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Chapter VI.
Chapter VI.
Of New Princedoms Which a Prince Acquires With His Own Arms and by Merit
Let no man marvel if in what I am about to say concerning Princedoms
wholly new, both as regards the Prince and the form of Government, I cite the
highest examples. For since men for the most part follow in the footsteps and
imitate the actions of others, and yet are unable to adhere exactly to those
paths which others have taken, or attain to the virtues of those whom they
would resemble, the wise man should always follow the roads that have been
trodden by the great, and imitate those who have most excelled, so that if he
cannot reach their perfection, he may at least acquire something of its
savour. Acting in this like the skilful archer, who seeing that the object he
would hit is distant, and knowing the range of his bow, takes aim much above
the destined mark; not designing that his arrow should strike so high, but
that flying high it may alight at the point intended.
I say, then, that in entirely new Princedoms where the Prince himself is
new, the difficulty of maintaining possession varies with the greater or less
ability of him who acquires possession. And, because the mere fact of a
private person rising to be a Prince presupposes either merit or good fortune,
it will be seen that the presence of one or other of these two conditions
lessens, to some extent, many difficulties. And yet, he who is less beholden
to Fortune has often in the end the better success; and it may be for the
advantage of a Prince that, from his having no other territories, he is
obliged to reside in person in the State which he has acquired.
Looking first to those who have become Princes by their merit and not by
their good fortune, I say that the most excellent among them are Moses, Cyrus,
Romulus, Theseus, and the like. And though perhaps I ought not to name Moses,
he being merely an instrument for carrying out the Divine commands, he is
still to be admired for those qualities which made him worthy to converse with
God. But if we consider Cyrus and the others who have acquired or founded
kingdoms, they will all be seen to be admirable. And if their actions and the
particular institutions of which they were the authors be studied, they will
be found not to differ from those of Moses, instructed though he was by so
great a teacher. Moreover, on examining their lives and actions, we shall see
that they were debtors to Fortune for nothing beyond the opportunity which
enabled them to shape things as they pleased, without which the force of
their spirit would have been spent in vain; as on the other hand, opportunity
would have offered itself in vain, had the capacity for turning it to account
been wanting. It was necessary, therefore, that Moses should find the children
of Israel in bondage in Egypt, and oppressed by the Egyptians, in order that
they might be disposed to follow him, and so escape from their servitude. It
was fortunate for Romulus that he found no home in Alba, but was exposed at
the time of his birth, to the end that he might become king and founder of the
City of Rome. It was necessary that Cyrus should find the Persians
discontented with the rule of the Medes, and the Medes enervated and
effeminate from a prolonged peace. Nor could Theseus have displayed his great
qualities had he not found the Athenians disunited and dispersed. But while it
was their opportunities that made these men fortunate, it was their own merit
that enabled them to recognize these opportunities and turn them to account,
to the glory and prosperity of their country.
They who come to the Princedom, as these did, by virtuous paths, acquire
with difficulty, but keep with ease. The difficulties which they have in
acquiring arise mainly from the new laws and institutions which they are
forced to introduce in founding and securing their government. And let it be
noted that there is no more delicate matter to take in hand, nor more
dangerous to conduct, nor more doubtful in its success, than to set up as a
leader in the introduction of changes. For he who innovates will have for his
enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and
only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new. This
lukewarm temper arises partly from the fear of adversaries who have the laws
on their side, and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who will never
admit the merit of anything new, until they have seen it proved by the event.
The result, however, is that whenever the enemies of change make an attack,
they do so with all the zeal of partisans, while the others defend
themselves so feebly as to endanger both themselves and their cause.
But to get a clearer understanding of this part of our subject, we must
look whether these innovators can stand alone, or whether they depend for aid
upon others; in other words, whether to carry out their ends they must resort
to entreaty, or can prevail by force. In the former case they always fare
badly and bring nothing to a successful issue; but when they depend upon their
own resources and can employ force, they seldom fail. Hence it comes that all
armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been
destroyed.
For, besides what has been said, it should be borne in mind that the
temper of the multitude is fickle, and that while it is easy to persuade them
of a thing, it is hard to fix them in that persuasion. Wherefore, matters
should be so ordered that when men no longer believe of their own accord, they
may be compelled to believe by force. Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, and Romulus could
never have made their ordinances be observed for any length of time had they
been unarmed, as was the case, in our own days, with the Friar Girolamo
Savonarola, whose new institutions came to nothing so soon as the multitude
began to waver in their faith; since he had not the means to keep those who
had been believers steadfast in their belief, or to make unbelievers believe.
Such persons, therefore, have great difficulty in carrying out their
designs; but all their difficulties are on the road, and may be overcome by
courage. Having conquered these, and coming to be held in reverence, and
having destroyed all who were jealous of their influence, they remain
powerful, safe, honoured, and properous.
To the great examples cited above, I would add one other, of less note
indeed, but assuredly bearing some proportion to them, and which may stand for
all others of a like character. I mean the example of Hiero the Syracusan. He
from a private station rose to be Prince of Syracuse, and he too was indebted
to Fortune only for his opportunity. For the Syracusans being oppressed, chose
him to be their Captain, which office he so discharged as deservedly to be
made their King. For even while a private citizen his merit was so remarkable,
that one who writes of him says, he lacked nothing that a King should have
save the Kingdom. Doing away with the old army, he organized a new, abandoned
existing alliances and assumed new allies, and with an army and allies of his
own, was able on that foundation to build what superstructure he pleased;
having trouble enough in acquiring, but none in preserving what he had
acquired.
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