第7部分(第4/7 頁)

　prove；　for　the　ruin　of　Italy　has　been　caused　by　nothing　else　than　byresting　all　her　hopes　for　many　years　on　mercenaries；　and　although　theyformerly　made　some　display　and　appeared　valiant　amongst　themselves；　yetwhen　the　foreigners　came　they　showed　what　they　were。　Thus　it　was　thatCharles；　King　of　France；　was　allowed　to　seize　Italy　with　chalk　in　hand；＇1＇　and　he　who　told　us　that　our　sins　were　the　cause　of　it　told　thetruth；　but　they　were　not　the　sins　he　imagined；　but　those　which　I　haverelated。　And　as　they　were　the　sins　of　princes；　it　is　the　princes　whohave　also　suffered　the　penalty。I　wish　to　demonstrate　further　the　infelicity　of　these　arms。　Themercenary　captains　are　either　capable　men　or　they　are　not；　if　they　are；you　cannot　trust　them；　because　they　always　aspire　to　their　owngreatness；　either　by　oppressing　you；　who　are　their　master；　or　otherscontrary　to　your　intentions；　but　if　the　captain　is　not　skilful；　you　areruined　in　the　usual　way。And　if　it　be　urged　that　whoever　is　armed　will　act　in　the　same　way；whether　mercenary　or　not；　I　reply　that　when　arms　have　to　be　resorted　to；either　by　a　prince　or　a　republic；　then　the　prince　ought　to　go　in　personand　perform　the　duty　of　captain；　the　republic　has　to　send　its　citizens；and　when　one　is　sent　who　does　not　turn　out　satisfactorily；　it　ought　torecall　him；　and　when　one　is　worthy；　to　hold　him　by　the　laws　so　that　hedoes　not　leave　the　mand。　And　experience　has　shown　princes　andrepublics；　single…handed；　making　the　greatest　progress；　and　mercenariesdoing　nothing　except　damage；　and　it　is　more　difficult　to　bring　arepublic；　armed　with　its　own　arms；　under　the　sway　of　one　of　its　citizensthan　it　is　to　bring　one　armed　with　foreign　arms。　Rome　and　Sparta　stoodfor　many　ages　armed　and　free。　The　Switzers　are　pletely　armed　andquite　free。Of　ancient　mercenaries；