Niccolò Machiavelli · Complete work
Chapter XV
Chapter XV of 27. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Italian
Delle cose, mediante le quali gli uomini, e massimamente i Principi, sono lodati o vituperati.
Resta ora a vedere quali debbano essere i modi e governi di un Principe con li sudditi e con gli amici. E perchè io so che molti di questo hanno scritto, dubito, scrivendone ancor io, non esser tenuto presontuoso, partendomi, massime nel disputare questa materia, dagli ordini degli altri. Ma essendo l’intento mio scrivere cosa utile a chi l’intende, mi è parso più conveniente andare dietro alla verità effettuale della cosa, che all’immaginazione di essa: e molti si sono immaginate Repubbliche e Principati, che non si sono mai visti nè cognosciuti essere in vero; perchè egli è tanto discosto da come si vive, a come si doveria vivere, che colui che lascia quello che si fa per quello che si doveria fare, impara piuttosto la rovina, che la preservazione sua; perchè un uomo che voglia fare in tutte le parti professione di buono, conviene che rovini fra tanti che non sono buoni. Onde è necessario ad un Principe, volendosi mantenere, imparare a potere essere non buono, ed usarlo e non usarlo secondo la necessità.
Lasciando adunque indietro le cose circa un Principe immaginate, e discorrendo quelle che son vere, dico, che tutti gli uomini, quando se ne parla, e massime i Principi, per esser posti più alto, sono notati di alcuna di queste qualità che arrecano loro o biasimo, o laude; e questo è che alcuno è tenuto liberale, alcuno misero, usando un termine Toscano, (perchè avaro in nostra lingua è ancor colui che per rapina desidera d’avere, e misero chiamiamo quello che troppo si astiene dall’usare il suo) alcuno è tenuto donatore, alcuno rapace; alcuno crudele, alcuno pietoso; l’uno fedífrago, l’altro fedele; l’uno effeminato e pusillanime, l’altro feroce ed animoso; l’uno umano, l’altro superbo; l’uno lascivo, l’altro casto; l’uno intero, l’altro astuto; l’uno duro, l’altro facile; l’uno grave, l’altro leggiere; l’uno religioso, l’altro incredulo, e simili. Io so che ciascuno confesserà, che sarebbe laudabilissima cosa un Principe trovarsi di tutte le sopraddette qualità, quelle che sono tenute buone; ma perchè non si possono avere, nè interamente osservare per le condizioni umane che non lo consentono, gli è necessario essere tanto prudente, che sappia fuggire l’infamia di quelli vizi che li torrebbono lo Stato, e da quelli che non gliene tolgano, guardarsi, se egli è possibile; ma non potendosi, si può con minor rispetto lasciare andare. Ed ancora non si curi d’incorrere nell’infamia di quelli vizi, senza i quali possa difficilmente salvare lo Stato; perchè, se si considera bene tutto, si troverà qualche cosa che parrà virtù, e seguendola sarebbe la rovina sua; e qualcun’altra che parrà vizio, e seguendola ne risulta la sicurtà, ed il ben essere suo.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Italian text of all 26 chapters and the dedication for fidelity, Machiavelli’s force and cadence, and modern clarity.
On the Qualities for Which Men, and Especially Princes, Are Praised or Blamed
It remains now to consider how a Prince should conduct himself toward his subjects and his friends. I know that many have written on this subject, and I fear that writing on it myself may seem presumptuous, especially since I depart from the methods of others in discussing it. But as my purpose is to write something useful to whoever understands it, I have thought it better to follow the effective truth of the matter than an imagined version of it. Many have imagined republics and principalities that have never been seen or known to exist in reality. For how people live is so far removed from how they ought to live that anyone who abandons what is done for what ought to be done learns how to bring about his ruin rather than his preservation. A man who makes a profession of goodness in every circumstance is bound to come to ruin among so many who are not good. Hence a Prince who wishes to maintain his position must learn how not to be good, and to use that knowledge, or not use it, as necessity demands.
Setting aside, then, the things imagined about a Prince and considering those that are real, I say that all men, when they are spoken of, and Princes especially, because they stand higher, are credited with certain qualities that bring them either blame or praise. One is thought generous, another miserly—to use a Tuscan word, since in our language the word for “avaricious” also describes one who seeks to gain through plunder, while we call “miserly” a man who is too reluctant to use what is his. One is called openhanded, another grasping; one cruel, another merciful; one a breaker of faith, another faithful; one effeminate and fainthearted, another fierce and bold; one humane, another proud; one licentious, another chaste; one straightforward, another cunning; one stern, another yielding; one serious, another frivolous; one devout, another unbelieving, and so on. I know everyone will agree that it would be most praiseworthy for a Prince to possess all those qualities named above that are held to be good. But human conditions do not allow him to possess or practice them all without fail. He must therefore be prudent enough to avoid the disgrace of vices that would cost him his state, and guard against those that would not cost him his state if he can; but if he cannot, he may yield to them with fewer scruples. Nor should he shrink from the disgrace of those vices without which he could scarcely preserve his state. For if we consider everything carefully, we shall find something that appears a virtue but would bring him to ruin if followed, and something else that appears a vice but brings him security and well-being if followed.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the Italian text of all 26 chapters and the dedication.
The Qualities for Which People, Especially Princes, Are Praised or Blamed
We now need to look at how a Prince should act toward his subjects and his friends, and how he should govern them. Many people have written about this, so I may seem presumptuous for writing about it too, especially since my approach differs from theirs. But I want to write something useful for people who understand it. It seems better to follow the practical truth of things than to imagine how they ought to be. Many writers have imagined republics and principalities that have never been seen or known to exist. There is such a gap between how people live and how they ought to live that anyone who ignores what people actually do in favor of what they should do is more likely to destroy himself than to protect himself. A man who insists on being good in every respect is bound to be ruined among so many people who are not good. So a Prince who wants to keep his position must learn how not to be good, and use that knowledge, or not use it, as the need arises.
Let us leave aside imagined ideas about Princes and discuss what really happens. When people talk about anyone, and especially Princes, whose high position makes them more noticeable, they assign them qualities that bring praise or blame. One man is thought generous, another stingy. I use the Tuscan word for stingy, since in our language a greedy man can also mean someone eager to gain by theft, while a stingy man holds back too much from spending what is his own. One man is said to give things away, another to seize them. One is cruel, another merciful. One breaks his word, another keeps it. One is soft and fainthearted, another fierce and bold. One is kind, another arrogant. One is lustful, another chaste. One is honest, another cunning. One is harsh, another easygoing. One is serious, another frivolous. One is religious, another unbelieving, and so on. Everyone would agree that it would be most praiseworthy for a Prince to have all the qualities in this list that are thought good. But human circumstances do not allow him to have them all or always act on them. He must therefore be wise enough to avoid the disgrace of vices that would cost him his state. He should avoid other vices too, if he can. If he cannot, he can let those go with fewer worries. Nor should he worry about being blamed for vices without which he could hardly save his state. If we look closely at everything, we will find that something that looks like a virtue could ruin him if he follows it, while something that looks like a vice could bring him safety and well-being.