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Ancients and Moderns under the Empire of Circe: Machiavelli’s The Ass, Translation2 6 5that other one was found among the servantslike a lady dispensing flax.Virtue makes regions tranquil:95 and from tranquility then resultsidleness: and the idleness burns countries and cities.Then, when a province has been wrappedin disorder for a time, virtue usually returnsto live there again.100 He who governs us allows and wantsthis order, so that nothing isnor may ever be still under the sun.And it is, and always was and always will bethat the evil succeeds the good, and the good, evil,105 and the one is always the cause of the other.It is true that one believes to be a mortal thingfor kingdoms, and to be their destruction,usury, or some carnal sin;and the reason of their greatness,110 and what keeps them high and mighty,are fasting, alms, prayer.Another, more discreet and wise, holdsthat to ruin them this evil is not enough,nor enough to preserve them this good.115 Believing that without you God fightsfor you, while you remained idle and on your knees,has ruined many kingdoms and many states.And prayers are well necessary:and completely mad is he who prohibits the people’s120 ceremonies and their devotions;because from them in effect one reapsunion and good order, and on thatgood luck and happiness depends.But there should be no one with so small a brain,125 as to believe that, if his house were falling into ruinthat God would save it with no other support;because he will die under that ruin.