第8部分(第5/7 頁)

ut　the　scanty　wisdom　of　man；　on　entering　into　an　affair　which　lookswell　at　first；　cannot　discern　the　poison　that　is　hidden　in　it；　as　I　havesaid　above　of　hectic　fevers。　Therefore；　if　he　who　rules　a　principalitycannot　recognize　evils　until　they　are　upon　him；　he　is　not　truly　wise；and　this　insight　is　given　to　few。　And　if　the　first　disaster　to　the　RomanEmpire　should　be　examined；　it　will　be　found　to　have　menced　only　withthe　enlisting　of　the　Goths；　because　from　that　time　the　vigour　of　theRoman　Empire　began　to　decline；　and　all　that　valour　which　had　raised　itpassed　away　to　others。I　conclude；　therefore；　that　no　principality　is　secure　without　having　itsown　forces；　on　the　contrary；　it　is　entirely　dependent　on　good　fortune；not　having　the　valour　which　in　adversity　would　defend　it。　And　it　hasalways　been　the　opinion　and　judgment　of　wise　men　that　nothing　can　be　souncertain　or　unstable　as　fame　or　power　not　founded　on　its　own　strength。And　one's　own　forces　are　those　which　are　posed　either　of　subjects；citizens；　or　dependants；　all　others　are　mercenaries　or　auxiliaries。　Andthe　way　to　take　ready　one's　own　forces　will　be　easily　found　if　the　rulessuggested　by　me　shall　be　reflected　upon；　and　if　one　will　consider　howPhilip；　the　father　of　Alexander　the　Great；　and　many　republics　andprinces　have　armed　and　organized　themselves；　to　which　rules　I　entirelymit　myself。CHAPTER　XIVTHAT　WHICH　CONCERNS　A　PRINCE　ON　THE　SUBJECT　OF　THE　ART　OF　WARA　PRINCE　ought　to　have　no　other　aim　or　thought；　nor　select　anything　elsefor　his　study；　than　war　and　its　rules　and　discipline；　for　this　is　thesole　art　that　belongs　to　him　who　rules；　and　it　is　of　such　force　that　itnot　only　upholds　those　who　are　born　princes；　but　it　often　enables　men　torise　from　a　private　station　to　that　rank。　And；　on　the　contrary；　it　isseen　that　when　prince