government; for notwithstanding that there be some considerations to be had of them, yet presently are those armies dissolved, because none of these Princes do use to maintaine any armies together, which are annex’d and inveterated with the governments of the provinces, as were the armies of the Romane Empire.  And therefore if then it was necessary rather to content the soldiers than the people, it was because the soldiers were more powerfull than the people:  now is it more necessary for all Princes, (except the Turk and the Souldan) to satisfie their people than their soldiers, because the people are more mighty than they; wherein I except the Turk, he alwayes maintaining about his person 12000 foot, and 15000 horse, upon which depends the safety and strength of his Kingdome; and it is necessary that laying aside all other regard of his people, he maintaine these his friends.  The Souldans Kingdome is like hereunto, which being wholy in the souldiers power, he must also without respect of his people keep them his friends.  And you are to consider, that this State of the Souldans differs much from all the other Principalities:  For it is very like the Papacy, which cannot be termd an hereditary Principality:  nor a new Principality:  for the sons of the deceasd Prince are not heires and Lords thereof, but he that is chosen receives that dignity from those who have the authority in them.  And this order being of antiquity, cannot be termd a new Principality, because therein are none of those difficulties that are in new ones:  for though the Prince be new, yet are the orders of that state ancient, and ordaind to receive him, as if he were their hereditary Prince.  But let us returne to our matter; whosoever shall consider our discourse before, shall perceive that either hatred, or contempt have caus’d the ruine of the afore-named Emperors; and shall know also, from it came that part of them proceeding one way, and part a contrary; yet in any of them the one had a happy success, and the others unhappy:  for it was of no availe, but rather hurtful for Pertinax and Alexander, because they were new Princes, to desire to imitate Marcus, who by inheritance came to the Principality:  and in like manner it was a wrong to Caracalla, Commodus, and Maximus, to imitate Severus, because none of them were endued with so great valor as to follow his steps therein.  Wherefore a new Prince in his Principality cannot well imitate Marcus his actions; nor yet is it necessary to follow those of Severus:  but he ought make choyce of those parts in Severus which are necessary for the founding of a State; and to take from Marcus those that are fit and glorious to preserve a State which is already established and setled.

CHAP.  XX

Whether the Citadels and many other things which Princes often make use of, are profitable or dammageable.