君主論-the prince(英文版)

第14部分 (第6/7頁)

　pare　her　to　one　of　those　raging　rivers；　which　when　in　floodoverflows　the　plains；　sweeping　away　trees　and　buildings；　bearing　awaythe　soil　from　place　to　place；　everything　flies　before　it；　all　yield　toits　violence；　without　being　able　in　any　way　to　withstand　it；　and　yet；though　its　nature　be　such；　it　does　not　follow　therefore　that　men；　whenthe　weather　bees　fair；　shall　not　make　provision；　both　with　defencesand　barriers；　in　such　a　manner　that；　rising　again；　the　waters　may　passaway　by　canal；　and　their　force　be　neither　so　unrestrained　nor　sodangerous。　So　it　happens　with　fortune；　who　shows　her　power　where　valourhas　not　prepared　to　resist　her；　and　thither　she　turns　her　forces　whereshe　knows　that　barriers　and　defences　have　not　been　raised　to　constrainher。And　if　you　will　consider　Italy；　which　is　the　seat　of　these　changes；　andwhich　has　given　to　them　their　impulse；　you　will　see　it　to　be　an　opencountry　without　barriers　and　without　any　defence。　For　if　it　had　beendefended　by　proper　valour；　as　are　Germany；　Spain；　and　France；　eitherthis　invasion　would　not　have　made　the　great　changes　it　has　made　or　itwould　not　have　e　at　all。　And　this　I　consider　enough　to　say　concerningresistance　to　fortune　in　general。But　confining　myself　more　to　the　particular；　I　say　that　a　prince　may　beseen　happy　to…day　and　ruined　to…morrow　without　having　shown　any　changeof　disposition　or　character。　This；　I　believe；　arises　firstly　from　causesthat　have　already　been　discussed　at　length；　namely；　that　the　prince　whorelies　entirely　upon　fortune　is　lost　when　it　changes。　I　believe　alsothat　he　will　be　successful　who　directs　his　actions　according　to　thespirit　of　the　times；　and　that　he　whose　actions　do　not　accord　with　thetimes　will　not　be　successful。　Because　men　are　seen；　in　affairs　that　leadto　the　end　which　every　man　has　before　hi