Machiavelli, Volume I eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 456 pages of information about Machiavelli, Volume I.

Machiavelli, Volume I eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 456 pages of information about Machiavelli, Volume I.
to keepe his souldiours punisshed, and paied:  for that when so ever the paie lacketh, it is conveniente that the punisshement lacke:  because thou canst not correcte a souldiour, that robbeth, if thou doest not paie him, nor the same mindynge to live, cannot abstaine from robbynge:  but if thou paiest him and punisshest him not, he beecometh in everie condicion insolente:  For that thou becomest of small estimacion, where thou chaunsest not to bee able to maintaine the dignitie of thy degree, and not mainetainyng it, there foloweth of necessitee tumulte, and discorde, whiche is the ruine of an armie.  Olde Capitaines had a troubell, of the which the presente be almoste free, whiche was to interprete to their purpose the sinister auguries:  because if there fell a thunderbolte in an armie, if the sunne were darkened or the Moone, if there came an erthequake, if the Capitaine either in gettyng up, or in lightynge of his horse fell, it was of the souldiours interpreted sinisterously:  And it ingendred in them so moche feare, that comynge to faight the fielde, easely they should have lost it:  and therefore the aunciente Capitaines so sone as a lyke accidente grewe, either they shewed the cause of the same, and redused it to a naturall cause, or they interpreted it to their purpose.  Cesar fallyng in Africa, in comyng of the sea saied, Africa I have taken thee.  Moreover manie have declared the cause of the obscuryng of the Moone, and of earthquakes:  which thing in our time cannot happen, as well because our men be not so supersticious, as also for that our religion taketh away altogether such opinions:  al be it when they should chaunse, the orders of the antiquitie ought to be imitated.  When either famishement, or other naturall necessitie, or humaine passion, hath broughte thy enemie to an utter desperation, and he driven of the same, cometh to faight with thee, thou oughtest to stande within thy campe, and as muche as lieth in thy power, to flie the faight.  So the Lacedemonians did against the Masonians, so Cesar did against Afranio, and Petreio.  Fulvius beyng Consul, against the Cimbrians, made his horsemen manie daies continually to assaulte the enemies, and considered how thei issued out of their campe for to folow them:  wherfore he sette an ambusshe behinde the Campe of the Cimbrians, and made them to be assaulted of his horsmen, and the Cimbrians issuyng oute of their campe for to follow them.  Fulvio gotte it, and sacked it.  It hath ben of great utilitie to a Capitaine, havyng his armie nere to the enemies armie, to sende his menne with the enemies ansignes to robbe, and to burne his owne countrey, whereby the enemies beleevynge those to bee menne, whiche are come in their aide, have also runne to helpe to make them the pray:  and for this disorderyng them selves, hathe therby given oportunitie to the adversary to overcome them.  This waie Alexander of Epirus used againste the Illirans and Leptenus of Siracusa against the Carthaginers and bothe to the
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Machiavelli, Volume I from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.