第10部分(第1/7 頁)

Because　this　is　to　be　asserted　in　general　of　men；　thatthey　are　ungrateful；　fickle；　false；　cowardly；　covetous；　and　as　long　asyou　succeed　they　are　yours　entirely；　they　will　offer　you　their　blood；property；　life　and　children；　as　is　said　above；　when　the　need　is　fardistant；　but　when　it　approaches　they　turn　against　you。　And　that　princewho；　relying　entirely　on　their　promises；　has　neglected　otherprecautions；　is　ruined；　because　friendships　that　are　obtained　bypayments；　and　not　by　greatness　or　nobility　of　mind；　may　indeed　beearned；　but　they　are　not　secured；　and　in　time　of　need　cannot　be　reliedupon；　and　men　have　less　scruple　in　offending　one　who　is　beloved　than　onewho　is　feared；　for　love　is　preserved　by　the　link　of　obligation　which；owing　to　the　baseness　of　men；　is　broken　at　every　opportunity　for　theiradvantage；　but　fear　preserves　you　by　a　dread　of　punishment　which　neverfails。Nevertheless　a　prince　ought　to　inspire　fear　in　such　a　way　that；　if　hedoes　not　win　love；　he　avoids　hatred；　because　he　can　endure　very　wellbeing　feared　whilst　he　is　not　hated；　which　will　always　be　as　long　as　heabstains　from　the　property　of　his　citizens　and　subjects　and　from　theirwomen。　But　when　it　is　necessary　for　him　to　proceed　against　the　life　ofsomeone；　he　must　do　it　on　proper　justification　and　for　manifest　cause；but　above　all　things　he　must　keep　his　hands　off　the　property　of　others；because　men　more　quickly　forget　the　death　of　their　father　than　the　lossof　their　patrimony。　Besides；　pretexts　for　taking　away　the　property　arenever　wanting；　for　he　who　has　once　begun　to　live　by　robbery　will　alwaysfind　pretexts　for　seizing　what　belongs　to　others；　but　reasons　for　takinglife；　on　the　contrary；　are　more　difficult　to　find　and　sooner　lapse。　Butwhen　a　prince　is　with　his　army；　and　has　under　control　a　multitude　ofsoldiers