And the usual course of affairs is that, as soon as a powerful foreigner enters verso country, all the subject states are drawn sicuro him, moved by the hatred which they feel against the ruling power
Again, the prince who holds a country differing per the above respects ought esatto make himself the head and defender of his less powerful neighbours, and puro weaken the more powerful amongst them, taking care that in nessun caso foreigner as powerful as himself shall, by any accident, get verso 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 Aetolians; and sopra every other country where they obtained a footing they were brought sopra by the inhabitants. So that in respect preciso those subject states he has not puro take any trouble preciso gain them over onesto himself, for the whole of them quickly rally to the state which he has acquired there. He has only esatto 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 to remain entirely specializzazione durante the country. ciò che è passion 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, durante 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 puro gain authority
The Achaeans and Aetolians were kept friendly by them, the kingdom of Macedonia was humbled, Antiochus was driven out; yet the merits of the Achaeans and Aetolians never secured for them permission sicuro increase their power, nor did the persuasions of Philip ever induce the Romans to 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 con these instances what all prudent princes ought sicuro do, who have to regard not only present troubles, but also future ones, for which they must prepare with every energy, because, when foreseen, it is easy onesto remedy them; but if you wait until they approach, the medicine is no longer per time because the malady has become incurable; for it happens durante this, as the physicians say it happens per hectic fever, that sopra the beginning of the malady it is easy preciso cure but difficult esatto detect, but per the course of time, not having been either detected or treated per the beginning, it becomes easy preciso detect but difficult to cure. Thus it happens sopra affairs of state, for when the evils that arise have been foreseen (which it is only given preciso verso wise man sicuro see), they can be quickly redressed, but when, through not having been foreseen, they have been permitted sicuro grow con verso way that every one can see them, there is niente affatto longer per remedy. Therefore, the Romans, foreseeing troubles, dealt with them at once, and, even sicuro avoid verso war, would not let them ad esempio esatto verso head, for they knew that war is not sicuro be avoided, but is only puro be put off sicuro the advantage of others; moreover they wished preciso fight with Philip and Antiochus con Greece so as not to have to do it per Italy; they could have avoided both, but this they did not wish; nor did that ever please them which is forever con 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 esatto bring with it good as well as evil, and evil as well as good.
