only¡¡to¡¡take¡¡care¡¡that¡¡they¡¡do¡¡not¡¡get¡¡hold¡¡of¡¡too¡¡much¡¡power¡¡and¡¡too
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The¡¡Romans£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡countries¡¡which¡¡they¡¡annexed£»¡¡observed¡¡closely¡¡these
measures£»¡¡they¡¡sent¡¡colonies¡¡and¡¡maintained¡¡friendly¡¡relations¡¡with¡¡the
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Aetolians¡¡were¡¡kept¡¡friendly¡¡by¡¡them£»¡¡the¡¡kingdom¡¡of¡¡Macedonia¡¡was
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Aetolians¡¡never¡¡secured¡¡for¡¡them¡¡permission¡¡to¡¡increase¡¡their¡¡power£»¡¡nor
did¡¡the¡¡persuasions¡¡of¡¡Philip¡¡ever¡¡induce¡¡the¡¡Romans¡¡to¡¡be¡¡his¡¡friends
without¡¡first¡¡humbling¡¡him£»¡¡nor¡¡did¡¡the¡¡influence¡¡of¡¡Antiochus¡¡make¡¡them
agree¡¡that¡¡he¡¡should¡¡retain¡¡any¡¡lordship¡¡over¡¡the¡¡country¡£¡¡Because¡¡the
Romans¡¡did¡¡in¡¡these¡¡instances¡¡what¡¡all¡¡prudent¡¡princes¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡do£»¡¡who
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easy¡¡to¡¡remedy¡¡them£»¡¡but¡¡if¡¡you¡¡wait¡¡until¡¡they¡¡approach£»¡¡the¡¡medicine
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they¡¡have¡¡been¡¡permitted¡¡to¡¡grow¡¡in¡¡a¡¡way¡¡that¡¡every¡¡one¡¡can¡¡see¡¡them¡£
there¡¡is¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡a¡¡remedy¡£¡¡Therefore£»¡¡the¡¡Romans£»¡¡foreseeing¡¡troubles£»
dealt¡¡with¡¡them¡¡at¡¡once£»¡¡and£»¡¡even¡¡to¡¡avoid¡¡a¡¡war£»¡¡would¡¡not¡¡let¡¡them
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could¡¡have¡¡avoided¡¡both£»¡¡but¡¡this¡¡they¡¡did¡¡not¡¡wish£»¡¡nor¡¡did¡¡that¡¡ever
please¡¡them¡¡which¡¡is¡¡for¡¡ever¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mouths¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wise¡¡ones¡¡of¡¡our
time£º¡¡Let¡¡us¡¡enjoy¡¡the¡¡benefits¡¡of¡¡the¡¡time¡¡¡¡but¡¡rather¡¡the¡¡benefits¡¡of
their¡¡own¡¡valour¡¡and¡¡prudence£»¡¡for¡¡time¡¡drives¡¡everything¡¡before¡¡it£»¡¡and
is¡¡able¡¡to¡¡bring¡¡with¡¡it¡¡good¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡evil£»¡¡and¡¡evil¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡good¡£
But¡¡let¡¡us¡¡turn¡¡to¡¡France¡¡and¡¡inquire¡¡whether¡¡she¡¡has¡¡done¡¡any¡¡of¡¡the
things¡¡mentioned¡£¡¡I¡¡will¡¡speak¡¡of¡¡Louis¡¡£§XII£§¡¡£¨and¡¡not¡¡of¡¡Charles
£§VIII£§£©¡¡as¡¡the¡¡one¡¡whose¡¡conduct¡¡is¡¡the¡¡better¡¡to¡¡be¡¡observed£»¡¡he¡¡having
held¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡Italy¡¡for¡¡the¡¡longest¡¡period£»¡¡and¡¡you¡¡will¡¡see¡¡that
he¡¡has¡¡done¡¡the¡¡opposite¡¡to¡¡those¡¡things¡¡which¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡done¡¡to
retain¡¡a¡¡state¡¡posed¡¡of¡¡divers¡¡elements¡£
King¡¡Louis¡¡was¡¡brought¡¡into¡¡Italy¡¡by¡¡the¡¡ambition¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Venetians£»¡¡who
desired¡¡to¡¡obtain¡¡half¡¡the¡¡state¡¡of¡¡Lombardy¡¡by¡¡his¡¡intervention¡£¡¡I¡¡will
not¡¡blame¡¡the¡¡course¡¡taken¡¡by¡¡the¡¡king£»¡¡because£»¡¡wishing¡¡to¡¡get¡¡a
foothold¡¡in¡¡Italy£»¡¡and¡¡having¡¡no¡¡friends¡¡there¡¡¡¡seeing¡¡rather¡¡that
every¡¡door¡¡was¡¡shut¡¡to¡¡him¡¡owing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡conduct¡¡of¡¡Charles¡¡¡¡he¡¡was
forced¡¡to¡¡accept¡¡those¡¡friendships¡¡which¡¡he¡¡could¡¡get£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡would¡¡have
succeeded¡¡very¡¡quickly¡¡in¡¡his¡¡design¡¡if¡¡in¡¡other¡¡matters¡¡he¡¡had¡¡not¡¡made
some¡¡mistakes¡£¡¡The¡¡king£»¡¡however£»¡¡having¡¡acquired¡¡Lombardy£»¡¡regained¡¡at
once¡¡the¡¡authority¡¡which¡¡Charles¡¡had¡¡lost£º¡¡Genoa¡¡yielded£»¡¡the
Florentines¡¡became¡¡his¡¡friends£»¡¡the¡¡Marquess¡¡of¡¡Mantua£»¡¡the¡¡Duke¡¡of
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Pesaro£»¡¡of¡¡Rimini£»¡¡of¡¡Camerino£»¡¡of¡¡Piombino£»¡¡the¡¡Lucchesi£»¡¡the¡¡Pisans£»
the¡¡Sienese¡¡¡¡everybody¡¡made¡¡advances¡¡to¡¡him¡¡to¡¡bee¡¡his¡¡friend¡£¡¡Then
could¡¡the¡¡Venetians¡¡realize¡¡the¡¡rashness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡course¡¡taken¡¡by¡¡them£»
which£»¡¡in¡¡order¡¡that¡¡they¡¡might¡¡secure¡¡two¡¡towns¡¡in¡¡Lombardy£»¡¡had¡¡made
the¡¡king¡¡master¡¡of¡¡two¡thirds¡¡of¡¡Italy¡£
Let¡¡any¡¡one¡¡now¡¡consider¡¡with¡¡what¡¡little¡¡difficulty¡¡the¡¡king¡¡could¡¡have
maintained¡¡his¡¡position¡¡in¡¡Italy¡¡had¡¡he¡¡observed¡¡the¡¡rules¡¡above¡¡laid
down£»¡¡and¡¡kept¡¡all¡¡his¡¡friends¡¡secure¡¡and¡¡protected£»¡¡for¡¡although¡¡they
were¡¡numerous¡¡they¡¡were¡¡both¡¡weak¡¡and¡¡timid£»¡¡some¡¡afraid¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Church£»
some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Venetians£»¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡they¡¡would¡¡always¡¡have¡¡been¡¡forced¡¡to
stand¡¡in¡¡with¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡their¡¡means¡¡he¡¡could¡¡easily¡¡have¡¡made¡¡himself
secure¡¡against¡¡those¡¡who¡¡remained¡¡powerful¡£¡¡But¡¡he¡¡was¡¡no¡¡sooner¡¡in
Milan¡¡than¡¡he¡¡did¡¡the¡¡contrary¡¡by¡¡assisting¡¡Pope¡¡Alexander¡¡to¡¡occupy¡¡the
Romagna¡£¡¡It¡¡never¡¡occurred¡¡to¡¡him¡¡that¡¡by¡¡this¡¡action¡¡he¡¡was¡¡weakening
himself£»¡¡depriving¡¡himself¡¡of¡¡friends¡¡and¡¡those¡¡who¡¡had¡¡thrown
themselves¡¡into¡¡his¡¡lap£»¡¡whilst¡¡he¡¡aggrandized¡¡the¡¡Church¡¡by¡¡adding¡¡much
temporal¡¡power¡¡to¡¡the¡¡spiritual£»¡¡thus¡¡giving¡¡it¡¡great¡¡authority¡£¡¡And
having¡¡mitted¡¡this¡¡prime¡¡error£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡it¡¡up£»¡¡so
much¡¡so¡¡that£»¡¡to¡¡put¡¡an¡¡end¡¡to¡¡the¡¡ambition¡¡of¡¡Alexander£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡prevent
his¡¡being¡¡the¡¡master¡¡of¡¡Tuscany£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡himself¡¡forced¡¡to¡¡e¡¡into
Italy¡£
And¡¡as¡¡if¡¡it¡¡were¡¡not¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡have¡¡aggrandized¡¡the¡¡Church£»¡¡and
deprived¡¡himself¡¡friends£»¡¡he£»¡¡wishing¡¡to¡¡have¡¡the¡¡kingdom¡¡of¡¡Naples£»
divides¡¡it¡¡with¡¡the¡¡King¡¡of¡¡Spain£»¡¡and¡¡where¡¡he¡¡was¡¡the¡¡prime¡¡arbiter¡¡of
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could¡¡have¡¡left¡¡in¡¡the¡¡kingdom¡¡his¡¡own¡¡pensioner¡¡as¡¡king£»¡¡he¡¡drove¡¡him
out£»¡¡to¡¡put¡¡one¡¡there¡¡who¡¡was¡¡able¡¡to¡¡drive¡¡him£»¡¡Louis£»¡¡out¡¡in¡¡turn¡£
The¡¡wish¡¡to¡¡acquire¡¡is¡¡in¡¡truth¡¡very¡¡natural¡¡and¡¡mon£»¡¡and¡¡men¡¡always
do¡¡so¡¡when¡¡they¡¡can£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡this¡¡they¡¡will¡¡be¡¡praised¡¡not¡¡blamed£»¡¡but
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her¡¡own¡¡forces¡¡she¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡have¡¡done¡¡so£»¡¡if¡¡she¡¡could¡¡not£»¡¡then¡¡she
ought¡¡not¡¡to¡¡have¡¡divided¡¡it¡£¡¡And¡¡if¡¡the¡¡partition¡¡which¡¡she¡¡made¡¡with
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a¡¡foothold¡¡in¡¡Italy£»¡¡this¡¡other¡¡partition¡¡merited¡¡blame£»¡¡for¡¡it¡¡had¡¡not
the¡¡excuse¡¡of¡¡that¡¡necessity¡£
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he¡¡increased¡¡the¡¡strength¡¡of¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡greater¡¡powers¡¡in¡¡Italy£»¡¡he
brought¡¡in¡¡a¡¡foreign¡¡power£»¡¡he¡¡did¡¡not¡¡settle¡¡in¡¡the¡¡country£»¡¡he¡¡did¡¡not
send¡¡colonies¡£¡¡Which¡¡errors£»¡¡if¡¡he¡¡had¡¡lived£»¡¡were¡¡not¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡injure
him¡¡had¡¡he¡¡not¡¡made¡¡a¡¡sixth¡¡by¡¡taking¡¡away¡¡their¡¡dominions¡¡from¡¡the
Venetians£»¡¡because£»¡¡had¡¡he¡¡not¡¡aggrandized¡¡the¡¡Church£»¡¡nor¡¡brought¡¡Spain
into¡¡Italy£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡very¡¡reasonable¡¡and¡¡necessary¡¡to¡¡humble
them£»¡¡but¡¡having¡¡first¡¡taken¡¡these¡¡steps£»¡¡he¡¡ought¡¡never¡¡to¡¡have
consented¡¡to¡¡their¡¡ruin£»¡¡for¡¡they£»¡¡being¡¡powerful£»¡¡would¡¡always¡¡have
kept¡¡off¡¡others¡¡from¡¡designs¡¡on¡¡Lombardy£»¡¡to¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Venetians¡¡would
never¡¡have¡¡consented¡¡except¡¡to¡¡bee¡¡masters¡¡themselves¡¡there£»¡¡also
because¡¡the¡¡others¡¡would¡¡not¡¡wish¡¡to¡¡take¡¡Lombardy¡¡from¡¡France¡¡in¡¡order
to¡¡give¡¡it¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Venetians£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡run¡¡counter¡¡to¡¡both¡¡they¡¡would¡¡not
have¡¡had¡¡the¡¡courage¡£
And¡¡if¡¡any¡¡one¡¡should¡¡say£º¡¡King¡¡Louis¡¡yielded¡¡the¡¡Romagna¡¡to¡¡Alexander
and¡¡the¡¡kingdom¡¡to¡¡Spain¡¡to¡¡avoid¡¡war£»¡¡I¡¡answer¡¡for¡¡the¡¡reasons¡¡given
above¡¡that¡¡a¡¡blunder¡¡ought¡¡never¡¡be¡¡perpetrated¡¡to¡¡avoid¡¡war£»¡¡because¡¡it
is¡¡not¡¡to¡¡be¡¡avoided£»¡¡but¡¡is¡¡only¡¡deferred¡¡to¡¡your¡¡disadvantage¡£¡¡And¡¡if
another¡¡should¡¡allege¡¡the¡¡pledge¡¡which¡¡the¡¡king¡¡had¡¡given¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Pope
that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡assist¡¡him¡¡in¡¡the¡¡enterprise£»¡¡in¡¡exchange¡¡for¡¡the
dissolution¡¡of¡¡his¡¡marriage¡¡and¡¡for¡¡the¡¡hat¡¡to¡¡Rouen£»¡¡to¡¡that¡¡I¡¡reply
what¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡write¡¡later¡¡on¡¡concerning¡¡the¡¡faith¡¡of¡¡princes£»¡¡and¡¡how¡¡it
ought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡kept¡£
Thus¡¡King¡¡Louis¡¡lost¡¡Lombardy¡¡by¡¡not¡¡having¡¡followed¡¡any¡¡of¡¡the
conditions¡¡observed¡¡by¡¡those¡¡who¡¡have¡¡taken¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡countries¡¡and
wished¡¡to¡¡retain¡¡them¡£¡¡Nor¡¡is¡¡there¡¡any¡¡miracle¡¡in¡¡this£»¡¡but¡¡much¡¡that
is¡¡reasonable¡¡and¡¡quite¡¡natural¡£¡¡And¡¡on¡¡these¡¡matters¡¡I¡¡spoke¡¡at¡¡Nantes
with¡¡Rouen£»¡¡when¡¡Valentino£»¡¡£§1£§¡¡as¡¡Cesare¡¡Borgia£»¡¡the¡¡son¡¡of¡¡Pope
Alexander£»¡¡was¡¡usually¡¡called£»¡¡occupied¡¡the¡¡Romagna£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡Cardinal
Rouen¡¡observing¡¡to¡¡me¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Italians¡¡did¡¡not¡¡understand¡¡war£»¡¡I
replied¡¡to¡¡him¡¡that¡¡the¡¡French¡¡did¡¡not¡¡understand¡¡statecraft£»¡¡meaning
that¡¡otherwise¡¡they¡¡would¡¡not¡¡have¡¡allowed¡¡the¡¡Church¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡such
greatness¡£¡¡And¡¡in¡¡fact¡¡it¡¡has¡¡been¡¡seen¡¡that¡¡the¡¡greatness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Church
and¡¡of¡¡Spain¡¡in¡¡Italy¡¡has¡¡been¡¡caused¡¡by¡¡France£»¡¡and¡¡her¡¡ruin¡¡may¡¡be
attributed¡¡to¡¡them¡£¡¡From¡¡this¡¡a¡¡general¡¡rule¡¡is¡¡drawn¡¡which¡¡never¡¡or
rarely¡¡fails£º¡¡that¡¡he¡¡who¡¡is¡¡the¡¡cause¡¡of¡¡another¡¡being¡¡powerful¡¡is
ruined£»¡¡because¡¡that¡¡predominancy¡¡has¡¡been¡¡brought¡¡about¡¡either¡¡by
astuteness¡¡or¡¡else¡¡by¡¡force£»¡¡and¡¡both¡¡are¡¡distrusted¡¡by¡¡him¡¡who¡¡has¡¡been
raised¡¡to¡¡power¡£
1¡£¡¡So¡¡called¡¡¡¡in¡¡Italian¡¡¡¡from¡¡the¡¡duchy¡¡of¡¡Valentinois£»¡¡conferred
on¡¡him¡¡by¡¡Louis¡¡XII¡£
CHAPTER¡¡IV
WHY¡¡THE¡¡KINGDOM¡¡OF¡¡DARIUS£»¡¡CONQUERED¡¡BY¡¡ALEXANDER£»¡¡DID¡¡NOT¡¡REBEL¡¡AGAINST
THE¡¡SUCCESSORS¡¡OF¡¡ALEXANDER¡¡AT¡¡HIS¡¡DEATH
CONSIDERING¡¡the¡¡difficulties¡¡which¡¡men¡¡have¡¡had¡¡to¡¡hold¡¡a¡¡newly¡¡acquired
state£»¡¡some¡¡might¡¡wonder¡¡how£»¡¡seeing¡¡that¡¡Alexander¡¡the¡¡Great¡¡became¡¡the
master¡¡of¡¡Asia¡¡in¡¡a¡¡few¡¡years£»¡¡and¡¡died¡¡whilst¡¡it¡¡was¡¡yet¡¡scarcely
settled¡¡£¨whence¡¡it¡¡might¡¡appear¡¡reasonable¡¡that¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡empire¡¡would
have¡¡rebelled£©£»¡¡nevertheless¡¡his¡¡successors¡¡maintained¡¡themselves£»¡¡and
had¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡no¡¡other¡¡difficulty¡¡than¡¡that¡¡which¡¡arose¡¡among¡¡themselves
from¡¡their¡¡own¡¡ambitions¡£
I¡¡answer¡¡that¡¡the¡¡principalities¡¡of¡¡which¡¡one¡¡has¡¡record¡¡are¡¡found¡¡to¡¡be
governed¡¡in¡¡two¡¡different¡¡ways£º¡¡either¡¡by¡¡a¡¡prince£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡body¡¡of
servants£»¡¡who¡¡assist¡¡him¡¡to¡¡govern¡¡the¡¡kingdom¡¡as¡¡ministers
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