第13部分(第3/7 頁)

ample。　We　have　in　our　time　Ferdinand　of　Aragon；　the　presentKing　of　Spain。　He　can　almost　be　called　a　new　prince；　because　he　hasrisen；　by　fame　and　glory；　from　being　an　insignificant　king　to　be　theforemost　king　in　Christendom；　and　if　you　will　consider　his　deeds　youwill　find　them　all　great　and　some　of　them　extraordinary。　In　thebeginning　of　his　reign　he　attacked　Granada；　and　this　enterprise　was　thefoundation　of　his　dominions。　He　did　this　quietly　at　first　and　withoutany　fear　of　hindrance；　for　he　held　the　minds　of　the　barons　of　Castileoccupied　in　thinking　of　the　war　and　not　anticipating　any　innovations；thus　they　did　not　perceive　that　by　these　means　he　was　acquiring　powerand　authority　over　them。　He　was　able　with　the　money　of　the　Church　and　ofthe　people　to　sustain　his　armies；　and　by　that　long　war　to　lay　thefoundation　for　the　military　skill　which　has　since　distinguished　him。Further；　always　using　religion　as　a　plea；　so　as　to　undertake　greaterschemes；　he　devoted　himself　with　a　pious　cruelty　to　driving　out　andclearing　his　kingdom　of　the　Moors；　nor　could　there　be　a　more　admirableexample；　nor　one　more　rare。　Under　this　same　cloak　he　assailed　Africa；　hecame　down　on　Italy；　he　has　finally　attacked　France；　and　thus　hisachievements　and　designs　have　always　been　great；　and　have　kept　the　mindsof　his　people　in　suspense　and　admiration　and　occupied　with　the　issue　ofthem。　And　his　actions　have　arisen　in　such　a　way；　one　out　of　the　other；that　men　have　never　been　given　time　to　work　steadily　against　him。Again；　it　much　assists　a　prince　to　set　unusual　examples　in　internalaffairs；　similar　to　those　which　are　related　of　Messer　Bernabo　da　Milano；who；　when　he　had　the　opportunity；　by　any　one　in　civil　life　doing　someextraordinary　thing；　either　good　or　bad；　would　take　some　method　ofrewarding　or　punishing　him；　wh