The Prince

the armed ones conquered, and the unarmed were ruined. This is because, beyond the reasons mentioned, the nature of peoples is fickle. It is easy to persuade them of a thing, but it is difficult to keep them in that persuasion. Therefore, one must be prepared in such a way that, when they no longer believe, they can be made to believe by force. Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, and Romulus would not have been able to make their constitutions observed for long if they had been unarmed. This is what happened in our times to Friar Girolamo Savonarola, who was ruined in his new arrangements as soon as the multitude began not to believe him, and he had no way to keep those who had believed firm, nor to make the disbelievers believe. Therefore, such men have great difficulty in managing themselves, and all their dangers are along the way. It is necessary that they overcome them with virtù prowess; but once they have overcome them, and begin to be held in veneration, having eliminated those who envied their status, they remain powerful, secure, honored, and happy. To such high examples I wish to add a lesser example, but one that will certainly have some proportion with them, and I want it to suffice for all other similar cases; and this is Hiero of Syracuse. This man went from being a private citizen to Prince of Syracuse, and he too knew nothing from fortune other than the opportunity. Because the Syracusans were oppressed, they elected him as their Captain, from which he deserved to be made their Prince; and he was of such virtù prowess even in private life that he who writes of him says that he lacked nothing to reign except a Kingdom. He disbanded the old militia, organized a new one, abandoned old friendships, and made new ones. As he had friendships and soldiers that were his own, he was able to build any edifice upon such a foundation; so much so that he endured great effort in acquiring, and little in maintaining.

CAPITOLO VII.

Of new principalities that are acquired through the forces of others and by fortune.

Those who become Princes from private citizens solely by fortune do so with little effort, but maintain themselves with much. They have no difficulties along the way, because they fly there, but all the difficulties arise after they are placed there. And such men are