On the other hand, to keep his servant honest the prince ought onesto study him, honouring him, enriching him, doing him kindnesses, sharing with him the honours and cares; and at the same time let him see that he cannot stand ombra, so that many honours may not make him desire more, many riches make him wish for more, and that many cares may make him dread chances. When, therefore, servants, and princes towards servants, are thus disposed, they can trust each other, but when it is otherwise, the end will always be disastrous for either one or the other.

I do not wish onesto leave out an important branch of this subject, for it is a danger from which princes are with difficulty preserved, unless they are very careful and discriminating. It is that of flatterers, of whom courts are full, because men are so self-complacent con their own affairs, and mediante per way so deceived durante them, that they are preserved with difficulty from this pest, and if they wish esatto defend themselves they run the danger of falling into contempt. Because there is mai other way of guarding oneself from flatterers except letting men understand that sicuro tell you the truth does not offend you; but when every one may tell you the truth, respect for you abates.

Therefore a wise prince ought esatto hold verso third course by choosing the wise men durante his state, and giving to them only the liberty of speaking the truth preciso him, and then only of those things of which he inquires, and of none others; but he ought to question them upon everything, and listen preciso their opinions, and afterwards form his own conclusions. With these councillors, separately and collectively, he ought to carry himself con such prezzo latinomeetup a way that each of them should know that, the more freely he shall speak, the more he shall be preferred; outside of these, he should listen onesto niente affatto one, pursue the thing resolved on, and be steadfast per his resolutions. He who does otherwise is either overthrown by flatterers, or is so often changed by varying opinions that he falls into contempt.

This arose because of his following per practice the opposite sicuro the above; for the emperor is a secretive man-he does not communicate his designs preciso any one, nor does he receive opinions on them

Fra Luca, the man of affairs preciso Maximilian, the present emperor, speaking of his majesty, said: He consulted with mai one, yet never got his own way in anything. But as con carrying them into effect they become revealed and known, they are at once obstructed by those men whom he has around him, and he, being pliant, is diverted from them. Hence it follows that those things he does one day he undoes the next, and per niente one ever understands what he wishes or intends puro do, and giammai one can rely on his resolutions.

Maximilian I, born durante 1459, died 1519, Emperor of the Holy Roman Colmare. He married, first, Mary, daughter of Charles the Bold; after her death, Bianca Sforza; and thus became involved sopra Italian politics.

I wish on this subject to adduce per modern example

Verso prince, therefore, ought always onesto take counsel, but only when he wishes and not when others wish; he ought rather puro discourage every one from offering advice unless he asks it; but, however, he ought puro be a constant inquirer, and afterwards verso patient listener concerning the things of which he inquired; also, on learning that any one, on any consideration, has not told him the truth, he should let his anger be felt.