Machiavelli, Volume I — Niccolo Machiavelli — John Shaqi
Machiavelli, Volume I
Niccolo Machiavelli · en
well to the frendes, as to the enemies: and in mindyng not to have
peace, there groweth deceiptes, whiche the capitaines use to those,
whiche hire them, to the entent the warre maie continue, and yet though
the peace come often, it happeneth that the capitaines beyng deprived of
their stipendes, and of their licencious livyng, thei erecte an ansigne
of adventures, and without any pitie thei put to sacke a province. Have
not you in memorie of your affaires, how that beyng many Souldiours in
Italie without wages, bicause the warre was ended, thei assembled
together many companies, and went taxyng the tounes, and sackyng the
countrie, without beyng able to make any remedie? Have you not red, that
the Carthagenes souldiours, the first warre beyng ended which thei had
with the Romaines, under Matho, and Spendio, twoo capitaines,
rebelliously constituted of theim, made more perillous warre to the
Carthaginens, then thesame whiche thei had ended with the Romaines? In
the time of our fathers, Frances Sforza, to the entente to bee able to
live honourably in the time of peace, not only beguiled the Millenars,
whose souldiour he was, but he toke from them their libertie and became
their Prince. Like unto him hath been all the other souldiours of Italie
whiche have used warfare, for their particulare arte, and albeeit thei
have not through their malignitie becomen Dukes of Milein, so moche the
more thei deserve to bee blamed: for that although thei have not gotten
so moch as he, thei have all (if their lives wer seen) sought to bring
the like thynges to passe. Sforza father of Fraunces, constrained Quene
Jone, to caste her self into the armes of the king of Aragon, havyng in
a sodain forsaken her, and in the middest of her enemies, lefte her
disarmed, onely to satisfie his ambicion, either in taxyng her, or in
takyng from her the Kyngdome. Braccio with the verie same industrie,
sought to possesse the kyngdome of Naples, and if he had not been
overthrowen and slaine at Aquila, he had brought it to passe. Like
disorders growe not of other, then of soche men as hath been, that use
the exercise of warfare, for their proper arte. Have not you a Proverbe,
whiche fortefieth my reasons, whiche saieth, that warre maketh Theves,
and peace hangeth theim up? For as moche as those, whiche knowe not how
to live of other exercise, and in the same finding not enie man to
sustayne theym, and havyng not so moche power, to knowe how to reduce
theim selves together, to make an open rebellion, they are constrayned
of necessetie to Robbe in the highe waies, and Justice is enforced to
extinguishe theim.