第6部分(第1/8 頁)

anarchy。A　principality　is　created　either　by　the　people　or　by　the　nobles；accordingly　as　one　or　other　of　them　has　the　opportunity；　for　the　nobles；seeing　they　cannot　withstand　the　people；　begin　to　cry　up　the　reputationof　one　of　themselves；　and　they　make　him　a　prince；　so　that　under　hisshadow　they　can　give　vent　to　their　ambitions。　The　people；　finding　theycannot　resist　the　nobles；　also　cry　up　the　reputation　of　one　ofthemselves；　and　make　him　a　prince　so　as　to　be　defended　by　his　authority。He　who　obtains　sovereignty　by　the　assistance　of　the　nobles　maintainshimself　with　more　difficulty　than　he　who　es　to　it　by　the　aid　of　thepeople；　because　the　former　finds　himself　with　many　around　him　whoconsider　themselves　his　equals；　and　because　of　this　he　can　neither　rulenor　manage　them　to　his　liking。　But　he　who　reaches　sovereignty　by　popularfavour　finds　himself　alone；　and　has　none　around　him；　or　few；　who　are　notprepared　to　obey　him。Besides　this；　one　cannot　by　fair　dealing；　and　without　injury　to　others；satisfy　the　nobles；　but　you　can　satisfy　the　people；　for　their　object　ismore　righteous　than　that　of　the　nobles；　the　latter　wishing　to　oppress；whilst　the　former　only　desire　not　to　be　oppressed。　It　is　to　be　addedalso　that　a　prince　can　never　secure　himself　against　a　hostile　people；because　of　their　being　too　many；　whilst　from　the　nobles　he　can　securehimself；　as　they　are　few　in　number。　The　worst　that　a　prince　may　expectfrom　a　hostile　people　is　to　be　abandoned　by　them；　but　from　hostilenobles　he　has　not　on