君主論-the prince(英文版)

第3部分 (第4/7頁)

ir　own　ability　and　not　through　fortune；have　risen　to　be　princes；　I　say　that　Moses；　Cyrus；　Romulus；　Theseus；　andsuch　like　are　the　most　excellent　examples。　And　although　one　may　notdiscuss　Moses；　he　having　been　a　mere　executor　of　the　will　of　God；　yet　heought　to　be　admired；　if　only　for　that　favour　which　made　him　worthy　tospeak　with　God。　But　in　considering　Cyrus　and　others　who　have　acquired　orfounded　kingdoms；　all　will　be　found　admirable；　and　if　their　particulardeeds　and　conduct　shall　be　considered；　they　will　not　be　found　inferiorto　those　of　Moses；　although　he　had　so　great　a　preceptor。　And　inexamining　their　actions　and　lives　one　cannot　see　that　they　owed　anythingto　fortune　beyond　opportunity；　which　brought　them　the　material　to　mouldinto　the　form　which　seemed　best　to　them。　Without　that　opportunity　theirpowers　of　mind　would　have　been　extinguished；　and　without　those　powersthe　opportunity　would　have　e　in　vain。It　was　necessary；　therefore；　to　Moses　that　he　should　find　the　people　ofIsrael　in　Egypt　enslaved　and　oppressed　by　the　Egyptians；　in　order　thatthey　should　be　disposed　to　follow　him　so　as　to　be　delivered　out　ofbondage。　It　was　necessary　that　Romulus　should　not　remain　in　Alba；　andthat　he　should　be　abandoned　at　his　birth；　in　order　that　he　should　beeKing　of　Rome　and　founder　of　the　fatherland。　It　was　necessary　that　Cyrusshould　find　the　Persians　discontented　with　the　government　of　the　Medes；and　the　Medes　soft　and　effeminate　through　their　long　peace。　Theseuscould　not　have　shown　his　ability　had　he　not　found　the　Atheniansdispersed。　These　opportunities；　therefore；　made　those　men　fortunate；　andtheir　high　ability　enabled　them　to　recognize　the　opportunity　wherebytheir　country　was　ennobled　and　made　famous。Those　who　by　valorous　ways　bee　princes；　like　these　men；　acquire　aprincipality　with　dif