putting himself wholly into strangers hands: but his good
fortune caused another cause to arise, that hindred him from receiving
the fruit of his evil choice; for his Auxiliaries being broken at
Ravenna, and the Swissers thereupon arriving, who put the Conquerors to
flight beyond all opinion, even their own and others, he chanced not to
remain his enemies prisoner, they being put to flight, nor prisoner to
his Auxiliaries, having vanquished by other forces than theirs. The
Florentines being wholly disarmed, brought ten thousand French to Pisa
for to take it: by which course they ran more hazzard, than in any time
of their troubles. The Emperor of Constantinople, to oppress his
neighbors, brought into Greece ten thousand Turks, who when the war was
ended, could not be got out thence, which was the beginning of Greeces
servitude under the Infidels. He then that will in no case be able to
overcome, let him serve himself of these armes; for they are much more
dangerous than the mercenaries; for by those thy ruine is more suddenly
executed; for they are all united, and all bent to the obedience of
another. But for the mercenaries to hurt thee, when they have
vanquished, there is no more need of time, and greater occasion, they
not being all united in a body, and being found out and paid by thee,
wherein a third that thou mak'st their head, cannot suddenly gaine so
great authority, that he can endammage thee. In summe, in the
mercenaries their sloth and lazinesse to fight is more dangerous: in the
auxiliaries their valour. Wherefore a wise Prince hath alwayes avoyded
these kind of armes, and betaken himselfe to his owne, and desired
rather to loss with his owne, than conquer with anothers, accounting
that not a true victorie which was gotten with others armes. I will not
doubt to alleadge Caesar Borgia, and his actions. This Duke entred into
Romania with auxiliarie armes, bringing with him all French souldiers:
but afterwards not accounting those armes secure, bent himselfe to
mercenaries, judging lesse danger to be in those, and tooke in pay the
Orsini and the Vitelli, which afterwards in the proof of them, finding
wavering, unfaithful, and dangerous, he extinguishd, and betook himselfe
to his owne; and it may easily be perceiv'd what difference there is
between the one and the other of these armes, considering the difference
that was between the Dukes reputation, when he had the French men alone,
and when he had the Orsini an