Pagina 81 di 310

Therefore, a prince who has a strong city, and had not made

himself odious, will not be attacked, or if any one should attack

he will only be driven off with disgrace; again, because that the

affairs of this world are so changeable, it is almost impossible

to keep an army a whole year in the field without being

interfered with. And whoever should reply: If the people have

property outside the city, and see it burnt, they will not remain

patient, and the long siege and self-interest will make them

forget their prince; to this I answer that a powerful and

courageous prince will overcome all such difficulties by giving

at one time hope to his subjects that the evil will not be for

long, at another time fear of the cruelty of the enemy, then

preserving himself adroitly from those subjects who seem to him

to be too bold.