they muſt become a prey to any that would attack them. Theſe things in the year 1494 were the occaſion of thoſe flights, and fears, and depredations, by which three of the moſt potent States in Italy were frequently deſtroyed. But the worſt is, they which remain, continue in the ſame errors, and live in the fame diſorder, without any conſideration that thoſe who formerly deſired to preſerve their Dominions, did all that I have preſcribed this day; and that their whole ſtudy was to accuſtom themſelves both minds and bodies to labour, to trouble, and deſpiſing of danger. And this was the cauſe that Cæſar, and Alexander, and all the valiant and brave Princes were always at the head of their Armies, compleatly armed and on foot, and rather than loſe their ſtates they would loſe their lives; ſo as they lived and dyed with a great deal of honour: And though perhaps ſome of them might be condemned for their ambition, and exorbitant deſire to reign; yet they could never be accuſed of effeminacy, or doing any thing that might render them delicate and unmanly. Which paſſages if they were read and believed by the Princes of our times, it would be impoſſible but they muſt alter their courſe of life, and their Provinces their fortune. But becauſe in the beginning of our diſcourſe you complained of your Militia, I tell you, that if you have ordered it according to my aboveſaid direction, and it has not anſwered your expectation, you have reaſon to complain; but it be not ordered and exerciſed according to my rules, the complaint lyes more properly againſt you, who has made it rather an abortion, than a perfect production. The Venetians, and the Duke of Ferrara began very well, but they did not perſevere, and it was imputable rather to themſelves, than their Soldiers. And let me affirm this to you for a truth, and among all the preſent Princes of Italy, he who takes his way firſt, and obſerves theſe rules and theſe orders, ſhall make himſelf greater than any Prince in that Country; and it ſhall happen to his Subjects as to the Kingdom of Macedon, which falling under the Dominion of King Phillip, was improved to that height by this order and exerciſe (whilſt the reſt of Greece were idle, and if employed at all, it was in following Plays and Balls, and ſuch effeminate entertainments) that in a few years time he was able to conquer the whole Country, and leave a foundation to his Son to make himſelf Monarch of the whole world. He then who deſpiſes this Doctrine, if he be a Prince deſpiſes his own Principality; and if a Citizen, his own City. And in this I cannot but complain of Nature, who ſhould either have not ſuffered me to have known theſe things; or have given me power to have executed them, which is a thing I can never hope for now, as growing old, and towards the end of my days. For this reaſon I have diſcourſed the more frankly with you who are young, and ſo qualified that you may be able (if you be ſatisfied with what is ſaid) to give the ſame Council to your own Princes when occaſion ſhall be offered, and I hope with ſucceſs; and of this I beg you would not diſpond; for this Province ſeems to have a peculiar faculty of reviving things that are dead, as it has done Poetry, and Painting, and Sculpture; though for my own part I cannot expect to ſee it, as having one foot already in the grave. Certainly had fortune indulged me in my young days, ſo far as to have afforded ſo much Territory as ſuch an enterprize required, I believe in a ſhort time I would have demonſtrated to the world the power and efficacy of the orders of the Ancients, by means of which ſhould have enlarged my Dominions with honour, or loſt them without ſhame.
