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3. Our forefathers, and those who were reckoned wise, were

accustomed to say that it was necessary to hold Pistoia by

factions and Pisa by fortresses; and with this idea they fostered

quarrels in some of their tributary towns so as to keep

possession of them the more easily. This may have been well

enough in those times when Italy was in a way balanced, but I do

not believe that it can be accepted as a precept for to-day,

because I do not believe that factions can ever be of use; rather

it is certain that when the enemy comes upon you in divided

cities you are quickly lost, because the weakest party will

always assist the outside forces and the other will not be able

to resist.