第11部分(第4/7 頁)

are　noteworthy　to　him　who　studies　theaffairs　of　those　times。It　seems　to　me　sufficient　to　take　all　those　emperors　who　succeeded　tothe　empire　from　Marcus　the　philosopher　down　to　Maximinus；　they　wereMarcus　and　his　son　modus；　Pertinax；　Julian；　Severus　and　his　sonAntoninus　Caracalla；　Macrinus；　Heliogabalus；　Alexander；　and　Maximinus。There　is　first　to　note　that；　whereas　in　other　principalities　theambition　of　the　nobles　and　the　insolence　of　the　people　only　have　to　becontended　with；　the　Roman　emperors　had　a　third　difficulty　in　having　toput　up　with　the　cruelty　and　avarice　of　their　soldiers；　a　matter　so　besetwith　difficulties　that　it　was　the　ruin　of　many；　for　it　was　a　hard　thingto　give　satisfaction　both　to　soldiers　and　people；　because　the　peopleloved　peace；　and　for　this　reason　they　loved　the　unaspiring　prince；whilst　the　soldiers　loved　the　warlike　prince　who　was　bold；　cruel；　andrapacious；　which　qualities　they　were　quite　willing　he　should　exerciseupon　the　people；　so　that　they　could　get　double　pay　and　give　vent　totheir　greed　and　cruelty。　Hence　it　arose　that　those　emperors　were　alwaysoverthrown　who；　either　by　birth　or　training；　had　no　great　authority；　andmost　of　them；　especially　those　who　came　new　to　the　principality；recognizing　the　difficulty　of　these　two　opposing　humours；　were　inclinedto　give　satisfaction　to　the　soldiers；　caring　little　about　injuring　thepeople。　Which　course　was　necessary；　because；　as　princes　cannot　helpbeing　hated　by　someone；　they　ought；　in　the　first　place；　to　avoid　beinghated　by　every　one；　and　when　they　cannot　pass　this；　they　ought　toendeavour　with　the　utmost　diligence　to　avoid　the　hatred　of　the　mostpowerful。　Therefore；　those　emperors　who　through　inexperience　had　need　ofspecial　favour　adhered　more　readily　to　the　soldiers　than　to　the　people；a　course　which　turned　out