第14部分(第2/7 頁)

fwhom　courts　arc　full；　because　men　are　so　self…placent　in　their　ownaffairs；　and　in　a　way　so　deceived　in　them；　that　they　are　preserved　withdifficulty　from　this　pest；　and　if　they　wish　to　defend　themselves　theyrun　the　danger　of　falling　into　contempt。　Because　there　is　no　other　wayof　guarding　oneself　from　flatterers　except　letting　men　understand　thatto　tell　you　the　truth　does　not　offend　you；　but　when　every　one　may　tellyou　the　truth；　respect　for　you　abates。Therefore　a　wise　prince　ought　to　hold　a　third　course　by　choosing　thewise　men　in　his　state；　and　giving　to　them　only　the　liberty　of　speakingthe　truth　to　him；　and　then　only　of　those　things　of　which　he　inquires；and　of　none　others；　but　he　ought　to　question　them　upon　everything；　andlisten　to　their　opinions；　and　afterwards　form　his　own　conclusions。　Withthese　councillors；　separately　and　collectively；　he　ought　to　carryhimself　in　such　a　way　that　each　of　them　should　know　that；　the　morefreely　he　shall　speak；　the　more　he　shall　be　preferred；　outside　of　these；he　should　listen　to　no　one；　pursue　the　thing　resolved　on；　and　besteadfast　in　his　resolutions。　He　who　does　otherwise　is　either　overthrownby　flatterers；　or　is　so　often　changed　by　varying　opinions　that　he　fallsinto　contempt。I　wish　on　this　subject　to　adduce　a　modern　example。　Fra　Luca；　the　man　ofaffairs　to　Maximilian；　the　present　emperor；　speaking　of　his　majesty；said：　He　consulted　with　no　one；　yet　never　got　his　own　way　in　anything。This　arose　because　of　his　following　a　practice　the　opposite　to　theabove；　for　the　emperor　is　a　secretive　man　……　he　does　not　municate　hisdesigns　to　any　one；　nor　does　he　receive　opinions　on　them。　But　as　incarrying　them　into　effect　they　bee　revealed　and　known；　they　are　atonce　obstructed　by　those　men　whom　he　has　around　him；　and　he；　beingpliant；　is　diverted　from　them。