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马基雅维里 君主论英文prince-第13部分

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Annibale Bentivoglio; who was prince in Bologna (grandfather of the

present Annibale); having been murdered by the Canneschi; who had

conspired against him; not one of his family survived but Messer

Giovanni; who was in childhood: immediately after his assassination the

people rose and murdered all the Canneschi。 This sprung from the popular

goodwill which the house of Bentivoglio enjoyed in those days in

Bologna; which was so great that; although none remained there after the

death of Annibale who were able to rule the state; the Bolognese; having

information that there was one of the Bentivoglio family in Florence;

who up to that time had been considered the son of a blacksmith; sent to

Florence for him and gave him the government of their city; and it was

ruled by him until Messer Giovanni came in due course to the government。



For this reason I consider that a prince ought to reckon conspiracies of

little account when his people hold him in esteem; but when it is

hostile to him; and bears hatred towards him; he ought to fear

everything and everybody。 And well…ordered states and wise princes have

taken every care not to drive the nobles to desperation; and to keep the

people satisfied and contented; for this is one of the most important

objects a prince can have。



Among the best ordered and governed kingdoms of our times is France; and

in it are found many good institutions on which depend the liberty and

security of the king; of these the first is the parliament and its

authority; because he who founded the kingdom; knowing the ambition of

the nobility and their boldness; considered that a bit in their mouths

would be necessary to hold them in; and; on the other side; knowing the

hatred of the people; founded in fear; against the nobles; he wished to

protect them; yet he was not anxious for this to be the particular care

of the king; therefore; to take away the reproach which he would be

liable to from the nobles for favouring the people; and from the people

for favouring the nobles; he set up an arbiter; who should be one who

could beat down the great and favour the lesser without reproach to the

king。 Neither could you have a better or a more prudent arrangement; or

a greater source of security to the king and kingdom。 From this one can

draw another important conclusion; that princes ought to leave affairs

of reproach to the management of others; and keep those of grace in

their own hands。 And further; I consider that a prince ought to cherish

the nobles; but not so as to make himself hated by the people。



It may appear; perhaps; to some who have examined the lives and deaths

of the Roman emperors that many of them would be an example contrary to

my opinion; seeing that some of them lived nobly and showed great

qualities of soul; nevertheless they have lost their empire or have been

killed by subjects who have conspired against them。 Wishing; therefore;

to answer these objections; I will recall the characters of some of the

emperors; and will show that the causes of their ruin were not different

to those alleged by me; at the same time I will only submit for

consideration those things that are noteworthy to him who studies the

affairs of those times。



It seems to me sufficient to take all those emperors who succeeded to

the empire from Marcus the philosopher down to Maximinus; they were

Marcus and his son modus; Pertinax; Julian; Severus and his son

Antoninus Caracalla; Macrinus; Heliogabalus; Alexander; and Maximinus。



There is first to note that; whereas in other principalities the

ambition of the nobles and the insolence of the people only have to be

contended with; the Roman emperors had a third difficulty in having to

put up with the cruelty and avarice of their soldiers; a matter so beset

with difficulties that it was the ruin of many; for it was a hard thing

to give satisfaction both to soldiers and people; because the people

loved peace; and for this reason they loved the unaspiring prince;

whilst the soldiers loved the warlike prince who was bold; cruel; and

rapacious; which qualities they were quite willing he should exercise

upon the people; so that they could get double pay and give vent to

their greed and cruelty。 Hence it arose that those emperors were always

overthrown who; either by birth or training; had no great authority; and

most of them; especially those who came new to the principality;

recognizing the difficulty of these two opposing humours; were inclined

to give satisfaction to the soldiers; caring little about injuring the

people。 Which course was necessary; because; as princes cannot help

being hated by someone; they ought; in the first place; to avoid being

hated by every one; and when they cannot pass this; they ought to

endeavour with the utmost diligence to avoid the hatred of the most

powerful。 Therefore; those emperors who through inexperience had need of

special favour adhered more readily to the soldiers than to the people;

a course which turned out advantageous to them or not; accordingly as

the prince knew how to maintain authority over them。



From these causes it arose that Marcus 'Aurelius'; Pertinax; and

Alexander; being all men of modest life; lovers of justice; enemies to

cruelty; humane; and benignant; came to a sad end except Marcus; he

alone lived and died honoured; because he had succeeded to the throne by

hereditary title; and owed nothing either to the soldiers or the people;

and afterwards; being possessed of many virtues which made him

respected; he always kept both orders in their places whilst he lived;

and was neither hated nor despised。



But Pertinax was created emperor against the wishes of the soldiers;

who; being accustomed to live licentiously under modus; could not

endure the honest life to which Pertinax wished to reduce them; thus;

having given cause for hatred; to which hatred there was added contempt

for his old age; he was overthrown at the very beginning of his

administration。 And here it should be noted that hatred is acquired as

much by good works as by bad ones; therefore; as I said before; a prince

wishing to keep his state is very often forced to do evil; for when that

body is corrupt whom you think you have need of to maintain yourself 

it may be either the people or the soldiers or the nobles  you have to

submit to its humours and to gratify them; and then good works will do

you harm。



But let us e to Alexander; who was a man of such great goodness; that

among the other praises which are accorded him is this; that in the

fourteen years he held the empire no one was ever put to death by him

unjudged; nevertheless; being considered effeminate and a man who

allowed himself to be governed by his mother; he became despised; the

army conspired against him; and murdered him。



Turning now to the opposite characters of modus; Severus; Antoninus

Caracalla; and Maximinus; you will find them all cruel and rapacious 

men who; to satisfy their soldiers; did not hesitate to mit every

kind of iniquity against the people; and all; except Severus; came to a

bad end; but in Severus there was so much valour that; keeping the

soldiers friendly; although the people were oppressed by him; he reigned

successfully; for his valour made him so much admired in the sight of

the soldiers and people that the latter were kept in a way astonished

and awed and the former respectful and satisfied。 And because the

actions of this man; as a new prince; were great; I wish to show briefly

that he knew well how to counterfeit the fox and the lion; which

natures; as I said above; it is necessary for a prince to imitate。



Knowing the sloth of the Emperor Julian; he persuaded the army in

Sclavonia; of which he was captain; that it would be right to go to Rome

and avenge the death of Pertinax; who had been killed by the praetorian

soldiers; and under this pretext; without appearing to aspire to the

throne; he moved the army on Rome; and reached Italy before it was known

that he had started。 On his arrival at Rome; the Senate; through fear;

elected him emperor and killed Julian。 After this there remained for

Severus; who wished to make himself master of the whole empire; two

difficulties; one in Asia; where Niger; head of the Asiatic army; had

caused himself to be proclaimed emperor; the other in the west where

Albinus was; who also aspired to the throne。 And as he considered it

dangerous to declare himself hostile to both; he decided to attack Niger

and to deceive Albinus。 To the latter he wrote that; being elected

emperor by the Senate; he was willing to share that dignity with him and

sent him the title of Caesar; and; moreover; that the Senate had made

Albinus his colleague; which things were accepted by Albinus as true。

But after Severus had conquered and killed Niger; and settled oriental

affairs; he returned to Rome and plained to the Senate that Albinus;

little recognizing the benefits that he had received from him; had by

treachery sought to murder him; and for this ingratitude he was

pelled to punish him。 Afterwards he sought him out in France; and

took from him his government and life。 He who will; therefore; carefully

examine the actions of this man will find him a most valiant lion and a

most cunning fox; he will find him feared and respected by every one;

and not hated by the army; and it need not be wondered at that he; the

new man; well; because his supreme renown always protected him from that

hatred which the people might have conceived against him for his

violence。



But his son Antoninus was a most eminent man; and had very excellent

qualities; which made him admirable in the sight of the people and

acceptable to the soldiers; for he was a warlike man; most enduring of

fatigue; a despiser of all delicate food and other luxuries; which

caused him to be beloved by the armies。 Nevertheless; his ferocity and

cruelties were so great an

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