Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/552

CHAPTER XXII THE ITALIAN CITIES AND THE RENAISSANCE I. THE ITALIAN DESPOTS No one better understood the Italian despot and the peculiarities of his position than did Machiavelli. The following passages are from The Prince, his little hand- book for despots. That prince who founds the duration of his government upon his mercenary forces will never be firm or secure ; for they are divided, ambitious, undisciplined, unfaithful ; insolent to their friends, abject to their enemies, without fear of God or faith to men ; so the ruin of that person who trusts to them is no longer protracted than the attempt is deferred. In time of peace they plunder you, in time of war they desert you ; and the reason is because it is not love nor any principle of honor that keeps them in the field, but only their pay, and that is not a consideration strong enough to prevail with them to die for you. Whilst you have no ser- vice to employ them in, they are excellent soldiers ; but tell them of an engagement and they will either disband before, or run away during the battle. . . . The great officers of these mercenaries [i.e. the con(loitiere are either men of great courage, or otherwise ; if the first, you can never be safe, for they always aspire to make themselves great, either by supplanting you who are their master, or by oppressing other people whom you desire to have protected. On the other hand, if the commanders be not courageous, you are still ruined. If it should be urged that all generals will do the same, whether mercenaries or others, I would answer, that all war is managed either by a prince or a 516