship　with　France　had　dictated　the　entire　policy　of　the　Republic。　When；　in　1511；　Julius　II　finally　formed　the　Holy　League　against　France；　and　with　the　assistance　of　the　Swiss　drove　the　French　out　of　Italy；　Flo