《君主论-the prince(英文版)》the prince(英文版)-第24章

ill　invariably　fall　a　prey　to　theconqueror；　to　the　pleasure　and　satisfaction　of　him　who　has　beenconquered；　and　you　will　have　no　reasons　to　offer；　nor　anything　toprotect　or　to　shelter　you。　Because　he　who　conquers　does　not　wantdoubtful　friends　who　will　not　aid　him　in　the　time　of　trial；　and　he　wholoses　will　not　harbour　you　because　you　did　not　willingly；　sword　in　hand；court　his　fate。Antiochus　went　into　Greece；　being　sent　for　by　the　Aetolians　to　drive　outthe　Romans。　He　sent　envoys　to　the　Achaeans；　who　were　friends　of　theRomans；　exhorting　them　to　remain　neutral；　and　on　the　other　hand　theRomans　urged　them　to　take　up　arms。　This　question　came　to　be　discussed　inthe　council　of　the　Achaeans；　where　the　legate　of　Antiochus　urged　them　tostand　neutral。　To　this　the　Roman　legate　answered：　〃As　for　that　which　hasbeen　said；　that　it　is　better　and　more　advantageous　for　your　state　not　tointerfere　in　our　war；　nothing　can　be　more　erroneous；　because　by　notinterfering　you　will　be　left；　without　favour　or　consideration；　theguerdon　of　the　conqueror。〃　Thus　it　will　always　happen　that　he　who　is　notyour　friend　will　demand　your　neutrality；　whilst　he　who　is　your　friendwill　entreat　you　to　declare　yourself　with　arms。　And　irresolute　princes；to　avoid　present　dangers；　generally　follow　the　neutral　path；　and　aregenerally　ruined。　But　when　a　prince　declares　himself　gallantly　in　favourof　one　side；　if　the　party　with　whom　he　allies　himself　conquers；　althoughthe　victor　may　be　powerful　and　may　have　him　at　his　mercy；　yet　he　isindebted　to　him；　and　there　is　established　a　bond　of　amity；　and　men　arenever　so　shameless　as　to　bee　a　monument　of　ingratitude　by　oppressingyou。　Victories　after　all　are　never　so　plete　that　the　victor　must　notshow　some　regard；　especially　to　justice。　But　if　he　with　whom　you　allyyourself　loses；　you　may　be　sheltered　by　him；　and　whilst　he　is　able　hemay　aid　you；　and　you　bee　panions　in　a　fortune　that　may　rise　again。In　the　second　case；　when　those　who　fight　are　of　such　a　character　thatyou　have　no　anxiety　as　to　ore　is　itgreater　prudence　to　be　allied；　because　you　assist　at　the　destruction　ofone　by　the　aid　of　another　who；　if　he　had　been　wise；　would　have　savedhim；　and　conquering；　as　it　is　impossible　that　he　should　not　with　yourassistance；　he　remains　at　your　discretion。　And　here　it　is　to　be　notedthat　a　prince　ought　to　take　care　never　to　make　an　alliance　with　one　morepowerful　than　himself　for　the　purpose　of　attacking　others；　unlessnecessity　pels　him；　as　is　said　above；　because　if　he　conquers　you　areat　his　discretion；　and　princes　ought　to　avoid　as　much　as　possible　beingat　the　discretion　of　any　one。　The　Veians　joined　with　France　againstthe　Duke　of　Milan；　and　this　alliance；　which　caused　their　ruin；　couldhave　been　avoided。　But　when　it　cannot　be　avoided；　as　happened　to　theFlorentines　when　the　Pope　and　Spain　sent　armies　to　attack　Lombardy；　thenin　such　a　case；　for　the　above　reasons；　the　prince　ought　to　favour　one　ofthe　parties。Never　let　any　Government　imagine　that　it　can　choose　perfectly　safecourses；　rather　let　it　expect　to　have　to　take　very　doubtful　ones；because　it　is　found　in　ordinary　affairs　that　one　never　seeks　to　avoidone　trouble　without　running　into　another；　but　prudence　consists　inknowing　how　to　distinguish　the　character　of　troubles；　and　for　choice　totake　the　lesser　evil。A　prince　ought　also　to　show　himself　a　patron　of　ability；　and　to　honourthe　proficient　in　every　art。　At　the　same　time　he　should　encourage　hiscitizens　to　practise　their　callings　peaceably；　both　in　merce　andagriculture；　and　in　every　other　following；　so　that　the　one　should　not　bedeterred　from　improving　his　possessions　for　fear　lest　they　be　taken　awayfrom　him　or　another　from　opening　up　trade　for　fear　of　taxes；　but　theprince　ought　to　offer　rewards　to　whoever　wishes　to　do　these　things　anddesigns　in　any　way　to　honour　his　city　or　state。Further；　he　ought　to　entertain　the　people　with　festivals　and　spectaclesat　convenient　seasons　of　the　year；　and　as　every　city　is　divided　intoguilds　or　into　societies；　he　ought　to　hold　such　bodies　in　esteem；　andassociate　with　them　sometimes；　and　show　himself　an　example　of　courtesyand　liberality；　nevertheless；　always　maintaining　the　majesty　of　hisrank；　for　this　he　must　never　consent　to　abate　in　anything。CHAPTER　XXIICONCERNING　THE　SECRETARIES　OF　PRINCESTHE　choice　of　servants　is　of　no　little　importance　to　a　prince；　and　theyare　good　or　not　according　to　the　discrimination　of　the　prince。　And　thefirst　opinion　which　one　forms　of　a　prince；　and　of　his　understanding；　isby　observing　the　men　he　has　around　him；　and　when　they　are　capable　andfaithful　he　may　always　be　considered　wise；　because　he　has　known　how　torecognize　the　capable　and　to　keep　them　faithful。　But　when　they　areotherwise　one　cannot　form　a　good　opinion　of　him；　for　the　prime　errorwhich　he　made　was　in　choosing　them。There　were　none　who　knew　Messer　Antonio　da　Venafro　as　the　servant　ofPandolfo　Petrucci；　Prince　of　Siena；　who　would　not　consider　Pandolfo　tobe　a　very　clever　man　in　having　Venafro　for　his　servant。　Because　thereare　three　classes　of　intellects：　one　which　prehends　by　itself；another　which　appreciates　what　others　prehend；　and　a　third　whichneither　prehends　by　itself　nor　by　the　showing　of　others；　the　first　isthe　most　excellent；　the　second　is　good；　the　third　is　useless。　Therefore；it　follows　necessarily　that；　if　Pandolfo　was　not　in　the　first　rank；　hewas　in　the　second；　for　whenever　one　has　judgment　to　know　good　or　badwhen　it　is　said　and　done；　although　he　himself　may　not　have　theinitiative；　yet　he　can　recognize　the　good　and　the　bad　in　his　servant；and　the　one　he　can　praise　and　the　other　correct；　thus　the　servant　cannothope　to　deceive　him；　and　is　kept　honest。But　to　enable　a　prince　to　form　an　opinion　of　his　servant　there　is　oest　which　never　falls；　when　you　see　the　servant　thinking　more　of　hisown　interests　than　of　yours；　and　seeking　inwardly　his　own　profit　ineverything；　such　a　man　will　never　make　a　good　servant；　nor　will　you　everbe　able　to　trust　him；　because　he　who　has　the　state　of　another　in　hishands　ought　never　to　think　of　himself；　but　always　of　his　prince；　andnever　pay　any　attention　to　matters　in　which　the　prince　is　not　concerned。On　the　other　to　keep　his　servant　honest　the　prince　ought　to　study　him；honouring　him；　enriching　him；　doing　him　kindnesse