第15部分(第5/7 頁)

　strength；　dexterity；　and　subtlety。　But　when　it　esto　armies　they　do　not　bear　parison；　and　this　springs　entirely　fromthe　insufficiency　of　the　leaders；　since　those　who　are　capable　are　notobedient；　and　each　one　seems　to　himself　to　know；　there　having　never　beenany　one　so　distinguished　above　the　rest；　either　by　valour　or　fortune；that　others　would　yield　to　him。　Hence　it　is　that　for　so　long　a　time；　andduring　so　much　fighting　in　the　past　twenty　years；　whenever　there　hasbeen　an　army　wholly　Italian；　it　has　always　given　a　poor　account　ofitself；　as　witness　Taro；　Alessandria；　Capua；　Genoa；　Vaila；　Bologna；Mestre。If；　therefore；　your　illustrious　house　wishes　to　follow　those　remarkablemen　who　have　redeemed　their　country；　it　is　necessary　before　all　things；as　a　true　foundation　for　every　enterprise；　to　be　provided　with　your　ownforces；　because　there　can　be　no　more　faithful；　truer；　or　bettersoldiers。　And　although　singly　they　are　good；　altogether　they　will　bemuch　better　when　they　find　themselves　manded　by　their　prince；honoured　by　him；　and　maintained　at　his　expense。　Therefore　it　isnecessary　to　be　prepared　with　such　arms；　so　that　you　can　be　defendedagainst　foreigners　by　Italian　valour。And　although　Swiss　and　Spanish　infantry　may　be　considered　veryformidable；　nevertheless　there　is　a　defect　in　both；　by　reason　of　which　athird　order　would　not　only　be　able　to　oppose　them；　but　might　be　reliedupon　to　overthrow　them。　For　the　Spaniards　cannot　resist　cavalry；　and　theSwitzers　are　afraid　of　infantry　whenever　they　encounter　them　in　closebat。　Owing　to　this；　as　has　been　and　may　again　be　seen；　the　Spaniardsare　unable　to　resist　French　cavalry；　and　the　Switzers　are　overthrown　byinfantry。　And　although　a　plete　proof　of　this　latter　cannot　be　shown；nevertheless　there　was　some　evidence　of　it　at　the　battle　of　Ravenna；w