Niccolò Machiavelli · Complete work
Chapter XXIV
Chapter XXIV of 27. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Italian
Perchè i Principi d’Italia abbino perduto i loro Stati.
Le cose sopradette osservate prudentemente fanno parere un Principe nuovo antico; e lo rendono subito più sicuro e più fermo nello Stato, che se vi fosse anticato dentro. Perchè un Principe nuovo è molto più osservato nelle sue azioni, che uno ereditario; e quando le son cognosciute virtuose, si guadagnano molto più gli uomini, e molto più gli obbligano, che il sangue antico; perchè gli uomini sono molto più presi dalle cose presenti, che dalle passate, e quando nelle presenti ei trovano il bene, vi si godono, e non cercano altro; anzi pigliano ogni difesa di lui, quando il Principe non manchi nelle altre cose a sè medesimo. E così arà duplicata gloria di aver dato principio a un Principato nuovo, ed ornatolo, e corroboratolo di buone leggi, di buone armi, di buoni amici, e di buoni esempi; come quello arà duplicata vergogna, che è nato Principe, e per sua poca prudenza l’ha perduto. E se si considera quelli Signori che in Italia hanno perduto lo Stato ne’ nostri tempi, come il Re di Napoli, Duca di Milano, e altri, si troverà in loro prima un comune difetto quanto all’armi, per le cagioni che di sopra a lungo si sono discorse; dipoi si vedrà alcun di loro o che arà avuto nimici i popoli, o se arà avuto amico il popolo, non si sarà saputo assicurare de’ grandi; perchè senza questi difetti non si perdono gli Stati, che abbino tanto nervi, che possino tenere un esercito alla campagna.
Filippo Macedone, non il padre di Alessandro Magno, ma quello che fu da Tito Quinzio vinto, aveva non molto Stato rispetto alla grandezza de’ Romani, e di Grecia, che l’assaltò; nientedimeno, per essere uomo militare, e che sapeva intrattenere i popoli, ed assicurarsi de’ grandi, sostenne più anni la guerra contro di quelli; e se alla fine perdè il dominio di qualche città, gli rimase nondimanco il Regno. Pertanto questi nostri Principi, i quali molti anni erano stati nel loro Principato, per averlo dipoi perso, non accusino la fortuna, ma l’ignavia loro; perchè non avendo mai pensato ne’ tempi quieti che possino mutarsi; (il che è comune difetto degli uomini non far conto nella bonaccia della tempesta) quando poi vennero i tempi avversi, pensarono a fuggirsi, non a difendersi, e sperarono che i populi, infastiditi per la insolenza de’ vincitori, gli richiamassero. Il quale partito, quando mancano li altri, è buono; ma è ben male avere lasciato gli altri rimedi per quello; perchè non si vorrebbe mai cadere per credere poi di trovare chi ti ricolga. Il che, o non avviene, o se egli avviene, non è con tua sicurtà, per essere quella difesa vile, e non dipendere da te; e quelle difese solamente sono buone, certe, e durabili, che dipendono da te proprio, e dalla virtù tua.
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.
Why the Princes of Italy Have Lost Their States
When the measures discussed above are prudently observed, they make a new Prince appear long established, and at once render him more secure and more firmly settled in his state than if he had ruled there for generations. For the actions of a new Prince are watched far more closely than those of a hereditary one; and when they are recognized as worthy, they win men over and bind them to him much more strongly than ancient blood. Men are far more taken with present things than with things past, and when they find good in the present, they enjoy it and seek nothing more. Indeed, they will defend the Prince in every way, provided he does not fail himself in other matters. Thus he will have twice the glory for founding a new principality and adorning and strengthening it with good laws, good arms, good allies, and good examples; just as a man born a Prince will have twice the shame if he loses his state through his own lack of prudence. And if we consider the rulers who have lost their states in Italy in our time, such as the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and others, we will find in them, first, a common failing in their arms, for reasons already discussed at length. Then we will see that some of them had the people as enemies, or, if they had the people as friends, did not know how to secure themselves against the great. For without such failings, states with enough strength to put an army in the field are not lost.
Philip of Macedon—not the father of Alexander the Great, but the one defeated by Titus Quinctius—possessed no very large state compared with the power of the Romans and of Greece, which attacked him. Yet because he was a man of war who knew how to keep the people on his side and protect himself against the great, he sustained the war against them for many years; and though in the end he lost control of some cities, he nevertheless kept his kingdom. Therefore, let these princes of ours, who held their principalities for many years and then lost them, blame not fortune but their own indolence. They had never imagined in quiet times that things could change—a common failing of men, who do not reckon with storms in fair weather. When adversity came, they thought of fleeing, not of defending themselves, and hoped that the people, weary of the victors' insolence, would call them back. When other means have failed, that course is a good one; but it is very bad to have abandoned all other remedies for its sake. One should never fall in the belief that someone will later pick one up. Either that does not happen, or, if it does, it brings you no security, since such a defense is base and does not depend on you. The only defenses that are good, sure, and enduring are those that depend on you yourself and on your own ability.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the Italian text of all 26 chapters and the dedication.
Why the Princes of Italy Have Lost Their States
If a new Prince carefully follows the advice given above, he will seem like a Prince whose family has ruled for generations. It will immediately make him more secure and better established in his state than if he had inherited it long ago. People watch what a new Prince does much more closely than they watch a hereditary Prince. When they see that his actions are good, those actions win their support and loyalty far more than an old family line does. People care much more about what is happening now than about the past. If they find things good now, they enjoy them and ask for nothing else. Indeed, they will do everything they can to defend the Prince, provided he does not fail in his other duties. He will thus win twice the glory: for founding a new principality, and for improving and strengthening it with good laws, good arms, good friends, and good examples. By the same measure, a man born a Prince who loses his principality through poor judgment will suffer twice the shame. Consider the rulers who have lost their states in Italy in our time, such as the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and others. First, you will find that they all failed in the matter of arms, for the reasons I have discussed at length above. Next, you will see that some made enemies of their people, while others, even if the people were on their side, did not know how to protect themselves against the powerful. States strong enough to field an army are not lost without these failures.
Philip of Macedon—not the father of Alexander the Great, but the one defeated by Titus Quinctius—held a small state compared with the power of Rome and Greece, which attacked him. Yet he was a capable soldier who knew how to keep the people on his side and secure himself against the powerful. He held out against them in war for several years. Although he eventually lost control of some cities, he still kept his kingdom. So the Princes of our time who had ruled their principalities for many years before losing them should blame their own laziness, not fortune. In peaceful times they never considered that things could change. People commonly fail to think of storms when the weather is calm. Then, when hard times came, these Princes thought of fleeing instead of defending themselves. They hoped that the people, fed up with the arrogance of the victors, would call them back. When there is no other choice, that is a reasonable plan. But it is a serious mistake to neglect every other remedy and rely on it. You should never let yourself fall on the assumption that someone will pick you up afterward. That may never happen. Even if it does, it gives you no security, because such a defense is weak and does not depend on you. Only defenses that depend on you and your own ability are good, reliable, and lasting.