IT IS necessary to consider another point
in examining the character of these principalities:
that is, whether a prince has such power
that, in case of need, he can support himself
with his own resources, or whether he has
always need of the assistance of others.
And to make this quite clear I say that I
consider those are able to support themselves
by their own resources who can, either by
abundance of men or money, raise a sufficient
army to join battle against any one who comes
to attack them; and I consider those always
to have need of others who cannot show themselves
against the enemy in the field, but are forced
to defend themselves by sheltering behind
walls. The first case has been discussed,
but we will speak of it again should it recur.
In the second case one can say nothing except
to encourage such princes to provision and
fortify their towns, and not on any account
to defend the country. And whoever shall
fortify his town well, and shall have managed
the other concerns of his subjects in the
way stated above, and to be often repeated,
will never be attacked without great caution,
for men are always adverse to enterprises
where difficulties can be seen, and it will
be seen not to be an easy thing to attack
one who has his town well fortified, and
is not hated by his people.
The cities of Germany are absolutely free,
they own but little country around them,
and they yield obedience to the emperor when
it suits them, nor do they fear this or any
other power they may have near them, because
they are fortified in such a way that every
one thinks the taking of them by assault
would be tedious and difficult, seeing they
have proper ditches and walls, they have
sufficient artillery, and they always keep
in public depots enough for one year's eating,
drinking, and firing. And beyond this, to
keep the people quiet and without loss to
the state, they always have the means of
giving work to the community in those labours
that are the life and strength of the city,
and on the pursuit of which the people are
supported; they also hold military exercises
in repute, and moreover have many ordinances
to uphold them.
Therefore, a prince who has a strong city,
and had not made himself odious, will not
be attacked, or if any one should attack
he will only be driven off with disgrace;
again, because that affairs of this world
are so changeable, it is almost impossible
to keep an army a whole year in the field
without being interfered with. And whoever
should reply: If the people have property
outside the city, and see it burnt, they
will not remain patient, and the long siege
and self-interest will make them forget their
prince; to this I answer that a powerful
and courageous prince will overcome all such
difficulties by giving at one time hope to
his subjects that the evil will not be for
long, at another time fear of the cruelty
of the enemy, then preserving himself adroitly
from those subjects who seem to him to be
too bold.
Further, the enemy would naturally on his
arrival at once burn and ruin the country
at the time when the spirits of the people
are still hot and ready for the defence;
and, therefore, so much the less ought the
prince to hesitate; because after a time,
when spirits have cooled, the damage is already
done, the ills are incurred, and there is
no longer any remedy; and therefore they
are so much the more ready to unite with
their prince, he appearing to be under obligations
to them now that their houses have been burnt
and their possessions ruined in his defence.
For it is the nature of men to be bound by
the benefits they confer as much as by those
they receive. Therefore, if everything is
well considered, it wilt not be difficult
for a wise prince to keep the minds of his
citizens steadfast from first to last, when
he does not fail to support and defend them.
第１０章 あらゆる君主国の兵力をどう測るべきかについて
これらの君主国の性格を吟味するのに別の観点から考察することも必要です。それはつまり，必要な場合には，自分の力量で自らを維持できるような支配力を持っているのか，それとも常に他国からの支援を必要とするのか，という点です。この点を完全に明確にしておくために言いますと，私が思うに，自分の力量で自らを維持できる者というのは，人材や資金が豊富で，誰であれ攻撃を加える者とは戦闘を交じえるだけの軍隊を召集できる者だと思います。また，常に他国を必要とする者は，戦場で敵の前に姿を見せることができず，城壁にかげに隠れることでしか，身を守ることができないでしょう。第一の場合については，すでに論じてきましたが，立ち返る必要があれば，再度語りましょう。第二の場合は，そうした君主には，自分の町に食糧を備蓄し防備を固め，決してその領土を守ろうとしないよう勧めるしか，言いようがありません。そうして，自分の町の防備を固め，その臣民に関する他の事柄については，上に述べ，また何度も繰り返し述べるやり方で運営するなら，慎重を期すこともなく攻撃を加えられることは決してありません。というのは，人間というものは困難だと見てとれる企図には反対するものですし，自分の町の防備をきちんと固め，人民から憎まれていない君主を攻撃するのは容易なことではないと分るのですから。
ドイツの諸都市は完全に自由で，周辺にほとんど領土を持たず，自分たちに都合がよければ皇帝に服従しますが，そうでなければ，皇帝も近隣のいかなる諸勢力も恐れません。なぜなら，これらの都市を攻撃して手に入れるは厄介で困難だと，誰もが思うようなやり方で防備を固め，適切な溝や城壁を備えており，十分な火砲を持ち，公共倉庫には常に一年間分の食糧，飲料，燃料を備蓄しているからです。さらにそれ以上に，人々を平静に保ちながら国家が損失を蒙らないよう，都市の生命にして活力である労働者に公共作業を与えるという手段を持ち，それで人々が生活の糧をまかなうようにしているからです。また軍事教練を名誉あるものにし，その上，こうした教練を維持するために多くの法令を用意しているのです。
だから，強力な都市を持ち，憎しみを買わないようにしてきた君主は，攻撃を受けることはないでしょう。たとえ誰かが攻撃したとして，追い払われて恥をかくだけです。また，この世の事柄は移ろいやすいものなので，なんの邪魔だてもなく丸一年の間，出兵したままでいることなど不可能です。これに反論して，人々が市外に財産を持っていて，それが焼き払われるのを見たら，忍耐し続けることができず，長期の包囲戦と私利私欲から君主を見捨てるだろうと言う人がいるかもしれません。これに対しては，強力で勇敢な君主はその臣民に，あるときは災いは長くは続かないという希望を与え，またあるときは敵は残忍だという恐怖を与えて，彼にはあまりに向う見ずに思える臣民を巧みに避けて，こうした困難をすべて克服するだろうと，答えておきましょう。
さらに言えば，敵は当然にも，到来するや直ちに領土内を焼き破壊するでしょうが，その時には人々の気持はまだ熱く防衛の覚悟ができています。だから，それだけ一層，君主は二の足を踏むべきではありません。なぜなら，しばらくすれば，気持が醒め，すでに損害を受け，災難を蒙り，もはや修復のしようがないからです。それだから，人々は，君主を守るために自分の家を焼かれ，その財産を破壊された今こそ，君主は彼らに恩義を感じていると思い，ますます自分たちの君主と一体化しようという覚悟を固めるのです。というのも，人間の本性というものは，受けた恩恵と同様，施した恩恵にも束縛されるものですから。ですから，すべてをよく考えてみると，賢明な君主にとって，市民を養い守ることに失敗しなければ，その市民の気持ちを徹頭徹尾，確固としたものにしておくのは，困難なことではないのです。
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