第14部分(第3/7 頁)

　Hence　it　follows　that　those　things　hedoes　one　day　he　undoes　the　next；　and　no　one　ever　understands　what　hewishes　or　intends　to　do；　and　no　one　can　rely　on　his　resolutions。A　prince；　therefore；　ought　always　to　take　counsel；　but　only　when　hewishes　and　not　when　others　wish；　he　ought　rather　to　discourage　every　onefrom　offering　advice　unless　he　asks　it；　but；　however；　he　ought　to　be　aconstant　inquirer；　and　afterwards　a　patient　listener　concerning　thethings　of　which　he　inquired；　also；　on　learning　that　any　one；　on　anyconsideration；　has　not　told　him　the　truth；　he　should　let　his　anger　befelt。And　if　there　are　some　who　think　that　a　prince　who　conveys　an　impressionof　his　wisdom　is　not　so　through　his　own　ability；　but　through　the　goodadvisers　that　he　has　around　him；　beyond　doubt　they　are　deceived；　becausethis　is　an　axiom　which　never　fails：　that　a　prince　who　is　not　wisehimself　will　never　take　good　advice；　unless　by　chance　he　has　yielded　hisaffairs　entirely　to　one　person　who　happens　to　be　a　very　prudent　man。　Inthis　case　indeed　he　may　be　well　governed；　but　it　would　not　be　for　long；because　such　a　governor　would　in　a　short　time　take　away　his　state　fromhim。But　if　a　prince　who　is　not　experienced　should　take　counsel　from　morethan　one　he　will　never　get　united　counsels；　nor　will　he　know　how　tounite　them。　Each　of　the　counsellors　will　think　of　his　own　interests；　andthe　prince　will　not　know　how　to　control　them　or　to　see　through　them。　Andthey　are　not　to　be　found　otherwise；　because　men　will　always　prove　untrueto　you　unless　they　are　kept　honest　by　constraint。　Therefore　it　must　beinferred　that　good　counsels；　whencesoever　they　e；　are　born　of　thewisdom　of　the　prince；　and　not　the　wisdom　of　the　prince　from　goodcounsels。CHAPTER　XXIVTHE　PRINCES　OF　ITALY　HAVE　LOST　THEIR　STATESTHE　previous　suggestions；　carefull