the prince(王子)-第3章
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personages become interesting by reason of the uses which Machiavelli
makes of them to illustrate his theories of government and conduct。
Leaving out of consideration those maxims of state which still furnish
some European and eastern statesmen with principles of action； 〃The
Prince〃 is bestrewn with truths that can be proved at every turn。 Men are
still the dupes of their simplicity and greed； as they were in the days of
Alexander VI。 The cloak of religion still conceals the vices which
Machiavelli laid bare in the character of Ferdinand of Aragon。 Men will
not look at things as they really are； but as they wish them to beand are
ruined。 In politics there are no perfectly safe courses； prudence consists in
choosing the least dangerous ones。 Then to pass to a higher plane
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Machiavelli reiterates that； although crimes may win an empire； they do
not win glory。 Necessary wars are just wars； and the arms of a nation are
hallowed when it has no other resource but to fight。
It is the cry of a far later day than Machiavelli's that government
should be elevated into a living moral force； capable of inspiring the
people with a just recognition of the fundamental principles of society； to
this 〃high argument〃 〃The Prince〃 contributes but little。 Machiavelli
always refused to write either of men or of governments otherwise than as
he found them； and he writes with such skill and insight that his work is of
abiding value。 But what invests 〃The Prince〃 with more than a merely
artistic or historical interest is the incontrovertible truth that it deals with
the great principles which still guide nations and rulers in their
relationship with each other and their neighbours。
In translating 〃The Prince〃 my aim has been to achieve at all costs an
exact literal rendering of the original； rather than a fluent paraphrase
adapted to the modern notions of style and expression。 Machiavelli was no
facile phrasemonger； the conditions under which he wrote obliged him to
weigh every word； his themes were lofty； his substance grave； his manner
nobly plain and serious。 〃Quis eo fuit unquam in partiundis rebus； in
definiendis； in explanandis pressior？〃 In 〃The Prince；〃 it may be truly said；
there is reason assignable； not only for every word； but for the position of
every word。 To an Englishman of Shakespeare's time the translation of
such a treatise was in some ways a comparatively easy task； for in those
times the genius of the English more nearly resembled that of the Italian
language； to the Englishman of to…day it is not so simple。 To take a single
example： the word 〃intrattenere；〃 employed by Machiavelli to indicate the
policy adopted by the Roman Senate towards the weaker states of Greece；
would by an Elizabethan be correctly rendered 〃entertain；〃 and every
contemporary reader would understand what was meant by saying that
〃Rome entertained the Aetolians and the Achaeans without augmenting
their power。〃 But to…day such a phrase would seem obsolete and
ambiguous； if not unmeaning： we are compelled to say that 〃Rome
maintained friendly relations with the Aetolians；〃 etc。； using four words to
do the work of one。 I have tried to preserve the pithy brevity of the Italian
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The Prince
so far as was consistent with an absolute fidelity to the sense。 If the result
be an occasional asperity I can only hope that the reader； in his eagerness
to reach the author's meaning； may overlook the roughness of the road that
leads him to it。
The following is a list of the works of Machiavelli：
Principal works。 Discorso sopra le cose di Pisa； 1499； Del modo di
trattare i popoli della Valdichiana ribellati； 1502； Del modo tenuto dal
duca Valentino nell' ammazzare Vitellozzo Vitelli； Oliverotto da Fermo；
etc。； 1502； Discorso sopra la provisione del danaro； 1502； Decennale
primo （poem in terza rima）； 1506； Ritratti delle cose dell' Alemagna； 1508…
12； Decennale secondo； 1509； Ritratti delle cose di Francia； 1510； Discorsi
sopra la prima deca di T。 Livio； 3 vols。； 1512…17； Il Principe； 1513； Andria；
comedy translated from Terence； 1513 （？）； Mandragola； prose comedy in
five acts； with prologue in verse； 1513； Della lingua （dialogue）； 1514；
Clizia； comedy in prose； 1515 （？）； Belfagor arcidiavolo （novel）； 1515；
Asino d'oro （poem in terza rima）； 1517； Dell' arte della guerra； 1519…20；
Discorso sopra il riformare lo stato di Firenze； 1520； Sommario delle cose
della citta di Lucca； 1520； Vita di Castruccio Castracani da Lucca； 1520；
Istorie fiorentine； 8 books； 1521…5； Frammenti storici； 1525。
Other poems include Sonetti； Canzoni； Ottave； and Canti
carnascialeschi。
Editions。 Aldo； Venice； 1546； della Tertina； 1550； Cambiagi； Florence；
6 vols。； 1782…5； dei Classici； Milan； 10 1813； Silvestri； 9 vols。； 1820…2；
Passerini； Fanfani； Milanesi； 6 vols。 only published； 1873…7。
Minor works。 Ed。 F。 L。 Polidori； 1852； Lettere familiari； ed。 E。 Alvisi；
1883； 2 editions； one with excisions； Credited Writings； ed。 G。 Canestrini；
1857； Letters to F。 Vettori； see A。 Ridolfi； Pensieri intorno allo scopo di N。
Machiavelli nel libro Il Principe； etc。； D。 Ferrara； The Private
Correspondence of Nicolo Machiavelli； 1929。
DEDICATION
To the Magnificent Lorenzo Di Piero De' Medici：
Those who strive to obtain the good graces of a prince are
accustomed to come before him with such things as they hold most
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precious； or in which they see him take most delight； whence one often
sees horses； arms； cloth of gold； precious stones； and similar ornaments
presented to princes； worthy of their greatness。
Desiring therefore to present myself to your Magnificence with some
testimony of my devotion towards you； I have not found among my
possessions anything which I hold more dear than； or value so much as；
the knowledge of the actions of great men； acquired by long experience in
contemporary affairs； and a continual study of antiquity； which； having
reflected upon it with great and prolonged diligence； I now send； digested
into a little volume； to your Magnificence。
And although I may consider this work unworthy of your
countenance； nevertheless I trust much to your benignity that it may be
acceptable； seeing that it is not possible for me to make a better gift than to
offer you the opportunity of understanding in the shortest time all that I
have learnt in so many years； and with so many troubles and dangers；
which work I have not embellished with swelling or magnificent words；
nor stuffed with rounded periods； nor with any extrinsic allurements or
adornments whatever； with which so many are accustomed to embellish
their works； for I have wished either that no honour should be given it； or
else that the truth of the matter and the weightiness of the theme shall
make it acceptable。
Nor do I hold with those who regard it as a presumption if a man of
low and humble condition dare to discuss and settle the concerns of
princes； because； just as those who draw landscapes place themselves
below in the plain to contemplate the nature of the mountains and of lofty
places； and in order to contemplate the plains place themselves upon high
mountains； even so to understand the nature of the people it needs to be a
prince； and to understand that of princes it needs to be of the people。
Take then； your Magnificence； this little gift in the spirit in which I
send it； wherein； if it be diligently read and considered by you； you will
learn my extreme desire that you should attain that greatness which
fortune and your other attributes promise。 And if your Magnificence from
the summit of your greatness will sometimes turn your eyes to these lower
regions； you will see how unmeritedly I suffer a great and continued
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malignity of fortune。
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The Prince
CHAPTER I
HOW MANY KINDS OF PRINCIPALITIES THERE ARE； AND
BY WHAT MEANS THEY ARE ACQUIRED
All states； all powers； that have held and hold rule over men have been
and are either republics or principalities。
Principalities are either hereditary； in which the family has been long
established； or they are new。
The new are either entirely new； as was Milan to Francesco Sforza； or
they are； as it were； members annexed to the hereditary state of the prince
who has acquired them； as was the kingdom of Naples to that of the King
of Spain。
Such dominions thus acquired are either accustomed to live under a
prince； or to live in freedom； and are acquired either by the arms of the
prince himself； or of others； or else by fortune or by ability。
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CHAPTER II
CONCERNING HEREDITARY PRINCIPALITIES
I will leave out all discussion on republics； inasmuch as in another
place I have written of them at length； and will address myself only to
principalities。 In doing so I will keep to the orde
