friends. The prince who is more afraid of his
subjects than of strangers ought to build fortresses, while he who is
more afraid of strangers than of his subjects should leave them alone.
On the whole, the best fortress you can have is in not being hated by
your subjects.

Nothing makes a prince so well thought of as to undertake great
enterprises and give striking proofs of his capacity. Ferdinand of
Aragon, in our own time, has become the foremost king in Christendom. If
you consider his achievements, you will find them all great and some
extraordinary. First he made war on Grenada, and this was the foundation
of his power. Under the cloak of religion, with what may be called pious
cruelty, he cleared his kingdom of the Moors; under the same pretext he
made war on Africa, invaded Italy, and finally attacked France; while
his subjects, occupied with these great actions, had neither time nor
opportunity to oppose them.

The prince whose ministers are at once capable and faithful may always
be accounted wise, since he must be one who can discern the merits and
demerits of his servant. For which discernment this unfailing rule may
be laid down: When you see a minister thinking more of himself than of
you, and in all his actions seeking his own ends, that man can never be
a minister you can trust. To retain a good minister the prince will bind
him to himself by benefits. Above all, he will avoid being deceived by
flatterers, and while he consults his counsellors should reflect and
judge for himself. A prince who is not wise himself cannot be well
advised by others.

The Italian princes who in our own times have lost their dominions have
either been deficient in respect of arms, or have had the people against
them, or have not known how to secure themselves against the nobles. As
to the influence of fortune, it may be the case that she is the mistress
of one half of our actions, but leaves the control of the other half to
ourselves. That prince will prosper most whose mode of acting best
adapts itself to the character of the times; so that at one time a
cautious temperament, and at another an impetuous temperament, will be
the more successful.

Now, at this time the whole land of Italy is without a head, without
order, beaten, spoiled, torn in pieces, overrun, and abandoned to
destruction in every shape. She prays God to send someone to rescue her
from these barbarous cruelties; she is eager to follow anyone who could
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