The Prince

by Niccolò Machiavelli

all powers, that have held and hold rule over men have been and are either republics or principalities.

there are fewer difficulties in holding hereditary states,

although one may be very strong in armed forces, yet in entering a province one has always need of the goodwill of the natives.

hold them securely it is enough to have destroyed the family of the prince who was ruling them;

although there may be some difference in language, nevertheless the customs are alike,

two considerations: the one, that the family of their former lord is extinguished; the other, that neither their laws nor their taxes are altered,

he offends a minority only of the citizens from whom he takes lands and houses to give them to the new inhabitants;

But in maintaining armed men there in place of colonies one spends much more, having to consume on the garrison all the income from the state, so that the acquisition turns into a loss, and many more are exasperated, because the whole state is injured; through the shifting of the garrison up and down all become acquainted with hardship, and all become hostile, and they are enemies who, whilst beaten on their own ground, are yet able to do hurt. For every reason, therefore, such guards are as useless as a colony is useful.

head and defender of his less powerful neighbours,

soon as a powerful foreigner enters a country, all the subject states are drawn to him, moved by the hatred which they feel against the ruling power.

maintained friendly relations with the minor powers,

who have to regard not only present troubles, but also future ones, for which they must prepare with every energy, because, when foreseen, it is easy to remedy them;

in the beginning of the malady it is easy to cure but difficult to detect, but in the course of time, not having been either detected or treated in the beginning, it becomes easy to detect but difficult to cure.

EJK as an infirmity

means will always be considered honest, and he will be praised by everybody;