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him；had　to　be　content　with　the　possession　of　Africa。Therefore；　he　who　considers　the　actions　and　the　genius　of　this　man　willsee　nothing；　or　little；　which　can　be　attributed　to　fortune；　inasmuch　ashe　attained　pre…eminence；　as　is　shown　above；　not　by　the　favour　of　anyone；　but　step　by　step　in　the　military　profession；　which　steps　weregained　with　a　thousand　troubles　and　perils；　and　were　afterwards　boldlyheld　by　him　with　many　hazards　and　dangers。　Yet　it　cannot　be　calledtalent　to　slay　fellow…citizens；　to　deceive　friends；　to　be　without　faith；without　mercy；　without　religion；　such　methods　may　gain　empire；　but　notglory。　Still；　if　the　courage　of　Agathocles　in　entering　into　andextricating　himself　from　dangers　be　considered；　together　with　hisgreatness　of　mind　in　enduring　overing　hardships；　it　cannot　be　seenwhy　he　should　be　esteemed　less　than　the　most　notable　captain。Nevertheless；　his　barbarous　cruelty　and　inhumanity　with　infinitewickednesses　do　not　permit　him　to　be　celebrated　among　the　most　excellentmen。　What　he　achieved　cannot　be　attributed　either　to　fortune　or　togenius。In　our　times；　during　the　rule　of　Alexander　VI；　Oliverotto　da　Fermo；having　been　left　an　orphan　many　years　before；　was　brought　up　by　hismaternal　uncle；　Giovanni　Fogliani；　and　in　the　early　days　of　his　youthsent　to　fight　under　Paolo　Vitelli；　that；　being　trained　under　hisdiscipline；　he　might　attain　some　high　position　in　the　militaryprofession。　After　Paolo　died；　he　fought　under　his　brother　Vitellozzo；and　in　a　very　short　time；　being　endowed　with　wit　and　a　vigorous　body　andmind；　he　became　the　first　man　in　his　profession。　But　it　appearing　to　hima　paltry　thing　to　serve　under　others；　he　resolved；　with　the　aid　of　somecitizens　of　Fermo；　to　whom　the　slavery　of　their　country　was　dearer　thanits　liberty；　and　with　the　help　of　the　Vitelli；　to　seize　Fermo。　So　hewrote　to　Giovanni　Fogliani　that；　having　been　away　from　home　for　manyyears；　he　wished　to　visit　him　and　his　city；　and　in　some　measure　to　lookinto　his　patrimony；　and　although　he　had　not　laboured　to　acquire　anythingexcept　honour；　yet；　in　order　that　the　citizens　should　see　he　had　notspent　his　time　in　vain；　he　desired　to　e　honourably；　so　would　beacpanied　by　one　hundred　horsemen；　his　friends　and　retainers；　and　heentreated　Giovanni　to　arrange　that　he　should　be　received　honourably　bythe　citizens　of　Fermo；　all　of　which　would　be　not　only　to　his　honour；　butalso　to　that　of　Giovanni　himself；　who　had　brought　him　up。Giovanni；　therefore；　did　not　fail　in　any　attentions　due　to　his　nephew；and　he　caused　him　to　be　honourably　received　by　the　Fermans；　and　helodged　him　in　his　own　house；　where；　having　passed　some　days；　and　havingarranged　what　was　necessary　for　his　wicked　designs；　Oliverotto　gave　asolemn　banquet　to　which　he　invited　Giovanni　Fogliani　and　the　chiefs　ofFermo。　When　the　viands　and　all　the　other　entertainments　that　are　usualin　such　banquets　were　finished；　Oliverotto　artfully　began　certain　gravediscourses；　speaking　of　the　greatness　of　Pope　Alexander　and　his　sonCesare；　and　of　their　enterprises；　to　which　discourse　Giovanni　and　othersanswered；　but　he　rose　at　once；　saying　that　such　matters　ought　to　bediscussed　in　a　more　private　place；　and　he　betook　himself　to　a　chamber；whither　Giovanni　and　the　rest　of　the　citizens　went　in　after　him。　Nosooner　were　they　seated　than　soldiers　issued　from　secret　places　andslaughtered　Giovanni　and　the　rest。　After　these　murders　Oliverotto；mounted　on　horseback；　rode　up　and　down　the　town　and　besieged　the　chiefmagistrate　in　the　palace；　so　that　in　fear　the　people　were　forced　to　obeyhim；　and　to　form　a　government；　of　which　he　made　himself　the　prince。　Hekilled　all　the　malcontents　who　were　able　to　injure　him；　and　strengthenedhimself　with　new　civil　and　military　ordinances；　in　such　a　way　that；　inthe　year　during　which　he　held　the　principality；　not　only　was　he　securein　the　city　of　Fermo；　but　he　had　bee　formidable　to　all　hisneighbours。　And　his　destruction　would　have　been　as　difficult　as　that　ofAgathocles　if　he　had　not　allowed　himself　to　be　overreached　by　CesareBorgia；　who　took　him　with　the　Orsini　and　Vitelli　at　Sinigaglia；　as　wasstated　above。　Thus　one　year　after　he　had　mitted　this　parricide；　hewas　strangled；　together　with　Vitellozzo；　whom　he　had　made　his　leader　invalour　and　wickedness。Some　may　wonder　how　it　can　happen　that　Agathocles；　and　his　like；　afterinfinite　treacheries　and　cruelties；　should　live　for　long　secure　in　hiscountry；　and　defend　himself　from　external　enemies；　and　never　beconspired　against　by　his　own　citizens；　seeing　that　many　others；　by　meansof　cruelty；　have　never　been　able　even　in　peaceful　times　to　hold　thestate；　still　less　in　the　doubtful　times　of　war。　I　believe　that　thisfollows　from　severities　being　badly　or　properly　used。　Those　may　becalled　properly　used；　if　of　evil　it　is　lawful　to　speak　well；　that　areapplied　at　one　blow　and　are　necessary　to　one's　security；　and　that　arenot　persisted　in　afterwards　unless　they　can　be　turned　to　the　advantageof　the　subjects。　The　badly　employed　are　those　which；　notwithstandingthey　may　be　few　in　the　mencement；　multiply　with　time　rather　thandecrease。　Those　who　practise　the　first　system　are　able；　by　aid　of　God　orman；　to　mitigate　in　some　degree　their　rule；　as　Agathocles　did。　It　isimpossible　for　those　who　follow　the　other　to　maintain　themselves。Hence　it　is　to　be　remarked　that；　in　seizing　a　state；　the　usurper　oughtto　examine　closely　into　all　those　injuries　which　it　is　necessary　for　himto　inflict；　and　to　do　them　all　at　one　stroke　so　as　not　to　have　to　repeatthem　daily；　and　thus　by　not　unsettling　men　he　will　be　able　to　reassurethem；　and　win　them　to　himself　by　benefits。　He　who　does　otherwise；　eitherfrom　timidity　or　evil　advice；　is　always　pelled　to　keep　the　knife　inhis　hand；　neither　can　he　rely　on　his　subjects；　nor　can　they　attachthemselves　to　him；　owing　to　their　continued　and　repeated　wrongs。　Forinjuries　ought　to　be　done　all　at　one　time；　so　that；　being　tasted　less；they　offend　less；　benefits　ought　to　be　given　little　by　little；　so　thatthe　flavour　of　them　may　last　longer。And　above　all　things；　a　prince　ought　to　live　amongst　his　people　in　sucha　way　that　no　unexpected　circumstances；　whether　of　good　or　evil；　shallmake　him　change；　because　if　the　necessity　for　this　es　in　troubledtimes；　you　are　too　late　for　harsh　measures；　and　mild　ones　will　not　helpyou；　for　they　will　be　considered　as　forced　from　you；　and　no　one　will　beunder　any　obligation　to　you　for　them。CHAPTER　IXCONCERNING　A　CIVIL　PRINCIPALITYBUT　ing　to　the　other　point　……　where　a　leading　citizen　bees　theprince　of　his　country；　not　by　wickedness　or　any　intolerable　violence；but　by　the　favour　of　his　fellow　citizens　……　this　may　be　called　a　civilprincipality：　nor　is　genius　or　fortune　altogether　necessary　to　attain　toit；　but　rather　a　happy　shrewdness。　I　say　then　that　such　a　principalityis　obtained　either　by　the　favour　of　the　people　or　by　the　favour　of　thenobles。　Because　in　all　cities　these　two　distinct　parties　are　found；　andfrom　this　it　arises　that　the　people　do　not　wish　to　be　ruled　noroppressed　by　the　nobles；　and　the　nobles　wish　to　rule　and　oppress　thepeople；　and　from　these　two　opposite　desires　there　arises　in　cities　oneof　three　results；　either　a　principality；　self…government；　or　anarchy。A　principality　is　created　either　by　the　people　or　by　the　nobles；accordingly　as　one　or　other　of　them　has　the　opportunity；　for　the　nobles；seeing　they　cannot　withstand　the　people；　begin　to　cry　up　the　reputationof　one　of　themselves；　and　they　make　him　a　prince；　so　that　under　hisshadow　they　can　give　vent　to　their　ambitions。　The　people；　finding　theycannot　resist　the　nobles；　also　cry　up　the　reputation　of　one　ofthemselves；　and　make　him　a　prince　so　as　to　be　defended　by　his　authority。He　who　obtains　sovereignty　by　the　assistance　of　the　nobles　maintainshimself　with　more　difficulty　than　he　who　es　to　it　by　the　aid　of　thepeople；　because　the　former　finds　himself　with　many　around　him　whoconsider　themselves　his　equals；　and　because　of　this　he　can　neither　rulenor　manage　them　to　his　liking。　But　he　who　reaches　sovereignty　by　popularfavour　finds　himself　alone；　and　has　none　around　him；　or　few；　who　are　notprepared　to　obey　him。Besides　this；　one　cannot　by　fair　dealing；　and　without　injury　to　others；satisfy　the　nobles；　but　you　can　satisfy　the　people；　for　their　object　ismore　righteous　than　that　of　the　nobles；　the　latter　wishing　to　oppress；whilst　the　former　only　desire　not　to　be　oppressed。　It　is　to　be　addedalso　that　a　prince　can　never　secure　himself　against　a　hostile　people；because　of　their　being　too　many；　whilst　from　the　nobles　he　can　securehimself；　as　they　are　few　in　number。　The　worst　that　a　prince　may　expectfrom　a　hostile　people　is　to　be　abandoned　by　them；　but　from　hostilenobles　he　has　not　only　to　fear　abandonment；　but　also　that　they　will　riseagainst　him；　for　they；　being　in　these　affairs　more　far…seeing　andastute；　always　e　forward　in　time　to　save　themselves；　and　to　obtainfavours　from　him　whom　they　expect　to　prevail。　Further；　the　prince　ispelled　to　live　always　with　the　same　people；　but　he　can　do　wellwithout　the　same　nobles；　being　able　to　make　and　unmake　them　daily；　andto　give　or　take　away　authority　when　it　pleases　him。Therefore；　to　make　this　point　clearer；　I　say　that　the　nobles　ought　to　belooked　at　mainly　in　two　ways：　that　is　to　say；　they　either　shape　theircourse　in　such　a　way　as　binds　them　entirely　to　your　fortune；　or　they　donot。　Those　who　so　bind　themselves；　and　are　not　rapacious；　ought　to　behonoured　and　loved；　those　who　do　not　bind　themselves　may　be　dealt　within　two　ways；　they　may　fail　to　do　this　through　pusillanimity　and　anatural　want　of　courage；　in　which　case　you　ought　to　make　use　of　them；especially　of　those　who　are　of　good　counsel；　and　thus；　whilst　inprosperity　you　honour　yourself；　in　adversity　you　have　not　to　fear　them。But　when　for　their　own　ambitious　ends　they　shun　binding　themselves；　itis　a　token　that　they　are　giving　more　thought　to　themselves　than　to　you；and　a　prince　ought　to　guard　against　such；　and　to　fear　them　as　if　theywere　open　enemies；　because　in　adversity　they　always　help　to　ruin　him。Therefore；　one　who　bees　a　prince　through　the　favour　of　the　peopleought　to　keep　them　friendly；　and　this　he　can　easily　do　seeing　they　onlyask　not　to　be　oppressed　by　him。　But　one　who；　in　opposition　to　thepeople；　bees　a　prince　by　the　favour　of　the　nobles；　ought；　aboveeverything；　to　seek　to　win　the　people　over　to　himself；　and　this　he　mayeasily　do　if　he　takes　them　under　his　protection。　Because　men；　when　theyreceive　good　from　him　of　whom　they　were　expecting　evil；　are　bound　moreclosely　to　their　benefactor；　thus　the　people　quickly　bee　more　devotedto　him　than　if　he　had　been　raised　to　the　principality　by　their　favours；and　the　prince　can　win　their　affections　in　many　ways；　but　as　these　varyaccording　to　the　circumstances　one　cannot　give　fixed　rules；　so　I　omitthem；　but；　I　repeat；　it　is　necessary　for　a　prince　to　have　the　peoplefriendly；　otherwise　he　has　no　security　in　adversity。Nabis；　Prince　of　the　Spartans；　sustained　the　attack　of　all　Greece；　andof　a　victorious　Roman　army；　and　against　them　he　defended　his　country　andhis　government；　and　for　the　overing　of　this　peril　it　was　onlynecessary　for　him　to　make　himself　secure　against　a　few；　but　this　wouldnot　have　been　sufficient　if　the　people　had　been　hostile。　And　do　not　letany　one　impugn　this　statement　with　the　trite　proverb　that　'He　who　buildson　the　people；　builds　on　the　mud；'　for　this　is　true　when　a　privatecitizen　makes　a　foundation　there；　and　persuades　himself　that　the　peoplewill　free　him　when　he　is　oppressed　by　his　enemies　or　by　the　magistrates；wherein　he　would　find　himself　very　often　deceived；　as　happened　to　theGracchi　in　Rome　and　to　Messer　Giorgio　Scali　in　Florence。　But　granted　aprince　who　has　established　himself　as　above；　who　can　mand；　and　is　aman　of　courage；　undismayed　in　adversity；　who　does　not　fail　in　otherqualifications；　and　who；　by　his　resolution　and　energy；　keeps　the　wholepeople　encouraged　……　such　a　one　will　never　find　himself　deceived　inthem；　and　it　will　be　shown　that　he　has　laid　his　foundations　well。These　principalities　are　liable　to　danger　when　they　are　passing　from　thecivil　to　the　absolute　order　of　government；　for　such　princes　either　rulepersonally　or　through　magistrates。　In　the　latter　case　their　governmentis　weaker　and　more　insecure；　because　it　rests　entirely　on　the　goodwillof　those　citizens　who　are　raised　to　the　magistracy；　and　who；　especiallyin　troubled　times；　can　destroy　the　government　with　great　ease