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The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

3. Our forefathers, and those who were reckoned wise, were accustomed

240 words  |  Chapter 28

to say that it was necessary to hold Pistoia by factions and Pisa by fortresses; and with this idea they fostered quarrels in some of their tributary towns so as to keep possession of them the more easily. This may have been well enough in those times when Italy was in a way balanced, but I do not believe that it can be accepted as a precept for to-day, because I do not believe that factions can ever be of use; rather it is certain that when the enemy comes upon you in divided cities you are quickly lost, because the weakest party will always assist the outside forces and the other will not be able to resist. The Venetians, moved, as I believe, by the above reasons, fostered the Guelph and Ghibelline factions in their tributary cities; and although they never allowed them to come to bloodshed, yet they nursed these disputes amongst them, so that the citizens, distracted by their differences, should not unite against them. Which, as we saw, did not afterwards turn out as expected, because, after the rout at Vaila, one party at once took courage and seized the state. Such methods argue, therefore, weakness in the prince, because these factions will never be permitted in a vigorous principality; such methods for enabling one the more easily to manage subjects are only useful in times of peace, but if war comes this policy proves fallacious.
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Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. INTRODUCTION 3. CHAPTER XXVI. AN EXHORTATION TO LIBERATE ITALY FROM THE BARBARIANS 4. INTRODUCTION 5. CHAPTER I. 6. CHAPTER II. 7. CHAPTER III. 8. CHAPTER IV. 9. CHAPTER V. 10. CHAPTER VI. 11. introduction of a new order of things, because the innovator has for 12. CHAPTER VII. 13. CHAPTER VIII. 14. CHAPTER IX. 15. CHAPTER X. 16. CHAPTER XI. 17. CHAPTER XII. 18. CHAPTER XIII. 19. CHAPTER XIV. 20. CHAPTER XV. 21. CHAPTER XVI. 22. CHAPTER XVII. 23. CHAPTER XVIII.[1] 24. CHAPTER XIX. 25. CHAPTER XX. 26. 1. Some princes, so as to hold securely the state, have disarmed their 27. 2. There never was a new prince who has disarmed his subjects; rather 28. 3. Our forefathers, and those who were reckoned wise, were accustomed 29. 4. Without doubt princes become great when they overcome the 30. 5. Princes, especially new ones, have found more fidelity and 31. 6. It has been a custom with princes, in order to hold their states 32. CHAPTER XXI. 33. CHAPTER XXII. 34. CHAPTER XXIII. 35. CHAPTER XXIV. 36. CHAPTER XXV. 37. CHAPTER XXVI.

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