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the prince(王子)-第13章

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this spectacle caused the people to be at once satisfied and dismayed。 



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     '*' Ramiro d'Orco。 Ramiro de Lorqua。 

     But    let  us  return   whence     we   started。   I  say  that   the  duke;   finding 

himself     now    sufficiently   powerful      and   partly   secured    from   immediate 

dangers by having armed himself in his own way; and having in a great 

measure   crushed   those   forces   in   his   vicinity   that   could   injure   him   if   he 

wished to proceed with his conquest; had next to consider France; for he 

knew   that   the   king;   who   too   late   was   aware   of   his   mistake;   would   not 

support   him。 And   from  this   time   he   began   to   seek   new   alliances   and   to 

temporize with   France in the expedition which she   was   making   towards 

the kingdom of Naples against the Spaniards who were besieging Gaeta。 It 

was his intention to secure himself against them; and this he would have 

quickly accomplished had Alexander lived。 

     Such was his line of action as to present affairs。 But as to the future he 

had to fear; in the first place; that a new successor to the Church might not 

be friendly to him and might seek to take from him that which Alexander 

had given him; so he decided to act in four ways。 Firstly; by exterminating 

the families of those lords whom he had despoiled; so as to take away that 

pretext from the Pope。 Secondly; by winning to himself all the gentlemen 

of   Rome;   so   as   to   be   able   to   curb   the   Pope   with   their   aid;   as   has   been 

observed。 Thirdly; by converting the college more to himself。 Fourthly; by 

acquiring so much power before the Pope should die that he could by his 

own measures resist the first shock。 Of these four things; at the death of 

Alexander; he had accomplished three。 For he had killed as many of the 

dispossessed lords as he could lay hands on; and few had escaped; he had 

won over the Roman gentlemen; and he had the most numerous party in 

the college。 And as to any fresh acquisition; he intended to become master 

of Tuscany; for he already possessed Perugia and Piombino; and Pisa was 

under   his   protection。 And   as   he   had   no   longer   to   study   France   (for   the 

French were already driven out of the kingdom of Naples by the Spaniards; 

and   in   this   way   both   were   compelled   to   buy   his   goodwill);   he   pounced 

down      upon    Pisa。  After   this;  Lucca     and   Siena   yielded    at  once;   partly 

through      hatred    and   partly   through     fear   of  the   Florentines;     and    the 

Florentines would have had no remedy had he continued to prosper; as he 

was prospering the year that Alexander died; for he had acquired so much 



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power and reputation that he would have stood by himself; and no longer 

have depended on the luck and the forces of others; but solely on his own 

power and ability。 

     But Alexander died five years after he had first drawn the sword。 He 

left the duke with the state of Romagna alone consolidated; with the rest in 

the   air;   between   two   most   powerful   hostile   armies;   and   sick   unto   death。 

Yet there were in the duke such boldness and ability; and he knew so well 

how men are to be won or lost; and so firm were the foundations which in 

so short a time he had laid; that if he had not had those armies on his back; 

or if he had been in good health; he would have overcome all difficulties。 

And it is seen that his foundations were good; for the Romagna awaited 

him for more than a month。 In Rome; although but half alive; he remained 

secure; and whilst the Baglioni; the Vitelli; and the Orsini might come to 

Rome;   they   could   not   effect   anything   against   him。   If   he   could   not   have 

made Pope him whom he wished; at least the one whom he did not wish 

would   not   have   been   elected。   But   if   he   had   been   in   sound   health   at   the 

death of Alexander;'*'  everything would   have been different   to him。  On 

the   day   that   Julius   the   Second'+'   was   elected;   he   told   me   that   he   had 

thought of everything that might occur at the death of his father; and had 

provided a remedy for all; except that he had never anticipated that; when 

the death did happen; he himself would be on the point to die。 

     '*' Alexander VI died of fever; 18th August 1503。 

     '+'   Julius   II   was   Giuliano   della   Rovere;   Cardinal   of   San   Pietro   ad 

Vincula; born 1443; died 1513。 

     When all the actions of the duke are recalled; I do not know how to 

blame him; but rather it appears to be; as I have said; that I ought to offer 

him for imitation to all those who; by the fortune or the arms of others; are 

raised to   government。   Because   he;   having   a   lofty  spirit   and   far…reaching 

aims;     could   not   have    regulated    his   conduct     otherwise;    and    only   the 

shortness   of   the   life   of   Alexander   and   his   own   sickness   frustrated   his 

designs。 Therefore; he who considers it necessary to secure himself in his 

new principality; to win friends; to overcome either by force or fraud; to 

make     himself    beloved     and   feared    by  the   people;    to  be  followed     and 

revered by the soldiers; to exterminate those who have power or reason to 



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hurt   him;   to   change   the   old   order   of   things   for   new;   to   be   severe   and 

gracious; magnanimous and liberal; to   destroy a disloyal soldiery and   to 

create new; to maintain friendship with kings and princes in such a way 

that they must help him with zeal and offend with caution; cannot find a 

more lively example than the actions of this man。 

     Only can he be blamed for the election of Julius the Second; in whom 

he made a bad choice; because; as is said; not being able to elect a Pope to 

his own mind; he could have hindered any other from being elected Pope; 

and he ought never to have consented to the election of any cardinal whom 

he had injured or who had cause to fear him if they became pontiffs。 For 

men     injure   either   from    fear  or   hatred。   Those     whom     he   had   injured; 

amongst   others;   were   San   Pietro   ad Vincula;   Colonna;   San   Giorgio;   and 

Ascanio。'*' The rest; in becoming Pope; had to fear him; Rouen and the 

Spaniards excepted; the latter from their relationship and obligations; the 

former   from   his   influence;   the   kingdom   of   France   having   relations   with 

him。    Therefore;     above     everything;    the   duk
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