re new Princes, to
desire to imitate Marcus, who by inheritance came to the Principality:
and in like manner it was a wrong to Caracalla, Commodus, and Maximus,
to imitate Severus, because none of them were endued with so great valor
as to follow his steps therein. Wherefore a new Prince in his
Principality cannot well imitate Marcus his actions; nor yet is it
necessary to follow those of Severus: but he ought make choyce of those
parts in Severus which are necessary for the founding of a State; and to
take from Marcus those that are fit and glorious to preserve a State
which is already established and setled.

CHAP. XX

Whether the Citadels and many other things which Princes often make use
of, are profitable or dammageable.

Some Princes, whereby they might safely keep their State, have disarmed
their subjects; some others have held the towns under their dominion,
divided into factions; others have maintain'd enmities against
themselves; others have appli'd themselves to gain them, where they have
suspected at their entrance into the government; others have built
Fortresses; and others again have ruined and demolished them: and
however that upon all these things, a man cannot well pass a determinate
sentence, unless one comes to the particulars of these States, where
some such like determinations were to be taken; yet I shall speak of
them in so large a manner, as the matter of it self will bear. It was
never then that a new Prince would disarme his own subjects; but rather
when he hath found them disarmed, he hath alwaies arm'd them. For being
belov'd, those armes become thine; those become faithful, which thou
hadst in suspicion; and those which were faithful, are maintaind so; and
thy subjects are made thy partisans; and because all thy subjects cannot
be put in armes, when thou bestowest favors on those thou armest, with
the others thou canst deal more for thy safety; and that difference of
proceeding which they know among them, obliges them to thee; those
others excuse thee, judgeing it necessary that they have deservd more,
who have undergone more danger, and so have greater obligation: but when
thou disarmst them, thou beginst to offend them, that thou distrustest
them, either for cowardise, or small faith; and the one or the other of
those two opinions provokes their hatred against thee; and because thou
canst not stand disarmed, thou must then turn thy self to mercenary
Soldiery, whereof we have fo