Therefore, one who becomes verso prince through the favour of the people ought to keep them friendly, and this he can easily do seeing they only ask not sicuro be oppressed by him
But one who, per opposition to the people, becomes verso prince by the favour of the nobles, ought, above everything, preciso seek puro win the people over sicuro himself, and this he may easily do if he takes them under his protection. Because men, when they receive good from him of whom they were expecting evil, are bound more closely to their benefactor; thus the people quickly become more devoted preciso him than if he had been raised puro the principality by their favours; and the prince can win their affections mediante many ways, but as these vary according sicuro the circumstances one cannot give fixed rules, so I omit them; but, I repeat, it is necessary for verso prince sicuro have senior sizzle the people friendly, otherwise he has mai security mediante adversity.
These principalities are liable onesto danger when they are passing from the civil onesto the absolute order of government, for such princes either rule personally or through magistrates
Nabis, Prince of the Spartans, sustained the attack of all Greece, and of verso victorious Roman army, and against them he defended his country and his government; and for the overcoming of this peril it was only necessary for him to make himself secure against verso few, but this would not have been sufficient had the people been hostile. And do not let any one impugn this statement with the trite proverb that “He who builds on the people, builds on the mud,” for this is true when verso private citizen makes per foundation there, and persuades himself that the people will free him when he is oppressed by his enemies or by the magistrates; wherein he would find himself very often deceived, as happened esatto the Gracchi sopra Rome and preciso Messer Giorgio Scali sopra Florence. But granted verso prince who has established himself as above, who can command, and is a man of courage, undismayed per adversity, who does not fail con other qualifications, and who, by his resolution and energy, keeps the whole people encouraged-such per one will never find himself deceived mediante them, and it will be shown that he has laid his foundations well.
Durante the latter case their government is weaker and more insecure, because it rests entirely on the goodwill of those citizens who are raised onesto the magistracy, and who, especially mediante troubled times, can destroy the government with great ease, either by intrigue or open defiance; and the prince has not the chance amid tumults puro exercise absolute authority, because the citizens and subjects, accustomed puro receive orders from magistrates, are not of verso mind puro obey him amid these confusions, and there will always be per doubtful times verso scarcity of men whom he can monopolio. For such a prince cannot rely upon what he observes mediante quiet times, when citizens have need of the state, because then every one agrees with him; they all promise, and when death is far distant they all wish esatto die for him; but in troubled times, when the state has need of its citizens, then he finds but few. Therefore per wise prince ought sicuro adopt such verso course that his citizens will always mediante every sort and kind of circumstance have need of the state and of him, and then he will always find them faithful.