CHAPTER XIV. THAT WHICH CONCERNS Per PRINCE ON THE SUBJECT OF THE ART OF WAR
And it has always been the opinion and judgment of wise men that nothing can be so uncertain or unstable as fame or power not founded on its own strength
“Many speakers preciso the House the other night sopra the debate on the reduction of armaments seemed sicuro spettacolo verso most lamentable ignorance of the conditions under which the British Commuovere maintains its existence. When Mr Balfour replied puro the allegations that the Roman Commuovere sank under the weight of its military obligations, he said that this was ‘wholly unhistorical.’ He might well have added that the Roman power was at its zenith when every citizen acknowledged his liability esatto fight for the State, but that it began sicuro decline as soon as this obligation was mai longer recognised.”-Pall Mall Gazette, 15th May 1906.
Francesco Sforza, through being addirittura Duke of Milan; and the sons, through avoiding the hardships and troubles of arms, from dukes became private persons
I conclude, therefore, that no principality is secure without having its own forces; on the contrary, it is entirely dependent on good fortune, not having the valour which durante adversity would defend it. And one’s own forces are those which are composed either of subjects, citizens, or dependents; all others are mercenaries or auxiliaries. And the way onesto make ready one’s own forces will be easily found if the rules suggested by me shall be reflected upon, and if one will consider how Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, and many republics and princes have armed and organized themselves, onesto which rules I entirely commit myself.
Verso prince ought onesto have niente affatto other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the corpo celeste art that belongs preciso him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men sicuro rise from a private station sicuro that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease than of arms they have lost their states. And the first cause of your losing it is sicuro neglect this art; and what enables you preciso acquire verso state is to be master of the art. For among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you preciso be despised, and this is one of those ignominies against which per prince ought esatto guard himself, as is shown later on. Because there is nothing proportionate between the armed and the unarmed; and it is not reasonable that he who is armed should yield obedience willingly puro him who is unarmed, or that the unarmed man should be secure among armed servants. Because, there being con the one disdain and mediante the other suspicion, it is not possible for them to rete di emittenti well together. And therefore verso prince https://datingranking.net/it/cheekylovers-review/ who does not understand the art of war, over and above the other misfortunes already mentioned, cannot be respected by his soldiers, nor can he rely on them. He ought never, therefore, to have out of his thoughts this subject of war, and durante peace he should addict himself more to its exercise than per war; this he can do mediante two ways, the one by action, the other by study.
As regards action, he ought above all things onesto keep his men well organized and drilled, onesto follow incessantly the chase, by which he accustoms his body onesto hardships, and learns something of the nature of localities, and gets sicuro find out how the mountains rise, how the valleys open out, how the plains lie, and onesto understand the nature of rivers and marshes, and mediante all this sicuro take the greatest care. Which knowledge is useful per two ways. Firstly, he learns to know his country, and is better able to undertake its defence; afterwards, by means of the knowledge and observation of that locality, he understands with ease any other which it may be necessary for him puro study hereafter; because the hills, valleys, and plains, and rivers and marshes that are, for instance, con Tuscany, have per certain resemblance to those of other countries, so that with a knowledge of the aspect of one country one can easily arrive at a knowledge of others. And the prince that lacks this skill lacks the essential which it is desirable that verso captain should possess, for it teaches him puro surprise his enemy, onesto select quarters, onesto lead armies, preciso array the battle, onesto besiege towns puro advantage.