that are so marked, if they
will act against their countrymen: by this means those that are named in
their schedules become not only distrustful of their fellow-citizens,
but are jealous of one another, and are much distracted by fear and
danger; for it has often fallen out that many of them, and even the
Prince himself, have been betrayed by those in whom they have trusted
most: for the rewards that the Utopians offer are so unmeasurably great,
that there is no sort of crime to which men cannot be drawn by them.
They consider the risk that those run who undertake such services, and
offer a recompense proportioned to the danger; not only a vast deal of
gold, but great revenues in lands, that lie among other nations that are
their friends, where they may go and enjoy them very securely; and they
observe the promises they make of this kind most religiously. They very
much approve of this way of corrupting their enemies, though it appears
to others to be base and cruel; but they look on it as a wise course, to
make an end of what would be otherwise a long war, without so much as
hazarding one battle to decide it. They think it likewise an act of
mercy and love to mankind to prevent the great slaughter of those that
must otherwise be killed in the progress of the war, both on their own
side and on that of their enemies, by the death of a few that are most
guilty; and that in so doing they are kind even to their enemies, and
pity them no less than their own people, as knowing that the greater
part of them do not engage in the war of their own accord, but are
driven into it by the passions of their prince.

If this method does not succeed with them, then they sow seeds of
contention among their enemies, and animate the prince's brother, or
some of the nobility, to aspire to the crown. If they cannot disunite
them by domestic broils, then they engage their neighbours against them,
and make them set on foot some old pretensions, which are never wanting
to princes when they have occasion for them. These they plentifully
supply with money, though but very sparingly with any auxiliary troops:
for they are so tender of their own people, that they would not
willingly exchange one of them, even with the prince of their enemies'
country.

But as they keep their gold and silver only for such an occasion, so
when that offers itself they easily part with it, since it would be no
inconvenience to them though they should reserve nothing o