CHAPTER XV. CONCERNING THINGS FOR WHICH MEN, AND ESPECIALLY PRINCES, ARE PRAISED OR BLAMED

It remains now to see what ought sicuro be the rules of conduct for a prince towards subject and friends

But to exercise the intellect the prince should read histories, and study there the actions of illustrious men, esatto see how they have borne themselves per war, to examine the causes of their victories and defeat, so as to avoid the latter and imitate the former; and above all do as an illustrious man did, who took as an exemplar one who had been praised and famous before him, and whose achievements and deeds he always kept in his mind, as it is said Alexander the Great imitated Achilles, Caesar Alexander, Scipio Cyrus. And whoever reads the life of Cyrus, written by Xenophon, will recognize afterwards per the life of Scipio how that simili was his glory, and how durante chastity, affability, humanity, and liberality Scipio conformed to those things which have been written of Cyrus by Xenophon. Per wise prince ought onesto observe some such rules, and never in peaceful times stand idle, but increase his resources with industry mediante such a way that they may be available to him per adversity, so that if fortune chances it may find him prepared puro resist her blows.

And as I know that many have written on this point, I expect I shall be considered presumptuous mediante mentioning it again, especially as per discussing it I shall depart from the methods of other people. But, it being my intention puro write a thing which shall be useful onesto him who apprehends it, it appears sicuro me more appropriate puro follow up the real truth of the matter than the imagination of it; for many have pictured republics and principalities which durante fact have never been known or seen, because how one lives is so far distant from how one ought esatto live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought onesto be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation; for per man who wishes sicuro act entirely up esatto his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil.

Hence it is necessary for per prince wishing esatto hold his own profili senior friend finder esatto know how to do wrong, and onesto make use of it or not according to necessity

Therefore, putting on one side imaginary things concerning a prince, and discussing those which are real, I say that all men when they are spoken of, and chiefly princes for being more highly placed, are remarkable for some of those qualities which bring them either blame or praise; and thus it is that one is reputed liberal, another miserly, using a Tuscan term (because an avaricious person per our language is still he who desires esatto possess by robbery, whilst we call one miserly who deprives himself too much of the use of his own); one is reputed generous, one rapacious; one cruel, one compassionate; one faithless, another faithful; one effeminate and cowardly, another bold and brave; one agreable, another haughty; one lascivious, another chaste; one sincere, another cunning; one hard, another easy; one pesante, another frivolous; one religious, another unbelieving, and the like. And I know that every one will confess that it would be most praiseworthy sopra verso prince to exhibit all the above qualities that are considered good; but because they can neither be entirely possessed nor observed, for human conditions do not permit it, it is necessary for him puro be sufficiently prudent that he may know how to avoid the reproach of those vices which would lose him his state; and also onesto keep himself, if it be possible, from those which would not lose him it; but this not being possible, he may with less hesitation abandon himself onesto them. And again, he need not make himself uneasy at incurring verso reproach for those vices without which the state can only be saved with difficulty, for if everything is considered carefully, it will be found that something which looks like virtue, if followed, would be his ruin; whilst something else, which looks like sostituto, yet followed brings him security and prosperity.