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CHAPTER XXV. WHATFORTUNE CAN EFFECTIN HUMAN AFFAIRS ANDHOW TO WITHSTAND HERIt is not unknown to me how many men have had, andstill have, the opinion that the affairs of the world are insuch wise governed by fortune and by God that men withtheir wisdom cannot direct them and that no one can evenhelp them; and because of this they would have us believethat it is not necessary to labour much in affairs, but to letchance govern them. This opinion has been more creditedin our times because of the great changes in affairs whichhave been seen, and may still be seen, every day, beyond allhuman conjecture. Sometimes pondering over this, I am insome degree inclined to their opinion. Nevertheless, not toextinguish our free will, I hold it to be true that Fortune isthe arbiter of one-half of our actions,[*] but that she stillleaves us to direct the other half, or perhaps a little less.[*] Frederick the Great was accustomed to say: ‘The olderone gets the more convinced one becomes that his MajestyKing Chance does three-quarters of the business of thismiserable universe.’ Sorel’s ‘Eastern Question.’140The Prince
I compare her to one of those raging rivers, which whenin flood overflows the plains, sweeping away trees andbuildings, bearing away the soil from place to place; everythingflies before it, all yield to its violence, without beingable in any way to withstand it; and yet, though its naturebe such, it does not follow therefore that men, when theweather becomes fair, shall not make provision, both withdefences and barriers, in such a manner that, rising again,the waters may pass away by canal, and their force be neitherso unrestrained nor so dangerous. So it happens withfortune, who shows her power where valour has not preparedto resist her, and thither she turns her forces whereshe knows that barriers and defences have not been raisedto constrain her.And if you will consider Italy, which is the seat of thesechanges, and which has given to them their impulse, youwill see it to be an open country without barriers and withoutany defence. For if it had been defended by propervalour, as are Germany, Spain, and France, either this invasionwould not have made the great changes it has made orit would not have come at all. And this I consider enough tosay concerning resistance to fortune in general.But confining myself more to the particular, I say thata prince may be seen happy to-day and ruined to-morrowwithout having shown any change of disposition or character.This, I believe, arises firstly from causes that havealready been discussed at length, namely, that the princewho relies entirely on fortune is lost when it changes. I believealso that he will be successful who directs his actionsFree eBooks at Planet eBook.com141
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The PrinceBy Nicolo Machiavelli (15
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INTRODUCTIONNicolo Machiavelli was
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new patron, he continues: ‘This w
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one of the cardinals that had most
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and put to the question by torture.
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ius,’ which should be read concur
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gift turning it to account in his e
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of style and expression. Machiavell
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DEDICATIONTo the Magnificent Lorenz
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CHAPTER I. HOW MANYKINDS OF PRINCIP
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him to be hated, it is reasonable t
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quickly occupied Milan, and as quic
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recourse to the prince; thus, wishi
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have endless difficulties and troub
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king, because, wishing to get a foo
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settle in the country, he did not s
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CHAPTER IV. WHYTHE KINGDOM OFDARIUS
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them, for the reasons assigned. Hen
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CHAPTER V. CONCERNINGTHE WAY TO GOV
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reside there.Free eBooks at Planet
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there is a new prince, more or less
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the others defend lukewarmly, in su
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CHAPTER VII.CONCERNING NEWPRINCIPAL
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able man to fix firmly his roots in
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himself, after taking the Duchy of
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[*] Ramiro d’Orco. Ramiro de Lorq
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effect anything against him. If he
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CHAPTER VIII.CONCERNING THOSEWHO HA
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be called talent to slay fellow-cit
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way that, in the year during which
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CHAPTER IX. CONCERNINGA CIVIL PRINC
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bind themselves, and are not rapaci
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especially in troubled times, can d
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well, and shall have managed the ot
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CHAPTER XI. CONCERNINGECCLESIASTICA
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ruin the Orsini. This was the reaso
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CHAPTER XII. HOW MANYKINDS OF SOLDI
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conquered the realm of Naples, and
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greatest renown. If this man had ta
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by the emperor, were oppressing the
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CHAPTER XIII.CONCERNINGAUXILIARIES,
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I shall never hesitate to cite Cesa
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[+] Louis XI, son of the above, bor
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CHAPTER XIV. THATWHICH CONCERNS APR
Page 89 and 90: it is desirable that a captain shou
Page 91 and 92: CHAPTER XV.CONCERNING THINGSFOR WHI
Page 93 and 94: saved with difficulty, for if every
Page 95 and 96: of liberality in such a way that it
Page 97 and 98: CHAPTER XVII.CONCERNING CRUELTYAND
Page 99 and 100: promises, has neglected other preca
Page 101 and 102: own will and fearing according to t
Page 103 and 104: them up in his discipline; which me
Page 105 and 106: ity, and religion. Therefore it is
Page 107 and 108: CHAPTER XIX. THAT ONESHOULD AVOID B
Page 109 and 110: such a course, for the difficulties
Page 111 and 112: the first is the parliament and its
Page 113 and 114: the hatred of the most powerful. Th
Page 115 and 116: ate, through fear, elected him empe
Page 117 and 118: compete with gladiators, and doing
Page 119 and 120: whoever will consider it will ackno
Page 121 and 122: become yours, those men who were di
Page 123 and 124: For this reason many consider that
Page 125 and 126: will never be wanting foreigners to
Page 127 and 128: schemes, he devoted himself with pi
Page 129 and 130: you. Victories after all are never
Page 131 and 132: more complex kind— permanent asso
Page 133 and 134: one has judgment to know good and b
Page 135 and 136: know that, the more freely he shall
Page 137 and 138: CHAPTER XXIV. WHY THEPRINCES OF ITA
Page 139: are reliable, certain, and durable
Page 143 and 144: changed.Pope Julius the Second went
Page 145 and 146: CHAPTER XXVI. ANEXHORTATION TOLIBER
Page 147 and 148: With us there is great justice, bec
Page 149 and 150: the Spaniards are unable to resist
Page 151 and 152: meeting was called at Magione in th
Page 153 and 154: keep it, as it was enough for him t
Page 155 and 156: compliance would cast a doubt upon
Page 157 and 158: the town.Vitellozzo, Pagolo, and th
Page 159 and 160: on 18th January 1502, in the castle
Page 161 and 162: where she washed it and clothed it
Page 163 and 164: yield by his knowledge of the natur
Page 165 and 166: brought into his plans friends from
Page 167 and 168: Observing this order of battle, he
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Page 171 and 172: Castruccio had the secret intention
Page 173 and 174: death. Meanwhile the Florentines ha
Page 175 and 176: mults following each other daily, w
Page 177 and 178: row and steep, whilst in general it
Page 179 and 180: the rear their friends. When Castru
Page 181 and 182: Pisa and Pistoia were thoroughly di
Page 183 and 184: were so much impeded by their arms
Page 185 and 186: Florentines were so completely defe
Page 187 and 188: my fortune and abilities have gaine
Page 189 and 190: proportioned. He was of a gracious
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he had intimate relations, and bein
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down.’ On being asked if it had e
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