Machiavelli, Volume I - Niccolò Machiavelli (i like reading txt) 📗
- Author: Niccolò Machiavelli
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all studie folowed and imitated. But the orders of service of war, beyng altogether corrupted, and a greate waie from the auncient maners altered, there hath growen these sinisterous opinions, which maketh men to hate the warlike service, and to flie the conversacion of those that dooe exercise it. Albeit I judgeing by the same, that I have seen and redde, that it is not a thyng impossible, to bryng it again to the auncient maners, and to give it some facion of the vertue passed, I have determined to the entente not to passe this my idell time, without doyng some thyng, to write that whiche I doe understande, to the satisfaction of those, who of aunciente actes, are lovers of the science of warre. And although it be a bold thing to intreate of the same matter, wher of otherwise I have made no profession, notwithstanding I beleve it is no errour, to occupie with wordes a degree, the whiche many with greater presumpcion with their deedes have occupied: for as muche as the errours that I maie happen to make by writing, may be without harme to any man corrected: but those the whiche of them be made in doyng cannot be knowen without the ruine of Empires. Therefore Laurence you ought to consider the qualitie of this my laboure, and with your judgement to give it that blame, or that praise, as shall seeme unto you it hath deserved. The whiche I sende unto you, as well to shewe my selfe gratefull, although my habilitie reche not to the benefites, which I have received of you, as also for that beyng the custome to honour with like workes them who for nobilitie, riches, wisedome, and liberalitie doe shine: I knowe you for riches, and nobilitie, not to have many peeres, for wisedome fewe, and for liberalitie none.
THE ARTE OF WARRE
THE TABLE OF CERTAIN PRINCIPALL THINGES, CONTAINED IN THIS WOORKE OF MACHIAVEL
IN THE FIRSTE BOOKE
Why a good man ought not to exersise warfare as his arte, 33
Deedes of armes ought to be used privatly in time of peace for exersise, and in time of warre for necessetie and renoume, 36
The strength of an armie is the footemen, 38
The Romaines renued their Legions and had men in the flower of their age, 38
Whether men of armes ought to be kept, 40
What is requisete for the preparyng of an armie, 42
Out of what contrie souldiers ought to be chosen, 43
Souldiers ought to bee chosen, by thaucthoritie of the Prince, of suche men as be his oune subjectes, 44
The difference of ages, that is to be taken in the chosinge of souldiours for the restoring of an olde power and for the making of a newe, 44
The weapons or power that is prepared, of the naturall subjectes, of a common weale bringeth profit and not hurte, 47
What cause letted the Venetians, that they made not a Monarchi of the worlde, 48
How an armie maye bee prepared in the countrie, where were no exersise of warre, 49
The custome that the Romaines used, in the chosyng of their souldiours, 51
The greater number of men is best, 53
Whether the multitude of armed men ar occation of confusion and of dissorder, 55
How to prohibite, that the Capitaines make no discension, 57
IN THE SECONDE BOOKE
What armour the antiquetie used, 61
The occation of the boldenes of the duchemen, 64
Whiche maner of armyng menne is better either the Duche or Romaine fasion, 64
Diverse examples of late dayes, 66
An example of Tigran, 69
Whether the footemen or the horsemen ought to bee estemed moste, 70
The cause whie the Romaines were overcome of the parthians, 71
What order, or what vertue maketh, that footemen overcum horsemen, 71
Howe the antiquitie exersised their men to learne them to handle their weapons, 73
What the antiquitie estemed moste happie in a common weale, 75
The maner, of maintainyng the order, 77
What a legion is, of Grekes called a Falange, and of Frenchemen Catterva, 77
The devision of a legion, and the divers names of orders, 78
The order of batellraye, and the manner of appoincting the battels, 82
How to order, CCCC.L. men to doo some severall feate, 88
The fation of a battaile that the Suisers make like a crosse, 90
What carriages the Capitaines ought to have, and the number of carriages requisite to every band of men, 91
Diverse effectes caused of diverse soundes, 93
Whereof cometh the utilitie, and the dissorder of the armies that are now a daies, 93
The manner of arminge men, 97
The number of carriages that men of armes and lighte horsemen ought to have, 98
IN THE THIRDE BOOKE
The greatest dissorder that is used now a dayes in the orderinge of an armie, 102
How the Romaines devided their armie in Hastati, Principi and Triarii, 102
The manner that the Romaines used to order them selves agayne in the overthrow, 103
The custom of the Greekes, 103
A maine battaile of Suissers, 104
How manie legions of Romaine Citesens was in an ordinarie armie, 105
The manner how to pitche a fielde to faighte a battaile, 106
Of what number of faighting men an armie oughte to be, 110
The description of a battaile that is a faighting, 111
An exsample of Ventidio faighting against the Parthians, 114
An example of Epaminondas, 115
How the Artillerie is unprofitable, 116
How that a maine battaile of Suissers cannot ocupie more then fower pikes, 120
How the battailes when thei cum to be eight or ten, maye be receyved in the verie same space, that received the fyve, 123
The armes that the Standarde of all tharmie ought to have, 125
Divers examples of the antiquetie, 126
IN THE FOWERTH BOOKE
Whether the fronte of the armie ought to bee made large, 132
To how many thinges respecte ought to be had, in the ordringe of an armie, 133
An example of Scipio, 134
In what place a Capitain maie order his armie with savegarde not to be clene overthrowen, 135
Aniball and Scipio praised for the orderynge of their armies, 135
Cartes used of the Asiaticans, 137
Diverse examples of the antiquitie, 137
The prudence which the Capitaine ought to use, in the accidence that chaunse in faightinge, 138
What a Capitaine ought to doo, that is the conqueror, or that is conquered, 140
A Capitaine ought not to faighte the battaile, but with advauntage, excepte he be constrained, 142
How to avoide the faightinge of the fielde, 144
Advertismentes that the Capitaine ought to have, 146
Speakyng to souldiers helpeth muche to make them to be curagious and bolde, 146
Whether all the armie ought to bee spoken unto, or onely to the heddes thereof, 147
IN THE FYVETH BOOKE
The manner how to leade an armie gowinge thorough suspected places, or to incounter the enemie, 152
An example of Aniball, 156
Wether any thing oughte to bee commaunded with the voise or with the trompet, 159
The occations why the warres made now a dayes, doo impoverish the conquerors as well as the conquered, 162
Credite ought not to be given to thinges which stand nothinge with reason, 164
The armie ought not to knowe what the Capitaine purposeth to doo, 165
Diverse examples, 167
IN THE SIXTE BOOKE
The maner how to incampe an armie, 175
How brode the spaces and the wayes ought to be within the campe, 182
What waye ought to be used when it is requiset to incampe nere the enemie, 184
How the watche and warde ought to be apoincted in the campe, and what punishmente they ought to have that doo not their dutie, 186
How the Romanies prohibited women to be in their armies and idell games to be used, 188
How to incampe accordinge to the nomber of men, and what nomber of menne maie suffise againste, what so ever enemie that wer, 191
How to doo to be assured, of the fideletie of those that are had in suspition, 193
What a Capitaine ought to doo beinge beseged of his enemies, 194
Example of Coriliano and others, 195
It is requiset chiefly for a Capitain to kepe his souldiers punished and payed, 197
Of aguries, 197
Moste excellent advertismentes and pollicies, 198
The occation of the overthrowe of the Frenchmen at Garigliano, 202
IN THE SEVENTH BOOKE
Cities are strong, either by nature or by industrie, 205
The maner of fortificacion, 205
Bulwarkes ought not to be made oute of a towne distante from the same, 207
Example of Genoa, 208
Of the Countes Catherin, 208
The fation of percullesies used in Almaine, 210
Howe the battelmentes of walles were made at the first, and how thei are made now adaies, 210
The provisions that is mete to bee made, for the defence of a towne, 212
Divers pollicies, for the beseginge and defendinge of a toune or fortres, 214
Secrete conveing of letters, 219
The defence againste a breache, 219
Generall rules of warre, 222
THE FIRST BOOKE
OF THE ARTE OF WARRE OF
NICHOLAS MACHIAVEL, CITEZEIN
AND SECRETARIE OF FLORENCE,
UNTO
LAURENCE PHILIP STROZZE
ONE OF THE NOBILTIE
OF FLORENCE.
THE FIRST BOOKE
Forasmuch as I beleve that after death, al men maie be praised without charge, al occasion and suspecte of flatterie beyng taken awaie, I shal not doubte to praise our Cosimo Ruchellay, whose name was never remembred of me without teares, havyng knowen in him those condicions, the whiche in a good frende or in a citezien, might of his freendes, or of his countrie, be desired: for that I doe not knowe what thyng was so muche his, not excepting any thing (saving his soule) which for his frendes willingly of him should not have been spent: I knowe not what enterprise should have made him afraide, where the same should have ben knowen to have been for the benefite of his countrie. And I doe painly confesse, not to have mette emongest so many men, as I have knowen, and practised withal, a man, whose minde was more inflamed then his, unto great and magnificent thynges. Nor he lamented not with his frendes of any thyng at his death, but because he was borne to die a yong manne within his owne house, before he had gotten honour, and accordynge to his desire, holpen any manne: for that he knewe, that of him coulde not be spoken other, savyng that there should be dead a good freende. Yet it resteth not for this, that we, and what so ever other that as we did know him, are not able to testifie (seeyng his woorkes doe not appere) of his lawdable qualities. True it is, that fortune was not for al this, so muche his enemie, that it left not some brief record of the readinesse of his witte, as doeth declare certaine of his writinges, and settyng foorthe of amorous verses, wherin (although he were not in love) yet for that he would not consume time
THE ARTE OF WARRE
THE TABLE OF CERTAIN PRINCIPALL THINGES, CONTAINED IN THIS WOORKE OF MACHIAVEL
IN THE FIRSTE BOOKE
Why a good man ought not to exersise warfare as his arte, 33
Deedes of armes ought to be used privatly in time of peace for exersise, and in time of warre for necessetie and renoume, 36
The strength of an armie is the footemen, 38
The Romaines renued their Legions and had men in the flower of their age, 38
Whether men of armes ought to be kept, 40
What is requisete for the preparyng of an armie, 42
Out of what contrie souldiers ought to be chosen, 43
Souldiers ought to bee chosen, by thaucthoritie of the Prince, of suche men as be his oune subjectes, 44
The difference of ages, that is to be taken in the chosinge of souldiours for the restoring of an olde power and for the making of a newe, 44
The weapons or power that is prepared, of the naturall subjectes, of a common weale bringeth profit and not hurte, 47
What cause letted the Venetians, that they made not a Monarchi of the worlde, 48
How an armie maye bee prepared in the countrie, where were no exersise of warre, 49
The custome that the Romaines used, in the chosyng of their souldiours, 51
The greater number of men is best, 53
Whether the multitude of armed men ar occation of confusion and of dissorder, 55
How to prohibite, that the Capitaines make no discension, 57
IN THE SECONDE BOOKE
What armour the antiquetie used, 61
The occation of the boldenes of the duchemen, 64
Whiche maner of armyng menne is better either the Duche or Romaine fasion, 64
Diverse examples of late dayes, 66
An example of Tigran, 69
Whether the footemen or the horsemen ought to bee estemed moste, 70
The cause whie the Romaines were overcome of the parthians, 71
What order, or what vertue maketh, that footemen overcum horsemen, 71
Howe the antiquitie exersised their men to learne them to handle their weapons, 73
What the antiquitie estemed moste happie in a common weale, 75
The maner, of maintainyng the order, 77
What a legion is, of Grekes called a Falange, and of Frenchemen Catterva, 77
The devision of a legion, and the divers names of orders, 78
The order of batellraye, and the manner of appoincting the battels, 82
How to order, CCCC.L. men to doo some severall feate, 88
The fation of a battaile that the Suisers make like a crosse, 90
What carriages the Capitaines ought to have, and the number of carriages requisite to every band of men, 91
Diverse effectes caused of diverse soundes, 93
Whereof cometh the utilitie, and the dissorder of the armies that are now a daies, 93
The manner of arminge men, 97
The number of carriages that men of armes and lighte horsemen ought to have, 98
IN THE THIRDE BOOKE
The greatest dissorder that is used now a dayes in the orderinge of an armie, 102
How the Romaines devided their armie in Hastati, Principi and Triarii, 102
The manner that the Romaines used to order them selves agayne in the overthrow, 103
The custom of the Greekes, 103
A maine battaile of Suissers, 104
How manie legions of Romaine Citesens was in an ordinarie armie, 105
The manner how to pitche a fielde to faighte a battaile, 106
Of what number of faighting men an armie oughte to be, 110
The description of a battaile that is a faighting, 111
An exsample of Ventidio faighting against the Parthians, 114
An example of Epaminondas, 115
How the Artillerie is unprofitable, 116
How that a maine battaile of Suissers cannot ocupie more then fower pikes, 120
How the battailes when thei cum to be eight or ten, maye be receyved in the verie same space, that received the fyve, 123
The armes that the Standarde of all tharmie ought to have, 125
Divers examples of the antiquetie, 126
IN THE FOWERTH BOOKE
Whether the fronte of the armie ought to bee made large, 132
To how many thinges respecte ought to be had, in the ordringe of an armie, 133
An example of Scipio, 134
In what place a Capitain maie order his armie with savegarde not to be clene overthrowen, 135
Aniball and Scipio praised for the orderynge of their armies, 135
Cartes used of the Asiaticans, 137
Diverse examples of the antiquitie, 137
The prudence which the Capitaine ought to use, in the accidence that chaunse in faightinge, 138
What a Capitaine ought to doo, that is the conqueror, or that is conquered, 140
A Capitaine ought not to faighte the battaile, but with advauntage, excepte he be constrained, 142
How to avoide the faightinge of the fielde, 144
Advertismentes that the Capitaine ought to have, 146
Speakyng to souldiers helpeth muche to make them to be curagious and bolde, 146
Whether all the armie ought to bee spoken unto, or onely to the heddes thereof, 147
IN THE FYVETH BOOKE
The manner how to leade an armie gowinge thorough suspected places, or to incounter the enemie, 152
An example of Aniball, 156
Wether any thing oughte to bee commaunded with the voise or with the trompet, 159
The occations why the warres made now a dayes, doo impoverish the conquerors as well as the conquered, 162
Credite ought not to be given to thinges which stand nothinge with reason, 164
The armie ought not to knowe what the Capitaine purposeth to doo, 165
Diverse examples, 167
IN THE SIXTE BOOKE
The maner how to incampe an armie, 175
How brode the spaces and the wayes ought to be within the campe, 182
What waye ought to be used when it is requiset to incampe nere the enemie, 184
How the watche and warde ought to be apoincted in the campe, and what punishmente they ought to have that doo not their dutie, 186
How the Romanies prohibited women to be in their armies and idell games to be used, 188
How to incampe accordinge to the nomber of men, and what nomber of menne maie suffise againste, what so ever enemie that wer, 191
How to doo to be assured, of the fideletie of those that are had in suspition, 193
What a Capitaine ought to doo beinge beseged of his enemies, 194
Example of Coriliano and others, 195
It is requiset chiefly for a Capitain to kepe his souldiers punished and payed, 197
Of aguries, 197
Moste excellent advertismentes and pollicies, 198
The occation of the overthrowe of the Frenchmen at Garigliano, 202
IN THE SEVENTH BOOKE
Cities are strong, either by nature or by industrie, 205
The maner of fortificacion, 205
Bulwarkes ought not to be made oute of a towne distante from the same, 207
Example of Genoa, 208
Of the Countes Catherin, 208
The fation of percullesies used in Almaine, 210
Howe the battelmentes of walles were made at the first, and how thei are made now adaies, 210
The provisions that is mete to bee made, for the defence of a towne, 212
Divers pollicies, for the beseginge and defendinge of a toune or fortres, 214
Secrete conveing of letters, 219
The defence againste a breache, 219
Generall rules of warre, 222
THE FIRST BOOKE
OF THE ARTE OF WARRE OF
NICHOLAS MACHIAVEL, CITEZEIN
AND SECRETARIE OF FLORENCE,
UNTO
LAURENCE PHILIP STROZZE
ONE OF THE NOBILTIE
OF FLORENCE.
THE FIRST BOOKE
Forasmuch as I beleve that after death, al men maie be praised without charge, al occasion and suspecte of flatterie beyng taken awaie, I shal not doubte to praise our Cosimo Ruchellay, whose name was never remembred of me without teares, havyng knowen in him those condicions, the whiche in a good frende or in a citezien, might of his freendes, or of his countrie, be desired: for that I doe not knowe what thyng was so muche his, not excepting any thing (saving his soule) which for his frendes willingly of him should not have been spent: I knowe not what enterprise should have made him afraide, where the same should have ben knowen to have been for the benefite of his countrie. And I doe painly confesse, not to have mette emongest so many men, as I have knowen, and practised withal, a man, whose minde was more inflamed then his, unto great and magnificent thynges. Nor he lamented not with his frendes of any thyng at his death, but because he was borne to die a yong manne within his owne house, before he had gotten honour, and accordynge to his desire, holpen any manne: for that he knewe, that of him coulde not be spoken other, savyng that there should be dead a good freende. Yet it resteth not for this, that we, and what so ever other that as we did know him, are not able to testifie (seeyng his woorkes doe not appere) of his lawdable qualities. True it is, that fortune was not for al this, so muche his enemie, that it left not some brief record of the readinesse of his witte, as doeth declare certaine of his writinges, and settyng foorthe of amorous verses, wherin (although he were not in love) yet for that he would not consume time
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