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He who would attack that state from the outside must have the

utmost caution; as long as the prince resides there it can only

be wrested from him with the greatest difficulty.

The other and better course is to send colonies to one or two

places, which may be as keys to that state, for it is necessary

either to do this or else to keep there a great number of cavalry

and infantry. A prince does not spend much on colonies, for with

little or no expense he can send them out and keep them there,

and he offends a minority only of the citizens from whom he takes

lands and houses to give them to the new inhabitants; and those

whom he offends, remaining poor and scattered, are never able to

injure him; whilst the rest being uninjured are easily kept

quiet, and at the same time are anxious not to err for fear it

should happen to them as it has to those who have been despoiled.

In conclusion, I say that these colonies are not costly, they are

more faithful, they injure less, and the injured, as has been

said, being poor and scattered, cannot hurt.