Niccolò Machiavelli · Complete work
Chapter XXV
Chapter XXV of 27. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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Quanto possa nelle umane cose la fortuna, e in che modo se gli possa ostare.
Non mi è incognito, come molti hanno avuto e hanno opinione, che le cose del mondo siano in modo governate dalla fortuna, e da Dio, che gli uomini con la prudenza loro non possino correggerle, anzi non vi abbino rimedio alcuno; e per questo potrebbono giudicare che non fusse da insudare molto nelle cose, ma lasciarsi governare dalla sorte. Questa opinione è suta più creduta ne’ nostri tempi per la variazione delle cose grandi che si sono viste, e veggonsi ogni dì fuori di ogni umana coniettura. A che pensando io qualche volta, sono in qualche parte inchinato nella opinione loro. Nondimanco, perchè il nostro libero arbitrio non sia spento, giudico potere esser vero, che la fortuna sia arbitra della metà delle azioni nostre, ma che ancora ella ne lasci governare l’altra metà, o poco meno, a noi. Ed assomiglio quella ad fiume rovinoso, che quando ei si adira, allaga i piani, rovina gli arbori e gli edifici, lieva da questa parte terreno, ponendolo a quell’altra; ciascuno gli fugge davanti, ognuno cede al suo furore, senza potervi ostare; e benchè sia così fatto, non resta però che gli uomini, quando sono tempi quieti, non vi possino fare provvedimenti e con ripari, e con argini, immodochè crescendo poi, o egli andrebbe per un canale, o l’impeto suo non sarebbe sì licenzioso, nè sì dannoso.
Similmente interviene della fortuna, la quale dimostra la sua potenzia dove non è ordinata virtù a resistere, e quivi volta i suoi impeti, dove la sa che non sono fatti gli argini, nè i ripari a tenerla. E se voi considererete l’Italia, che è la sede di queste variazioni, e quella che ha dato loro il moto, vedrete essere una campagna senza argini, e senza alcun riparo. Che se la fusse riparata da conveniente virtù, come è la Magna, la Spagna, e la Francia, questa inondazione non avrebbe fatto le variazioni grandi che l’ha, o la non ci sarebbe venuta. E questo voglio basti aver detto quanto all’opporsi alla fortuna in universale. Ma restringendomi più al particulare, dico, come si vede oggi questo Principe felicitare, e domani rovinare, senza vederli aver mutato natura o qualità alcuna. Il che credo nasca prima dalle cagioni che si sono lungamente per lo addietro trascorse; cioè, che quel Principe che si appoggia tutto in sulla fortuna, rovina come quella varia. Credo ancora, che sia felice quello, il modo del cui procedere suo si riscontra con la qualità de’ tempi, e similmente sia infelice quello, dal cui procedere si discordano i tempi. Perchè si vede gli uomini nelle cose che gl’inducono al fine, quale ciascuno ha innanzi, cioè gloria e ricchezze, procedervi variamente, l’uno con rispetti, l’altro con impeto; l’uno per violenza, l’altro per arte; l’uno con pazienza, l’altro col suo contrario; e ciascuno con questi diversi modi vi può pervenire. E vedesi ancora duoi respettivi, l’uno pervenire al suo disegno, l’altro no; e similmente duoi equalmente felicitare con due diversi studi, essendo l’uno respettivo, l’altro impetuoso; il che non nasce da altro, se non da qualità di tempi che si conformino o no col procedere loro. Di qui nasce quello ho detto che duoi, diversamente operando, sortiscano il medesimo effetto; e duoi equalmente operando, l’uno si conduce al suo fine, l’altro no. Da questo ancora dipende la variazione del bene; perchè se a uno, che si governa con rispetto e pazienza, i tempi e le cose girano in modo che il governo suo sia buono, esso viene felicitando; ma se li tempi e le cose si mutano, egli rovina, perchè non muta modo di procedere. Nè si trova uomo sì prudente, che si sappi accordare a questo, sì perchè non si può deviare da quello, a che la natura l’inclina; sì ancora perchè avendo sempre uno prosperato camminando per una via, non si può persuadere, che sia bene partirsi da quella; e però l’uomo rispettivo, quando gli è tempo di venire all’impeto non lo sa fare; donde egli rovina; che se si mutasse natura con li tempi e con le cose, non si muterebbe fortuna. Papa Iulio II procedette in ogni sua cosa impetuosamente, e trovò tanto i tempi e le cose conformi a quel suo modo di procedere, che sempre sortì felice fine. Considerate la prima impresa che fece di Bologna, vivendo ancora Messer Giovanni Bentivogli. I Viniziani non se ne contentavano, il Re di Spagna similmente con Francia aveva ragionamento di tale impresa; e lui nondimanco con la sua ferocità ed impeto si mosse personalmente a quella espedizione, la qual mossa fece star sospesi e fermi e Spagna, e i Viniziani; quelli per paura, quell’altro per il desiderio di ricuperare tutto il Regno di Napoli; e dall’altra parte si tirò dietro il Re di Francia, perchè vedutolo quel Re mosso, e desiderando farselo amico per abbassare i Viniziani, giudicò non poterli negare le sue genti senza ingiuriarlo manifestamente.
Condusse adunque Iulio con la sua mossa impetuosa quello che mai altro Pontefice con tutta l’umana prudenza non avria condutto; perchè se egli aspettava di partirsi da Roma con le conclusione ferme, e tutte le cose ordinate, come qualunque altro Pontefice arebbe fatto, mai non gli riusciva. Perchè il Re di Francia avria trovate mille scuse, e gli altri gli arebbero messo mille paure. Io voglio lasciare stare le altre sue azioni, che tutte sono state simili, e tutte gli sono successe bene, e la brevità della vita non gli ha lasciato sentire il contrario; perchè se fussero sopravvenuti tempi che fosse bisognato procedere con rispetti, ne seguiva la sua rovina; perchè mai non arebbe deviato da quelli modi, a’ quali la natura lo inchinava. Conchiudo adunque, che, variando la fortuna, e gli uomini stando nei loro modi ostinati, sono felici mentre concordano insieme, e come discordano sono infelici. Io giudico ben questo, che sia meglio essere impetuoso, che rispettivo, perchè la Fortuna è donna; ed è necessario, volendola tener sotto, batterla, ed urtarla; e si vede che la si lascia più vincere da questi che da quelli che freddamente procedono. E però sempre, come donna, è amica de’ giovani, perchè sono meno rispettivi, più feroci, e con più audacia la comandano.
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.
How Much Power Fortune Has over Human Affairs, and How She May Be Resisted
I am not unaware that many have held, and still hold, the opinion that the affairs of the world are so governed by fortune and by God that men cannot alter them through their own prudence, and indeed have no remedy against them at all. For this reason they might judge that there is little point in laboring hard over anything, and that they should let chance rule them. This opinion has gained more credence in our time because of the great changes we have seen, and see every day, beyond all human conjecture. When I reflect on this, I am sometimes inclined partly to agree with them. Nevertheless, so that our free will is not extinguished, I judge that it may be true that fortune governs half our actions, but leaves the other half, or a little less, for us to govern. I compare her to one of those destructive rivers which, when it rises in fury, floods the plains, tears down trees and buildings, strips earth from one place and deposits it in another. Everyone flees before it; everyone yields to its violence, powerless to resist. Yet though such a river is like this, it does not follow that men cannot make provision in quiet times, building embankments and barriers, so that when it rises again it must flow along a channel, or at least its force will not be so unbridled and destructive.
The same is true of fortune: she shows her power where no disciplined ability has been prepared to resist her, and directs her assault where she knows no embankments or barriers have been built to hold her back. If you consider Italy, the seat of these upheavals and the place from which they have spread, you will see a plain without embankments or any defenses. Had she been protected by sufficient ability, as Germany, Spain, and France are, this flood would not have brought about such great changes, or it would not have reached us at all. Let this suffice concerning resistance to fortune in general. Turning now to particulars, I say that we see a Prince prosper today and fall tomorrow, without seeing him change his nature or qualities in any way. I believe this arises first from causes I have discussed at length above: that a Prince who relies wholly on fortune falls when she changes. I also believe that the man whose manner of acting accords with the character of the times prospers, and that the man whose manner of acting is at odds with the times fails. For we see men pursuing the ends each sets before himself—glory and riches—by different means: one with caution, another with force; one by violence, another by cunning; one with patience, another with its opposite. And each can reach his goal by these different means. We also see two cautious men, one of whom achieves his purpose and the other does not; likewise, two men may prosper equally by following different methods, one cautious and the other impetuous. This arises solely from whether the character of the times agrees with their manner of acting. Hence, as I have said, two men acting differently can obtain the same result, while of two acting alike one reaches his goal and the other does not. Changes in fortune also depend on this: if times and circumstances turn out so that a man who proceeds with caution and patience is acting wisely, he prospers; but if times and circumstances change, he falls because he does not change his way of acting. Nor is there anyone so prudent that he knows how to adapt himself to this, both because he cannot turn aside from the course to which nature inclines him and because, having always prospered by following one road, he cannot persuade himself to leave it. Thus the cautious man, when the time comes to act with force, does not know how, and so he falls; but if he changed his nature with the times and circumstances, his fortune would not change. Pope Julius II acted impetuously in everything, and found times and circumstances so well suited to his manner of acting that he always succeeded. Consider his first undertaking, against Bologna, while Messer Giovanni Bentivoglio was still alive. The Venetians were displeased by it, and the King of Spain was likewise discussing the undertaking with France. Nevertheless, the pope, in his fierceness and impetuosity, set out on the expedition himself. His move kept both Spain and the Venetians in suspense and at a standstill: the Venetians through fear, Spain through its desire to recover the entire Kingdom of Naples. At the same time he drew the King of France behind him; for when that king saw him on the move, and wished to make a friend of him in order to humble the Venetians, he judged that he could not refuse him his troops without openly affronting him.
Thus, by his impetuous move, Julius achieved what no other pope could have achieved with all the prudence in the world. Had he waited to leave Rome until agreements were settled and everything arranged, as any other pope would have done, he would never have succeeded. The King of France would have found a thousand excuses, and the others would have raised a thousand fears. I will pass over his other actions: they were all of the same kind, and all turned out well for him; and the shortness of his life kept him from experiencing the reverse. For if times had come when he needed to proceed with caution, he would have fallen: he would never have departed from the ways to which his nature inclined him. I conclude, then, that as fortune changes while men remain fixed in their ways, they prosper when the two agree and fail when they do not. I do judge, however, that it is better to be impetuous than cautious, because Fortune is a woman, and to keep her down it is necessary to beat and strike her. We see that she yields more readily to men who do this than to those who act coolly. Therefore, like a woman, she is always a friend to the young, because they are less cautious, fiercer, and command her with greater audacity.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the Italian text of all 26 chapters and the dedication.
How Much Power Fortune Has over Human Affairs and How to Resist It
I know that many people have believed, and still believe, that fortune and God govern events in this world so completely that human judgment cannot change them and there is nothing we can do about them. They might therefore think there is no point in working hard at anything. We might as well let chance take charge. This belief has become more common in our time because we have seen, and still see every day, great changes that no one could have predicted. When I think about this, I am sometimes inclined to agree with them in part. Still, I do not believe that our freedom to choose has disappeared. I think it may be true that fortune controls half of what we do, but leaves us in control of the other half, or nearly that much. Fortune is like a destructive river. When it floods, it covers the plains, knocks down trees and buildings, and carries soil away from one place to deposit it in another. Everyone runs from it. Everyone yields to its force, unable to stop it. But even though it behaves this way, people can prepare for it in quiet times. They can build barriers and embankments so that, when the river rises, its water will either flow down a channel or do less damage because its force is held in check.
Fortune works in the same way. It shows its power wherever there is no organized strength to resist it. It directs its force toward places where it knows no barriers or embankments have been built to hold it back. Look at Italy, where these changes began and where they have had such an impact. You will see an open plain without any barriers or defenses. If Italy had been protected by sufficient strength, as Germany, Spain, and France have been, this flood would not have caused such great changes here, or it would never have reached us. That is enough about resisting fortune in general. To turn to a particular case, we see a Prince succeed today and fall tomorrow, even though we cannot see any change in his character or abilities. I believe the chief reason is one I have already discussed at length: a Prince who depends entirely on fortune falls when fortune changes. I also believe a person succeeds when his way of acting fits the times, and fails when it does not. People pursue the goals they set themselves, namely glory and wealth, in different ways. One acts cautiously, another boldly; one uses force, another skill; one is patient, another impatient. Any of these different methods can bring success. You can also see two cautious people, one of whom achieves his goal and the other does not. Or you can see two people succeed equally well using opposite methods, one cautious and the other bold. This happens only because the times either suit their way of acting or do not. That explains what I said: two people can act differently and get the same result, while two people can act in the same way and only one achieves his goal. It also explains why success changes. If the times and circumstances suit someone who acts cautiously and patiently, that person will prosper. But if the times and circumstances change, he will fail because he does not change his methods. No one is wise enough to adapt completely. One reason is that a person cannot turn away from the course his nature inclines him to follow. Another is that anyone who has always prospered by following a particular path cannot convince himself to leave it. So a cautious person does not know how to act boldly when the time comes, and he fails. If he could change his nature along with the times and circumstances, his fortune would not change. Pope Julius II acted boldly in everything he did. The times and circumstances suited his way of acting so well that he always succeeded. Consider his first campaign, against Bologna, while Giovanni Bentivoglio was still alive. The Venetians were unhappy about it. The King of Spain was also discussing this campaign with France. Yet the Pope set out on the expedition himself, acting fiercely and without hesitation. His move kept both Spain and the Venetians waiting without taking action: the Venetians were afraid, while Spain hoped to recover the whole Kingdom of Naples. At the same time he won the support of the King of France. The French king saw that the Pope had already set out, and wanted his friendship in order to weaken the Venetians. He decided that he could not refuse to send his troops without openly insulting him.
By acting so boldly, Julius achieved something no other pope could have achieved with all the careful planning in the world. If he had waited in Rome until agreements were settled and everything was arranged, as any other pope would have done, he would never have succeeded. The King of France would have found a thousand excuses, and the others would have raised a thousand fears. I will leave aside the rest of Julius's actions. They followed the same pattern, and they all succeeded. His life was too short for him to experience the opposite result. If a time had come when he needed to act cautiously, he would have failed. He would never have turned away from the methods his nature led him to use. So my conclusion is this: fortune changes, but people stick stubbornly to their ways. They succeed when the two match, and fail when they do not. For my part, I think it is better to be bold than cautious. Fortune is a woman, and anyone who wants to keep her under control must beat and shove her. We can see that she yields more readily to men who act this way than to those who proceed cautiously. And so, like a woman, she always favors the young. They are less cautious and more aggressive, and they command her with greater daring.