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6. It has been a custom with princes, in order to hold their

states more securely, to build fortresses that may serve as a

bridle and bit to those who might design to work against them,

and as a place of refuge from a first attack. I praise this

system because it has been made use of formerly. Notwithstanding

that, Messer Nicolo Vitelli in our times has been seen to

demolish two fortresses in Citta di Castello so that he might

keep that state; Guido Ubaldo, Duke of Urbino, on returning to

his dominion, whence he had been driven by Cesare Borgia, razed

to the foundations all the fortresses in that province, and

considered that without them it would be more difficult to lose

it; the Bentivogli returning to Bologna came to a similar

decision. Fortresses, therefore, are useful or not according to

circumstances; if they do you good in one way they injure you in

another.