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freedom　will　hold　itmore　easily　by　the　means　of　its　own　citizens　than　in　any　other　way。There　are；　for　example；　the　Spartans　and　the　Romans。　The　Spartans　heldAthens　and　Thebes；　establishing　there　an　oligarchy；　nevertheless　theylost　them。　The　Romans；　in　order　to　hold　Capua；　Carthage；　and　Numantia；dismantled　them；　and　did　not　lose　them。　They　wished　to　hold　Greece　asthe　Spartans　held　it；　making　it　free　and　permitting　its　laws；　and　didnot　succeed。　So　to　hold　it　they　were　pelled　to　dismantle　many　citiesin　the　country；　for　in　truth　there　is　no　safe　way　to　retain　themotherwise　than　by　ruining　them。　And　he　who　bees　master　of　a　cityaccustomed　to　freedom　and　does　not　destroy　it；　may　expect　to　bedestroyed　by　it；　for　in　rebellion　it　has　always　the　watch…word　ofliberty　and　its　ancient　privileges　as　a　rallying　point；　which　neithertime　nor　benefits　will　ever　cause　it　to　forget。　And　what　ever　you　may　door　provide　against；　they　never　forget　that　name　or　their　privilegesunless　they　are　disunited　or　dispersed　but　at　every　chance　theyimmediately　rally　to　them；　as　Pisa　after　the　hundred　years　she　had　beenheld　in　bondage　by　the　Florentines。But　when　cities　or　countries　are　accustomed　to　live　under　a　prince；　andhis　family　is　exterminated；　they；　being　on　the　one　hand　accustomed　toobey　and　on　the　other　hand　not　having　the　old　prince；　cannot　agree　inmaking　one　from　amongst　themselves；　and　they　do　not　know　how　to　governthemselves。　For　this　reason　they　are　very　slow　to　take　up　arms；　and　aprince　can　gain　them　to　himself　and　secure　them　much　more　easily。　But　inrepublics　there　is　more　vitality；　greater　hatred；　and　more　desire　forvengeance；　which　will　never　permit　them　to　allow　the　memory　of　theirformer　liberty　to　rest；　so　that　the　safest　way　is　to　destroy　them　or　toreside　there。CHAPTER　VICONCERNING　NEW　PRINCIPALITIES　WHICH　ARE　ACQUIRED　BY　ONE'S　OWN　ARMS　ANDABILITYLET　no　one　be　surprised　if；　in　speaking　of　entirely　new　principalitiesas　I　shall　do；　I　adduce　the　highest　examples　both　of　prince　and　ofstate；　because　men；　walking　almost　always　in　paths　beaten　by　others；　andfollowing　by　imitation　their　deeds；　are　yet　unable　to　keep　entirely　tothe　ways　of　others　or　attain　to　the　power　of　those　they　imitate。　A　wiseman　ought　always　to　follow　the　paths　beaten　by　great　men；　and　to　imitatethose　who　have　been　supreme；　so　that　if　his　ability　does　not　equaltheirs；　at　least　it　will　savour　of　it。　Let　him　act　like　the　cleverarchers　who；　designing　to　hit　the　mark　which　yet　appears　too　fardistant；　and　knowing　the　limits　to　which　the　strength　of　their　bowattains；　take　aim　much　higher　than　the　mark；　not　to　reach　by　theirstrength　or　arrow　to　so　great　a　height；　but　to　be　able　with　the　aid　ofso　high　an　aim　to　hit　the　mark　they　wish　to　reach。I　say；　therefore；　that　in　entirely　new　principalities；　where　there　is　anew　prince；　more　or　less　difficulty　is　found　in　keeping　them；accordingly　as　there　is　more　or　less　ability　in　him　who　has　acquired　thestate。　Now；　as　the　fact　of　being　a　prince　from　a　private　stationpresupposes　either　ability　or　fortune；　it　is　clear　that　one　or　other　ofthese　two　things　will　mitigate　in　some　degree　many　difficulties。Nevertheless；　he　who　has　relied　least　on　fortune　is　established　thestrongest。　Further；　it　facilitates　matters　when　the　prince；　having　noother　state；　is　pelled　to　reside　there　in　person。But　to　e　to　those　who；　by　their　own　ability　and　not　through　fortune；have　risen　to　be　princes；　I　say　that　Moses；　Cyrus；　Romulus；　Theseus；　andsuch　like　are　the　most　excellent　examples。　And　although　one　may　notdiscuss　Moses；　he　having　been　a　mere　executor　of　the　will　of　God；　yet　heought　to　be　admired；　if　only　for　that　favour　which　made　him　worthy　tospeak　with　God。　But　in　considering　Cyrus　and　others　who　have　acquired　orfounded　kingdoms；　all　will　be　found　admirable；　and　if　their　particulardeeds　and　conduct　shall　be　considered；　they　will　not　be　found　inferiorto　those　of　Moses；　although　he　had　so　great　a　preceptor。　And　inexamining　their　actions　and　lives　one　cannot　see　that　they　owed　anythingto　fortune　beyond　opportunity；　which　brought　them　the　material　to　mouldinto　the　form　which　seemed　best　to　them。　Without　that　opportunity　theirpowers　of　mind　would　have　been　extinguished；　and　without　those　powersthe　opportunity　would　have　e　in　vain。It　was　necessary；　therefore；　to　Moses　that　he　should　find　the　people　ofIsrael　in　Egypt　enslaved　and　oppressed　by　the　Egyptians；　in　order　thatthey　should　be　disposed　to　follow　him　so　as　to　be　delivered　out　ofbondage。　It　was　necessary　that　Romulus　should　not　remain　in　Alba；　andthat　he　should　be　abandoned　at　his　birth；　in　order　that　he　should　beeKing　of　Rome　and　founder　of　the　fatherland。　It　was　necessary　that　Cyrusshould　find　the　Persians　discontented　with　the　government　of　the　Medes；and　the　Medes　soft　and　effeminate　through　their　long　peace。　Theseuscould　not　have　shown　his　ability　had　he　not　found　the　Atheniansdispersed。　These　opportunities；　therefore；　made　those　men　fortunate；　andtheir　high　ability　enabled　them　to　recognize　the　opportunity　wherebytheir　country　was　ennobled　and　made　famous。Those　who　by　valorous　ways　bee　princes；　like　these　men；　acquire　aprincipality　with　difficulty；　but　they　it　with　ease。　The　difficultiesthey　have　in　acquiring　it　arise　in　part　from　the　new　rules　and　methodswhich　they　are　forced　to　introduce　to　establish　their　government　and　itssecurity。　And　it　ought　to　be　remembered　that　there　is　nothing　moredifficult　to　take　in　hand；　more　perilous　to　conduct；　or　more　uncertainin　its　success；　than　to　take　the　lead　in　the　introduction　of　a　new　orderof　things。　Because　the　innovator　has　for　enemies　all　those　who　have　donewell　under　the　old　conditions；　and　lukewarm　defenders　in　those　who　maydo　well　under　the　new。　This　coolness　arises　partly　from　fear　of　theopponents；　who　have　the　laws　on　their　side；　and　partly　from　theincredulity　of　men；　who　do　not　readily　believe　in　new　things　until　theyhave　had　a　long　experience　of　them。　Thus　it　happens　that　whenever　thosewho　are　hostile　have　the　opportunity　to　attack　they　do　it　likepartisans；　whilst　the　others　defend　lukewarmly；　in　such　wise　that　theprince　is　endangered　along　with　them。It　is　necessary；　therefore；　if　we　desire　to　discuss　this　matterthoroughly；　to　inquire　whether　these　innovators　can　rely　on　themselvesor　have　to　depend　on　others：　that　is　to　say；　whether；　to　consummatetheir　enterprise；　have　they　to　use　prayers　or　can　they　use　force？　In　thefirst　instance　they　always　succeed　badly；　and　never　pass　anything；but　when　they　can　rely　on　themselves　and　use　force；　then　they　are　rarelyendangered。　Hence　it　is　that　all　armed　prophets　have　conquered；　and　theunarmed　ones　have　been　destroyed。　Besides　the　reasons　mentioned；　thenature　of　the　people　is　variable；　and　whilst　it　is　easy　to　persuadethem；　it　is　difficult　to　fix　them　in　that　persuasion。　And　thus　it　isnecessary　to　take　such　measures　that；　when　they　believe　no　longer；　itmay　be　possible　to　make　them　believe　by　force。If　Moses；　Cyrus；　Theseus；　and　Romulus　had　been　unarmed　they　could　nothave　enforced　their　constitutions　for　long　……　as　happened　in　our　time　toFra　Girolamo　Savonarola；　who　was　ruined　with　his　new　order　of　thingsimmediately　the　multitude　believed　in　him　no　longer；　and　he　had　no　meansof　keeping　steadfast　those　who　believed　or　of　making　the　unbelievers　tobelieve。　Therefore　such　as　these　have　great　difficulties　in　consummatingtheir　enterprise；　for　all　their　dangers　are　in　the　ascent；　yet　withability　they　will　overe　them；　but　when　these　are　overe；　and　thosewho　envied　them　their　success　are　exterminated；　they　will　begin　to　berespected；　and　they　will　continue　afterwards　powerful；　secure；　honoured；and　happy。To　these　great　examples　I　wish　to　add　a　lesser　one；　still　it　bears　someresemblance　to　them；　and　I　wish　it　to　suffice　me　for　all　of　a　like　kind：it　is　Hiero　the　Syracusan。　This　man　rose　from　a　private　station　to　bePrince　of　Syracuse；　nor　did　he；　either；　owe　anything　to　fortune　butopportunity；　for　the　Syracusans；　being　oppressed；　chose　him　for　theircaptain；　afterwards　he　was　rewarded　by　being　made　their　prince。　He　wasof　so　great　ability；　even　as　a　private　citizen；　that　one　who　writes　ofhim　says　he　wanted　nothing　but　a　kingdom　to　be　a　king。　This　manabolished　the　old　soldiery；　organized　the　new；　gave　up　old　alliances；made　new　ones；　and　as　he　had　his　own　soldiers　and　allies；　on　suchfoundations　he　was　able　to　build　any　edifice：　thus；　whilst　he　hadendured　much　trouble　in　acquiring；　he　had　but　little　in　keeping。CHAPTER　VIICONCERNING　NEW　PRINCIPALITIES　WHICH　ARE　ACQUIRED　EITHER　BY　THE　ARMS　OFOTHERS　OR　BY　GOOD　FORTUHOSE　who　solely　by　good　fortune　bee　princes　from　being　privatecitizens　have　little　trouble　in　rising；　but　much　in　keeping　atop；　theyhave　not　any　difficulties　on　the　way　up；　because　they　fly；　but　they　havemany　when　they　reach　the　summit。　Such　are　those　to　whom　some　state　isgiven　either　for　money　or　by　the　favour　of　him　who　bestows　it；　ashappened　to　many　in　Greece；　in　the　cities　of　Ionia　and　of　theHellespont；　where　princes　were　made　by　Darius；　in　order　that　they　mighthold　the　cities　both　for　his　security　and　his　glory；　as　also　were　thoseemperors　who；　by　the　corruption　of　the　soldiers；　from　being　citizenscame　to　empire。　Such　stand　simply　upon　the　goodwill　and　the　fortune　ofhim　who　has　elevated　them　……　two　most　inconstant　and　unstable　things。Neither　have　they　the　knowledge　requisite　for　the　position；　because；unless　they　are　men　of　great　worth　and　ability；　it　is　not　reasonable　toexpect　that　they　should　know　how　to　mand；　having　always　lived　in　aprivate　condition；　besides；　they　cannot　hold　it　because　they　have　notforces　which　they　can　keep　friendly　and　faithful。States　that　rise　unexpectedly；　then；　like　all　other　things　in　naturewhich　are　born　and　grow　rapidly；　cannot　have　their　foundations　andrelations　with　other　states　fixed　in　such　a　way　that　the　first　stormwill　not　overthrow　them；　unless；　as　is　said；　those　who　unexpectedlybee　princes　are　men　of　so　much　ability　that　they　know　they　have　to　beprepared　at　once　to　hold　that　which　fortune　has　thrown　into　their　laps；and　that　those　foundations；　which　others　have　laid　before　they　becameprinces；　they　must　lay　afterwards。Concerning　these　two　methods　of　rising　to　be　a　prince　by　ability　orfortune；　I　wish　to　adduce　two　examples　within　our　own　recollection；　andthese　are　Francesco　Sforza　and　Cesare　Borgia。　Francesco；　by　proper　meansand　with　great　ability；　from　being　a　private　person　rose　to　be　Duke　ofMilan；　and　that　which　he　had　acquired　with　a　thousand　anxieties　he　keptwith　little　trouble。　On　the　other　hand；　Cesare　Borgia；　called　by　thepeople　Duke　Valentino；　acquired　his　state　during　the　ascendancy　of　hisfather；　and　on　its　decline　he　lost　it；　notwithstanding　that　he　had　takenevery　measure　and　done　all　that　ought　to　be　done　by　a　wise　and　able　manto　fix　firmly　his　roots　in　the　states　which　the　arms　and　fortunes　ofothers　had　bestowed　on　him。Because；　as　is　stated　above；　he　who　has　not　first　laid　his　foundationsmay　be　able　with　great　ability　to　lay　them　afterwards；　but　they　will　belaid　with　trouble　to　the　architect　and　danger　to　the　building。　If；therefore；　all　the　steps　taken　by　the　duke　be　considered；　it　will　beseen　that　he　laid　solid　foundations　for　his　future　power；　and　I　do　notconsider　it　superfluous　to　discuss　them；　because　I　do　not　know　whatbetter　precepts　to　give　a　new　prince　than　the　example　of　his　actions；and　if　his　dispositions　were　of　no　avail；　that　was　not　his　fault；　butthe　extraordinary　and　extreme　malignity　of　fortune。Alexander　VI；　in　wishing　to　aggrandize　the　duke；　his　son；　had　manyimmediate　and　prospective　difficulties。　Firstly；　he　did　not　see　his　wayto　make　him　master　of　any　state　that　was　not　a　state　of　the　Church；　andif　he　was　willing　to　rob　the　Church　he　knew　that　the　Duke　of　Milan　andthe　Veians　would　not　consent；　because　Faenza　and　Rimini　were　alreadyunder　the　protection　of　the　Veians。　Besides　this；　he　saw　the　arms　ofItaly；　especially　those　by　which　he　might　have　been　assisted；　in　handsthat　would　fear　the　aggrandizement　of　the　Pope；　namely；　the　Orsini　andthe　Colonna　and　their　following。　It　behoved　him；　therefore；　to　upsetthis　state　of　affairs　and　embroil　the　powers；　so　as　to　make　himselfsecurely　master　of　part　of　their　states。　This　was　easy　for　him　to　do；because　he　found　the　Veians；　moved　by　other　reasons；　inclined　tobring　back　the　French　into　Italy；　he　would　not　only　not　oppose　this；　buthe　would　render　it　more　easy　b