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them； because； being exalted and maintained by God； it would be the act
of a presumptuous and rash man to discuss them。
Nevertheless； if any one should ask of me how es it that the Church
has attained such greatness in temporal power； seeing that from
Alexander backwards the Italian potentates （not only those who have been
called potentates； but every baron and lord； though the smallest） have
valued the temporal power very slightly yet now a king of France
trembles before it； and it has been able to drive him from Italy； and to
ruin the Venetians although this may be very manifest； it does not
appear to me superfluous to recall it in some measure to memory。
Before Charles； King of France； passed into Italy； this country was
under the dominion of the Pope； the Venetians； the King of Naples； the
Duke of Milan； and the Florentines。 These potentates had two principal
anxieties： the one； that no foreigner should enter Italy under arms； the
other； that none of themselves should seize more territory。 Those about
whom there was the most anxiety were the Pope and the Venetians。 To
restrain the Venetians the union of all the others was necessary； as it
was for the defence of Ferrara； and to keep down the Pope they made use
of the barons of Rome； who； being divided into two factions； Orsini and
Colonna； had always a pretext for disorder； and； standing with arms in
their hands under the eyes of the Pontiff； kept the pontificate weak and
powerless。 And although there might arise sometimes a courageous pope；
such as Sixtus ＇IV＇； yet neither fortune nor wisdom could rid him of
these annoyances。 And the short life of a pope is also a cause of
weakness； for in the ten years； which is the average life of a pope； he
can with difficulty lower one of the factions； and if； so to speak； one
pope should almost destroy the Colonna； another would arise hostile to
the Orsini； who would support their opponents； and yet would not have
time to ruin the Orsini。 This was the reason why the temporal powers of
the pope were little esteemed in Italy。
Alexander VI arose afterwards； who of all the pontiffs that have ever
been showed how a pope with both money and arms was able to prevail； and
through the instrumentality of the Duke Valentino； and by reason of the
entry of the French； he brought about all those things which I have
discussed above in the actions of the duke。 And although his intention
was not to aggrandize the Church； but the duke； nevertheless； what he
did contributed to the greatness of the Church； which； after his death
and the ruin of the duke； became the heir to all his labours。
Pope Julius came afterwards and found the Church strong； possessing all
the Romagna； the barons of Rome reduced to impotence； and； through the
chastisements Alexander； the factions wiped out； he also found the way
open to accumulate money in a manner such as had never been practised
before Alexander's time。 Such things Julius not only followed； but
improved upon； and he intended to gain Bologna； to ruin the Venetians；
and to drive the French out of Italy。 All of these enterprises prospered
with him； and so much the more to his credit； inasmuch as he did
everything to strengthen the Church and not any private person。 He kept
also the Orsini and Colonna factions within the bounds in which he found
them； and although there was among them some mind to make disturbance；
nevertheless he held two things firm： the one； the greatness of the
church； with which he terrified them； and the other； not allowing them
to have their own cardinals； who caused the disorders among them。 For
whenever these factions have their cardinals they do not remain quiet
for long； because cardinals foster the factions in Rome and out of it；
and the barons are pelled to support them； and thus from the
ambitions of prelates arise disorders and tumults among the barons。 For
these reasons his Holiness Pope Leo found the pontificate most powerful；
and it is to be hoped that； if others made it great in arms； he will
make it still greater and more venerated by his goodness and infinite
other virtues。
CHAPTER XII
HOW MANY KINDS OF SOLDIERY THERE ARE； AND CONCERNING MERCENARIES
HAVING discoursed particularly on the characteristics of such
principalities as in the beginning I proposed to discuss； and having
considered in some degree the causes of their being good or bad； and
having shown the methods by which many have sought to acquire them and
to hold them； it now remains for me to discuss generally the means of
offence and defence which belong to each of them。
We have seen above how necessary it is for a prince to have his
foundations well laid； otherwise it follows of necessity he will go to
ruin。 The chief foundations of all states； new as well as old or
posite； are good laws and good arms； and as there cannot be good laws
where the state is not well armed； it follows that where they are well
armed they have good laws。 I shall leave the laws out of the discussion
and shall speak of the arms。
I say； therefore； that the arms with which a prince defends his state
are either his own； or they are mercenaries； auxiliaries； or mixed。
Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous； and if one holds
his state based on these arms； he will stand neither firm nor safe； for
they are disunited； ambitious and without discipline； unfaithful；
valiant before friends； cowardly before enemies； they have neither the
fear of God nor fidelity to men； and destruction is deferred only so
long as the attack is； for in peace one is robbed by them； and in war by
the enemy。 The fact is； they have no other attraction or reason for
keeping the field than a trifle of stipend； which is not sufficient to
make them willing to die for you。 They are ready enough to be your
soldiers whilst you do not make war； but if war es they take
themselves off or run from the foe； which I should have little trouble
to prove； for the ruin of Italy has been caused by nothing else than by
resting all her hopes for many years on mercenaries； and although they
formerly made some display and appeared valiant amongst themselves； yet
when the foreigners came they showed what they were。 Thus it was that
Charles； King of France； was allowed to seize Italy with chalk in hand；
＇1＇ and he who told us that our sins were the cause of it told the
truth； but they were not the sins he imagined； but those which I have
related。 And as they were the sins of princes； it is the princes who
have also suffered the penalty。
I wish to demonstrate further the infelicity of these arms。 The
mercenary captains are either capable men or they are not； if they are；
you cannot trust them； because they always aspire to their own
greatness； either by oppressing you； who are their master； or others
contrary to your intentions； but if the captain is not skilful； you are
ruined in the usual way。
And if it be urged that whoever is armed will a