Lehal Library

the prince about people not diagnosing tuberculosis until it’s too late. So, if a man can’t spot a problem in the making, he can’t really be a wise leader. But very few men have this gift. If you look for the initial cause of the collapse of the Roman empire, you’ll find it was when they started hiring Goths as mercen- aries. From that moment on the strength of the empire began to decline and all the determination that drained out of it went to strengthen its rivals. So, to conclude: no state is secure without its own army; if it hasn’t got men to defend it determinedly and loyally in a crisis, it is simply relying on luck. As those who understand these things have always thought and said: There is nothing so weak and unstable as a reputation for power that is not backed up by its own army.* And having your own army means having a force made up of subjects, or citizens, or men dependent on you. All other forces are mercenaries or auxiliaries. To see how to set up your own armed forces, all you need do is consider how the four men I mentioned above organized and arranged theirs, or Philip, Alexander the Great’s father, or many other kingdoms and republics. They are all entirely reliable models. * Quod nihil sit tam infirmum aut instabile quam fama potentiae non sua vi nixa.