The Emperor of Constantinople, to oppress his
neighbors, brought into Greece ten thousand Turks, who when the war was
ended, could not be got out thence, which was the beginning of Greeces
servitude under the Infidels. He then that will in no case be able to
overcome, let him serve himself of these armes; for they are much more
dangerous than the mercenaries; for by those thy ruine is more suddenly
executed; for they are all united, and all bent to the obedience of
another. But for the mercenaries to hurt thee, when they have
vanquished, there is no more need of time, and greater occasion, they
not being all united in a body, and being found out and paid by thee,
wherein a third that thou mak'st their head, cannot suddenly gaine so
great authority, that he can endammage thee. In summe, in the
mercenaries their sloth and lazinesse to fight is more dangerous: in the
auxiliaries their valour. Wherefore a wise Prince hath alwayes avoyded
these kind of armes, and betaken himselfe to his owne, and desired
rather to loss with his owne, than conquer with anothers, accounting
that not a true victorie which was gotten with others armes. I will not
doubt to alleadge Cæsar Borgia, and his actions. This Duke entred into
Romania with auxiliarie armes, bringing with him all French souldiers:
but afterwards not accounting those armes secure, bent himselfe to
mercenaries, judging lesse danger to be in those, and tooke in pay the
Orsini and the Vitelli, which afterwards in the proof of them, finding
wavering, unfaithful, and dangerous, he extinguishd, and betook himselfe
to his owne; and it may easily be perceiv'd what difference there is
between the one and the other of these armes, considering the difference
that was between the Dukes reputation, when he had the French men alone,
and when he had the Orsini and Vitelli; but when he remaind with his
own, and stood of himselfe, we shall find it was much augmented: nor
ever was it of grate esteeme, but when every one saw, that he wholly
possessed his owne armes. I thought not to have parted from the Italian
examples of late memory; but that I must not let passe that of Hiero the
Siracusan, being one of those I formerly nam'd. This man (as I said
before) being made general of the Siracusans forces, knew presently that
mercenary souldiery was nothing for their profit in that they were
hirelings, as our Italians are; and finding no way either to hold, or
cashier them made them all bee cut to peeces, and afterwards waged warre
with his owne men, and none others. I will also call to memory a figure
of the old Testament serving just to this purpose. When David presented
himselfe before Saul to goe to fight with Goliah the Philistins
Champion, Saul to encourage him, clad him with his owne armes, which
David when he had them upon back, refused, saying, he was not able to
make any proofe of himself therein, and therefore would goe meet the
enemy with his own sling and sword. In summe, others armes either fall