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prince ought to desire to be considered clement and not cruel。
Nevertheless he ought to take care not to misuse this clemency。 Cesare
Borgia was considered cruel； notwithstanding； his cruelty reconciled the
Romagna； unified it； and restored it to peace and loyalty。 And if this
be rightly considered； he will be seen to have been much more merciful
than the Florentine people； who； to avoid a reputation for cruelty；
permitted Pistoia to be destroyed。 Therefore a prince； so long as he
keeps his subjects united and loyal； ought not to mind the reproach of
cruelty； because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those
who； through too much mercy； allow disorders to arise； from which follow
murders or robberies； for these are wont to injure the whole people；
whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the
individual only。
And of all princes； it is impossible for the new prince to avoid the
imputation of cruelty； owing to new states being full of dangers。 Hence
Virgil； through the mouth of Dido； excuses the inhumanity of her reign
owing to its being new； saying：
Res dura； et regni novitas me talia cogunt
Moliri； et late fines custode tueri。 ＇1＇
Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act； nor should he
himself show fear； but proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and
humanity； so that too much confidence may not make him incautious and
too much distrust render him intolerable。
Upon this a question arises： whether it be better to be loved than
feared or feared than loved？ It may be answered that one should wish to
be both； but； because it is difficult to unite them in one person； is
much safer to be feared than loved； when； of the two； either must be
dispensed with。 Because this is to be asserted in general of men； that
they are ungrateful； fickle； false； cowardly； covetous； and as long as
you succeed they are yours entirely； they will offer you their blood；
property； life and children； as is said above； when the need is far
distant； but when it approaches they turn against you。 And that prince
who； relying entirely on their promises； has neglected other
precautions； is ruined； because friendships that are obtained by
payments； and not by greatness or nobility of mind； may indeed be
earned； but they are not secured； and in time of need cannot be relied
upon； and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one
who is feared； for love is preserved by the link of obligation which；
owing to the baseness of men； is broken at every opportunity for their
advantage； but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never
fails。
Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that； if he
does not win love； he avoids hatred； because he can endure very well
being feared whilst he is not hated； which will always be as long as he
abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their
women。 But when it is necessary for him to proceed against the life of
someone； he must do it on proper justification and for manifest cause；
but above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others；
because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss
of their patrimony。 Besides； pretexts for taking away the property are
never wanting； for he who has once begun to live by robbery will always
find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others； but reasons for taking
life； on the contrary； are more difficult to find and sooner lapse。 But
when a prince is with his army； and has under control a multitude of
soldiers； then it is quite necessary for him to disregard the reputation
of cruelty； for without it he would never hold his army united or
disposed to its duties。
Among the wonderful deeds of Hannibal this one is enumerated： that
having led an enormous army； posed of many various races of men； to
fight in foreign lands； no dissensions arose either among them or
against the prince； whether in his bad or in his good fortune。 This
arose from nothing else than his inhuman cruelty； which； with his
boundless valour； made him revered and terrible in the sight of his
soldiers； but without that cruelty； his other virtues were not
sufficient to produce this effect。 And shortsighted writers admire his
deeds from one point of view and from another condemn the principal
cause of them。 That it is true his other virtues would not have been
sufficient for him may be proved by the case of Scipio； that most
excellent man； not of his own times but within the memory of man；
against whom； nevertheless； his army rebelled in Spain； this arose from
nothing but his too great forbearance； which gave his soldiers more
licence than is consistent with military discipline。 For this he was
upbraided in the Senate by Fabius Maximus； and called the corrupter of
the Roman soldiery。 The Locrians were laid waste by a legate of Scipio；
yet they were not avenged by him； nor was the insolence of the legate
punished； owing entirely to his easy nature。 Insomuch that someone in
the Senate； wishing to excuse him； said there were many men who knew
much better how not to err than to correct the errors of others。 This
disposition； if he had been continued in the mand； would have
destroyed in time the fame and glory of Scipio； but； he being under the
control of the Senate； this injurious characteristic not only concealed
itself； but contributed to his glory。
Returning to the question of being feared or loved； I e to the
conclusion that； men loving according to their own will and fearing
according to that of the prince； a wise prince should establish himself
on that which is in his own control and not in that of others； he must
endeavour only to avoid hatred； as is noted。
1。 。。。against my will； my fate；
A throne unsettled； and an infant state；
Bid me defend my realms with all my pow'rs；
And guard with these severities my shores。
CHAPTER XVIII
CONCERNING THE WAY IN WHICH PRINCES SHOULD KEEP FAITH
EVERY one admits how praiseworthy it is in a prince to keep faith； and
to live with integrity and not with craft。 Nevertheless our experience
has been that those princes who have done great things have held good
faith of little account； and have known how to circumvent the intellect
of men by craft； and in the end have overe those who have relied on
their word。 You must know there are two ways of contesting； the one by
the law； the other by force； the first method is proper to men； the
second to beasts； but because the first is frequently not sufficient； it
is necessary to have recourse to the second。 Therefore it is necessary
for a prince to understand how to avail himself of the beast and the
man。 This has been figuratively taught to princes by ancient writers；
who describe how Achilles and many other princes of old were given to
the Centaur Chiron to nurse； who brought them up in his discipline；
which means solely that； as they had for a teacher one who was half
beast and half man； so it is necessary for a prince to know how to make
use of both natures； and that one without the other is not durable。 A
prince； therefore； being pelled knowingly to adopt the beast； ought
to choose the fox and the lion； because the lion cannot defend himself
against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves。
Therefore； it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion
to terrify the wolves。 Those who rely simply on the lion do not
understand what they are about。 Therefore a wise lord cannot； nor ought
he to； keep faith when such observance may be turned against him； and
when the reasons that caused him to pledge it exist no longer。 If men
were entirely good this precept would not hold； but because they are
bad； and will not keep faith with you； you too are not bound to observe
it with them。 Nor will there ever be wanting to a prince legitimate
reasons to excuse this nonobse