马基雅维里 君主论英文prince- 第18部分

than　in　your　illustrious　house；　with　its　valour　and　fortune；　favoured　by

God　and　by　the　Church　of　which　it　is　now　the　chief；　and　which　could　be

made　the　head　of　this　redemption。　This　will　not　be　difficult　if　you　will

recall　to　yourself　the　actions　and　lives　of　the　men　I　have　named。　And

although　they　were　great　and　wonderful　men；　yet　they　were　men；　and　each

one　of　them　had　no　more　opportunity　than　the　present　offers；　for　their

enterprises　were　neither　more　just　nor　easier　than　this；　nor　was　God

more　their　friend　than　He　is　yours。



With　us　there　is　great　justice；　because　that　war　is　just　which　is

necessary；　and　arms　are　hallowed　when　there　is　no　other　hope　but　in

them。　Here　there　is　the　greatest　willingness；　and　where　the　willingness

is　great　the　difficulties　cannot　be　great　if　you　will　only　follow　those

men　to　whom　I　have　directed　your　attention。　Further　than　this；　how

extraordinarily　the　ways　of　God　have　been　manifested　beyond　example：　the

sea　is　divided；　a　cloud　has　led　the　way；　the　rock　has　poured　forth

water；　it　has　rained　manna；　everything　has　contributed　to　your

greatness；　you　ought　to　do　the　rest。　God　is　not　willing　to　do

everything；　and　thus　take　away　our　free　will　and　that　share　of　glory

which　belongs　to　us。



And　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　if　none　of　the　above…named　Italians　have

been　able　to　acplish　all　that　is　expected　from　your　illustrious

house；　and　if　in　so　many　revolutions　in　Italy；　and　in　so　many　campaigns；

it　has　always　appeared　as　if　military　virtue　were　exhausted；　this　has

happened　because　the　old　order　of　things　was　not　good；　and　none　of　us

have　known　how　to　find　a　new　one。　And　nothing　honours　a　man　more　than　to

establish　new　laws　and　new　ordinances　when　he　himself　was　newly　risen。

Such　things　when　they　are　well　founded　and　dignified　will　make　him

revered　and　admired；　and　in　Italy　there　are　not　wanting　opportunities　to

bring　such　into　use　in　every　form。



Here　there　is　great　valour　in　the　limbs　whilst　it　fails　in　the　head。

Look　attentively　at　the　duels　and　the　hand…to…hand　bats；　how　superior

the　Italians　are　in　strength；　dexterity；　and　subtlety。　But　when　it　es

to　armies　they　do　not　bear　parison；　and　this　springs　entirely　from

the　insufficiency　of　the　leaders；　since　those　who　are　capable　are　not

obedient；　and　each　one　seems　to　himself　to　know；　there　having　never　been

any　one　so　distinguished　above　the　rest；　either　by　valour　or　fortune；

that　others　would　yield　to　him。　Hence　it　is　that　for　so　long　a　time；　and

during　so　much　fighting　in　the　past　twenty　years；　whenever　there　has

been　an　army　wholly　Italian；　it　has　always　given　a　poor　account　of

itself；　as　witness　Taro；　Alessandria；　Capua；　Genoa；　Vaila；　Bologna；

Mestre。



If；　therefore；　your　illustrious　house　wishes　to　follow　those　remarkable

men　who　have　redeemed　their　country；　it　is　necessary　before　all　things；

as　a　true　foundation　for　every　enterprise；　to　be　provided　with　your　own

forces；　because　there　can　be　no　more　faithful；　truer；　or　better

soldiers。　And　although　singly　they　are　good；　altogether　they　will　be

much　better　when　they　find　themselves　manded　by　their　prince；

honoured　by　him；　and　maintained　at　his　expense。　Therefore　it　is

necessary　to　be　prepared　with　such　arms；　so　that　you　can　be　defended

against　foreigners　by　Italian　valour。



And　although　Swiss　and　Spanish　infantry　may　be　considered　very

formidable；　nevertheless　there　is　a　defect　in　both；　by　reason　of　which　a

third　order　would　not　only　be　able　to　oppose　them；　but　might　be　relied

upon　to　overthrow　them。　For　the　Spaniards　cannot　resist　cavalry；　and　the

Switzers　are　afraid　of　infantry　whenever　they　encounter　them　in　close

bat。　Owing　to　this；　as　has　been　and　may　again　be　seen；　the　Spaniards

are　unable　to　resist　French　cavalry；　and　the　Switzers　are　overthrown　by

infantry。　And　although　a　plete　proof　of　this　latter　cannot　be　shown；

nevertheless　there　was　some　evidence　of　it　at　the　battle　of　Ravenna；

when　the　Spanish　infantry　were　confronted　by　German　battalions；　who

follow　the　same　tactics　as　the　Swiss；　when　the　Spaniards；　by　agility　of

body　and　with　the　aid　of　their　shields；　got　in　under　the　pikes　of　the

Germans　and　stood　out　of　danger；　able　to　attack；　while　the　Germans　stood

helpless；　and；　if　the　cavalry　had　not　dashed　up；　all　would　have　been

over　with　them。　It　is　possible；　therefore；　knowing　the　defects　of　both

these　infantries；　to　invent　a　new　one；　which　will　resist　cavalry　and　not

be　afraid　of　infantry；　this　need　not　create　a　new　order　of　arms；　but　a

variation　upon　the　old。　And　these　are　the　kind　of　improvements　which

confer　reputation　and　power　upon　a　new　prince。



This　opportunity；　therefore；　ought　not　to　be　allowed　to　pass　for　letting

Italy　at　last　see　her　liberator　appear。　Nor　can　one　express　the　love

with　which　he　would　be　received　in　all　those　provinces　which　have

suffered　so　much　from　these　foreign　scourings；　with　what　thirst　for

revenge；　with　what　stubborn　faith；　with　what　devotion；　with　what　tears。

What　door　would　be　closed　to　him？　Who　would　refuse　obedience　to　him？

What　envy　would　hinder　him？　What　Italian　would　refuse　him　homage？　To　all

of　us　this　barbarous　dominion　stinks。　Let；　therefore；　your　illustrious

house　take　up　this　charge　with　that　courage　and　hope　with　which　all　just

enterprises　are　undertaken；　so　that　under　its　standard　our　native

country　may　be　ennobled；　and　under　its　auspices　may　be　verified　that

saying　of　Petrarch：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Virtu　contro　al　Furore

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Prendera　l'arme；　e　fia　il　batter　corto：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Che　l'antico　valore

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Negli　italici　cuor　non　e　ancor　morto。　＇1＇



1。　Virtue　against　fury　shall　advance　the　fight；

　　　And　it　i'　th'　bat　soon　shall　put　to　flight；

　　　For　the　old　Roman；　valour　is　not　dead；

　　　Nor　in　th'　Italians'　breasts　extinguished。





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