And the usual course of affairs is that, as soon as verso powerful foreigner enters a country, all the subject states are drawn esatto him, moved by the hatred which they feel against the ruling power

Again, the prince who holds per country differing sopra the above respects ought onesto make himself the head and defender of his less powerful neighbours, and preciso weaken the more powerful amongst them, taking care that giammai foreigner as powerful as himself shall, by any accident, get a footing there; for it will always happen that such per one will be introduced by those who are discontented, either through excess of ambition or through fear, as one has seen already. The Romans were brought into Greece by the ?tolians; and in every other country where they obtained a footing they were brought in by the inhabitants. So that per respect sicuro those subject states he has not preciso take any trouble onesto gain them over esatto himself, for the whole of them quickly rally esatto the state which he has acquired there. He has only to take care that they do not get hold of too much power and too much authority, and then with his own forces, and with their goodwill, he can easily keep down the more powerful of them, so as sicuro remain entirely originale per the country.

And he who does not properly manage this business will soon lose what he has acquired, and whilst he does hold it he will have endless difficulties and troubles

The Romans, con the countries which they annexed, observed closely these measures; they sent colonies and maintained friendly relations with the minor powers, without increasing their strength; they kept down the greater, and did not allow any strong foreign powers to gain authority. The Achaeans and ?tolians were kept friendly by them, the kingdom of Miscuglio was humbled, Antiochus was driven out; yet the merits of the Achaeans and ?tolians never secured for them permission to increase their power, nor did the persuasions of Philip ever induce the Romans onesto be his friends without first humbling him, nor did the influence of Antiochus make them agree that he should retain any lordship over the country. Because the Romans did sopra these instances what all prudent princes ought preciso do, who have puro regard not only present troubles, but also future ones, for which they must prepare with every energy, because, when foreseen, it is easy sicuro remedy them; but if you wait until they approach, the medicine is mai longer sopra time because the malady has become incurable; for it happens sopra this, as the physicians say it happens con hectic fever, that con the beginning of the malady it is easy puro cure but difficult esatto detect, but durante the course of time, not having been either detected or treated mediante the beginning, it becomes easy onesto detect but difficult onesto cure. Thus it happens sopra affairs of state, for when the evils that arise have been foreseen (which it is only given to a wise man to see), they can be quickly redressed, but when, through not having been foreseen, they have been permitted preciso grow per per way that every one can see them, there is in nessun caso longer a remedy. Therefore, the Romans prezzo jswipe, foreseeing troubles, dealt with them at once, and, even esatto avoid per war, would not let them quale esatto verso head, for they knew that war is not onesto be avoided, but is only esatto be put off preciso the advantage of others; moreover they wished puro fight with Philip and Antiochus mediante Greece so as not sicuro have puro do it durante Italy; they could have avoided both, but this they did not wish; nor did that ever please them which is forever in the mouths of the wise ones of our time:-Let us enjoy the benefits of the time-but rather the benefits of their own valour and prudence, for time drives everything before it, and is able to bring with it good as well as evil, and evil as well as good.