It remains now to see what ought to be the rules of conduct for a prince towards subject and friends. And as I know that many have written on this point, I expect I shall be considered presumptuous in mentioning it again, especially as in discussing it I shall depart from the methods of other people. But, it being my intention to write a thing which shall be useful to him who apprehends it, it appears to me more appropriate to follow up the real truth of the matter than the imagination of it; for many have pictured republics and principalities which in fact have never been known or seen, because how one lives is so far distant from how one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation; for a man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil.
Now we must consider how a prince should behave toward his subjects and friends. I know that many have written about this. I expect to be called presumptuous for raising it again, especially since my approach will differ from theirs. But I intend to write something useful to those who understand it. So I think it better to examine the truth of things as they are, rather than imagined versions. Many have pictured republics and principalities that have never actually been known or seen. How people live is so far removed from how they ought to live. Anyone who ignores what people actually do in favor of what they ought to do brings about his own ruin. He destroys himself rather than preserving himself. A man who tries to live entirely by the virtues he professes soon meets his destruction amid so much evil.
Hence it is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity. Therefore, putting on one side imaginary things concerning a prince, and discussing those which are real, I say that all men when they are spoken of, and chiefly princes for being more highly placed, are remarkable for some of those qualities which bring them either blame or praise; and thus it is that one is reputed liberal, another miserly, using a Tuscan term (because an avaricious person in our language is still he who desires to possess by robbery, whilst we call one miserly who deprives himself too much of the use of his own); one is reputed generous, one rapacious; one cruel, one compassionate; one faithless, another faithful; one effeminate and cowardly, another bold and brave; one affable, another haughty; one lascivious, another chaste; one sincere, another cunning; one hard, another easy; one grave, another frivolous; one religious, another unbelieving, and the like. And I know that every one will confess that it would be most praiseworthy in a prince to exhibit all the above qualities that are considered good; but because they can neither be entirely possessed nor observed, for human conditions do not permit it, it is necessary for him to be sufficiently prudent that he may know how to avoid the reproach of those vices which would lose him his state; and also to keep himself, if it be possible, from those which would not lose him it; but this not being possible, he may with less hesitation abandon himself to them. And again, he need not make himself uneasy at incurring a reproach for those vices without which the state can only be saved with difficulty, for if everything is considered carefully, it will be found that something which looks like virtue, if followed, would be his ruin; whilst something else, which looks like vice, yet followed brings him security and prosperity.
A prince who wants to stay in power must therefore know how to do wrong. He must use that knowledge, or not, as necessity requires. So I will set aside imaginary ideas about princes and discuss the realities. All men are known for qualities that earn them either blame or praise. This is especially true of princes because of their higher position. One is considered generous with money, another miserly, to use a Tuscan word. In our language, “greedy” still describes someone who wants to acquire possessions through robbery. We call someone “miserly” when he denies himself too much use of his own possessions. One is considered giving, another grasping. One is cruel, another compassionate. One breaks his word, another keeps it. One is considered unmanly and cowardly, another bold and brave. One is friendly, another arrogant. One is lustful, another chaste. One is sincere, another cunning. One is harsh, another easygoing. One is serious, another frivolous. One is religious, another unbelieving, and so on. I know everyone will agree that a prince deserves the highest praise if he displays all these good qualities. But no one can fully possess or consistently practice them all. Human circumstances do not allow it. A prince must therefore be wise enough to avoid the disgrace of vices that would cost him his state. If possible, he must also avoid those that would not cost him his state. But when this is impossible, he may give in to them with less hesitation. Nor should he worry about being blamed for vices without which his state would be difficult to save. Consider everything carefully, and you will find that some seemingly virtuous conduct would ruin him if he followed it. Other conduct may seem wicked, yet bring him security and prosperity if he follows it.