their industry, their few foot gave them no reputation,
and many they were not able to maintain; whereupon
they reduc’d themselves to cavalery, and so
with a supportable number they were entertained and
honored: and matters were brought to such termes,
that in an army of twenty thousand soldiers you should
not find two thousand foot. They had moreover
us’d all industry to free themselves and their
soldiers of all pains and fear, in their skirmishes,
not killing, but taking one another prisoners, and
without ransome for their freedom; they repaired not
all to their tents by night, nor made palizado or
trench thereabout, nor lay in the field in the summer:
and all these things were thus contrived and agreed
of among them in their military orders, whereby (as
is said) to avoid pains and dangers, insomuch as they
have brought Italy into slavery and disgrace.
CHAP. XIII
Of Auxiliary Soldiers, mixt, and native.
The Auxiliary forces, being the other kind of unprofitable
armes, are, when any puissant one is called in, who
with his forces comes to assist and defend thee; such
as in these later times did Pope Julius use, who having
seen the evil proof of his mercenary soldiers in the
enterprize of Ferrara, applied himself to the Auxiliaries,
and agreed with Ferdinand King of Spain, that with
his Forces he should aid him. These armes may
be profitable and advantagious for themselves; but
for him that calls them in, hurtfull; because in losing,
thou art left defeated; and conquering, thou becomest
their prisoner. And however that of these examples
the ancient stories are full fraught; yet will I not
part from this of Pope Julius the second, which is
as yet fresh: whose course could not have been
more inconsiderate, for the desire he had to get Ferrara,
putting himself wholly into strangers hands: but
his good fortune caused another cause to arise, that
hindred him from receiving the fruit of his evil choice;
for his Auxiliaries being broken at Ravenna, and the
Swissers thereupon arriving, who put the Conquerors
to flight beyond all opinion, even their own and others,
he chanced not to remain his enemies prisoner, they
being put to flight, nor prisoner to his Auxiliaries,
having vanquished by other forces than theirs.
The Florentines being wholly disarmed, brought ten
thousand French to Pisa for to take it: by which
course they ran more hazzard, than in any time of
their troubles. The Emperor of Constantinople,
to oppress his neighbors, brought into Greece ten
thousand Turks, who when the war was ended, could
not be got out thence, which was the beginning of Greeces
servitude under the Infidels. He then that will
in no case be able to overcome, let him serve himself
of these armes; for they are much more dangerous than
the mercenaries; for by those thy ruine is more suddenly
executed; for they are all united, and all bent to
the obedience of another. But for the mercenaries
Copyrights
Machiavelli, Volume I from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
