since the pretended vice may secure the prosperity and the stability of his government.
It may however be alleged that Cæsar would pever have arrived at empire but for his largesses, and that by the same means many others have raised themselves to that high rank. My answer is, that the condition of a prince is very different from that of a man who is desirous to raise himself to that rank. If Cæsar had lived longer, he would have lost that reputation for liberality which had paved him the way to empire, or he would have lost himself in the attempt to preserve it.
There have been, however, some princes who have performed splendid actions, and who have distinguished themselves by their liberality, but then their prodigality did not come from the public purse. Such were Cyrus, Alexander, and Cæsar. A prince ought to be very sparing of his own and his subjects' property; but he should be equally lavish of that which he has taken from the enemy, if he would wish to be popular with his troops. It is not so mụch virtue itself that wears out, as generosity. He who is too liberal cannot long continue so; he will become poor and contemptible unless he grinds his subjects with new taxes—which cannot fail to render him odious to them. Now there is nothing a prince ought to dread so much as to be hated,
