第4部分(第1/7 頁)

d　the　fortune　ofhim　who　has　elevated　them　……　two　most　inconstant　and　unstable　things。Neither　have　they　the　knowledge　requisite　for　the　position；　because；unless　they　are　men　of　great　worth　and　ability；　it　is　not　reasonable　toexpect　that　they　should　know　how　to　mand；　having　always　lived　in　aprivate　condition；　besides；　they　cannot　hold　it　because　they　have　notforces　which　they　can　keep　friendly　and　faithful。States　that　rise　unexpectedly；　then；　like　all　other　things　in　naturewhich　are　born　and　grow　rapidly；　cannot　have　their　foundations　andrelations　with　other　states　fixed　in　such　a　way　that　the　first　stormwill　not　overthrow　them；　unless；　as　is　said；　those　who　unexpectedlybee　princes　are　men　of　so　much　ability　that　they　know　they　have　to　beprepared　at　once　to　hold　that　which　fortune　has　thrown　into　their　laps；and　that　those　foundations；　which　others　have　laid　before　they　becameprinces；　they　must　lay　afterwards。Concerning　these　two　methods　of　rising　to　be　a　prince　by　ability　orfortune；　I　wish　to　adduce　two　examples　within　our　own　recollection；　andthese　are　Francesco　Sforza　and　Cesare　Borgia。　Francesco；　by　proper　meansand　with　great　ability；　from　being　a　private　person　rose　to　be　Duke　ofMilan；　and　that　which　he　had　acquired　with　a　thousand　anxieties　he　keptwith　little　trouble。　On　the　other　hand；　Cesare　Borgia；　called　by　thepeople　Duke　Valentino；　acquired　his　state　during　the　ascendancy　of　hisfather；　and　on　its　decline　he　lost　it；　notwithstanding　that　he　had　takenevery　measure　and　done　all　that　ought　to　be　done　by　a　wise　and　able　manto　fix　firmly　his　roots　in　the　states　which　the　arms　and　fortunes　ofothers　had　bestowed　on　him。Because；　as　is　stated　above；　he　who　has　not　first　laid　his　foundationsmay　be　able　with　great　ability　to　lay　them　afterwards；　but　they　will　belaid　wit