第9部分(第3/7 頁)

rson　in　our　language　is　still　he　whodesires　to　possess　by　robbery；　whilst　we　call　one　miserly　who　depriveshimself　too　much　of　the　use　of　his　own）；　one　is　reputed　generous；　onerapacious；　one　cruel；　one　passionate；　one　faithless；　anotherfaithful；　one　effeminate　and　cowardly；　another　bold　and　brave；　oneaffable；　another　haughty；　one　lascivious；　another　chaste；　one　sincere；another　cunning；　one　hard；　another　easy；　one　grave；　another　frivolous；one　religious；　another　unbelieving；　and　the　like。　And　I　know　that　everyone　will　confess　that　it　would　be　most　praiseworthy　in　a　prince　toexhibit　all　the　above　qualities　that　are　considered　good；　but　becausethey　can　neither　be　entirely　possessed　nor　observed；　for　humanconditions　do　not　permit　it；　it　is　necessary　for　him　to　be　sufficientlyprudent　that　he　may　know　how　to　avoid　the　reproach　of　those　vices　whichwould　lose　him　his　state；　and　also　to　keep　himself；　if　it　be　possible；from　those　which　would　not　lose　him　it；　but　this　not　being　possible；　hemay　with　less　hesitation　abandon　himself　to　them。　And　again；　he　need　notmake　himself　uneasy　at　incurring　a　reproach　for　those　vices　withoutwhich　the　state　can　only　be　saved　with　difficulty；　for　if　everything　isconsidered　carefully；　it　will　be　found　that　something　which　looks　likevirtue；　if　followed；　would　be　his　ruin；　whilst　something　else；　whichlooks　like　vice；　yet　followed　brings　him　security　and　prosperity。CHAPTER　XVICONCERNING　LIBERALITY　AND　MEANNESSMENCING　then　with　the　first　of　the　above…named　characteristics；　I　saythat　it　would　be　well　to　be　reputed　liberal。　Nevertheless；　liberalityexercised　in　a　way　that　does　not　bring　you　the　reputation　for　it；injures　you；　for　if　one　exercises　it　honestly　and　as　it　should　beexercised；　it　may　not　bee　known；　and　you　will　not　avoid　the　reproachof　its　opposit