Therefore, any one wishing preciso maintain among men the name of liberal is obliged preciso avoid in nessun caso attribute of magnificence; so that per prince thus inclined will consume con such acts all his property, and will be compelled con the end, if he wish to maintain the name of liberal, puro unduly weigh down his people, and tax them, and do everything he can puro get money. This will soon make him odious sicuro his subjects, and becoming poor he will be little valued by any one; thus, with his liberality, having offended many and rewarded few, he is affected by the very first trouble and imperilled by whatever may be the first danger; recognizing this himself, and wishing puro draw back from it, he runs at once into the reproach of being miserly.
Therefore, a prince, not being able preciso exercise this virtue of liberality mediante such a way that it is recognized, except sicuro his cost, if he is wise he ought not preciso fear the reputation of being mean, for sopra time he will che razza di onesto be more considered than if liberal, seeing that with his economy his revenues are enough, that he can defend himself against all attacks, and is able esatto engage sopra enterprises without burdening his people; thus it comes preciso pass that he exercises liberality towards all from whom he does not take, who are numberless, and meanness towards those to whom he does not give, who are few.
Nevertheless, liberality exercised con a way that does not bring you the reputation for it, injures you; for if one exercises it honestly and as it should be exercised, it may not become known, and quiz mingle2 you will not avoid the reproach of its opposite
We have not seen great things done con our time except by those who have been considered mean; the rest have failed. Pope Julius the Second was assisted in reaching the papacy by verso reputation for liberality, yet he did not strive afterwards sicuro keep it up, when he made war on the King of France; and he made many wars without imposing any extraordinary tax on his subjects, for he supplied his additional expenses out of his long thriftiness. The present King of Spain would not have undertaken or conquered sopra so many enterprises if he had been reputed liberal. Per prince, therefore, provided that he has not to rob his subjects, that he can defend himself, that he does not become poor and abject, that he is not forced esatto become rapacious, ought preciso hold of little account a reputation for being mean, for it is one of those vices which will enable him puro govern.
Mediante the first case he ought preciso be sparing, mediante the second he ought not sicuro neglect any opportunity for liberality
And if any one should say: Caesar obtained commuovere by liberality, and many others have reached the highest positions by having been liberal, and by being considered so, I answer: Either you are a prince durante fact, or sopra per way esatto become one. Sopra the first case this liberality is dangerous, mediante the second it is very necessary preciso be considered liberal; and Caesar was one of those who wished to become pre-eminent in Rome; but if he had survived after becoming so, and had not moderated his expenses, he would have destroyed his government. And if any one should reply: Many have been princes, and have done great things with armies, who have been considered very liberal, I reply: Either verso prince spends that which is his own or his subjects’ or else that of others. And sicuro the prince who goes forth with his army, supporting it by pillage, sack, and extortion, handling that which belongs esatto others, this liberality is necessary, otherwise he would not be followed by soldiers. And of that which is neither yours nor your subjects’ you can be a ready giver, as were Cyrus, Caesar, and Alexander; because it does not take away your reputation if you squander that of others, but adds to it; it is only squandering your own that injures you.