第9部分(第5/7 頁)

onquered　in　so　many　enterprises　if　he　had　been　reputed　liberal。　Aprince；　therefore；　provided　that　he　has　not　to　rob　his　subjects；　that　hecan　defend　himself；　that　he　does　not　bee　poor　and　abject；　that　he　isnot　forced　to　bee　rapacious；　ought　to　hold　of　little　account　areputation　for　being　mean；　for　it　is　one　of　those　vices　which　willenable　him　to　govern。And　if　any　one　should　say：　Caesar　obtained　empire　by　liberality；　andmany　others　have　reached　the　highest　positions　by　having　been　liberal；and　by　being　considered　so；　I　answer：　Either　you　are　a　prince　in　fact；or　in　a　way　to　bee　one。　In　the　first　case　this　liberality　isdangerous；　in　the　second　it　is　very　necessary　to　be　considered　liberal；and　Caesar　was　one　of　those　who　wished　to　bee　pre…eminent　in　Rome；but　if　he　had　survived　after　being　so；　and　had　not　moderated　hisexpenses；　he　would　have　destroyed　his　government。　And　if　any　one　shouldreply：　Many　have　been　princes；　and　have　done　great　things　with　armies；who　have　been　considered　very　liberal；　I　reply：　Either　a　prince　spendsthat　which　is　his　own　or　his　subjects'　or　else　that　of　others。　In　thefirst　case　he　ought　to　be　sparing；　in　the　second　he　ought　not　to　neglectany　opportunity　for　liberality。　And　to　the　price　who　goes　forth　with　hisarmy；　supporting　it　by　pillage；　sack；　and　extortion；　handling　that　whichbelongs　to　others；　this　liberality　is　necessary；　otherwise　he　would　notbe　followed　by　soldiers。　And　of　that　which　is　neither　yours　nor　yoursubjects'　you　can　be　a　ready　giver；　as　were　Cyrus；　Caesar；　andAlexander；　because　it　does　not　take　away　your　reputation　if　you　squanderthat　of　others；　but　adds　to　it；　it　is　only　squandering　your　own　thatinjures　you。And　there　is　nothing　wastes　so　rapidly　as　liberality；　for　even　whilstyou　exercise　it　you　lose　the　power　to　do　so；　and　so　bee　eit