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24 áll being his slaves and dependants, it becomes more difficult to corrupt them; and when they are even gained over, but little assistance is to be had from them, they not being able to draw the people along with them, for the reasons before adduced. Thus whoever attacks the Turks ought to expect to find them united, and to depend more on his own strength than on their division. But once vanquished, and their armies put to the rout, so as they shall not be able to reassemble them, there is nothing to be dreaded but the family of the prince. This once extinct, there remains no one to be afraid of, all the rest being without credit among the people; and as the conqueror before the battle has nothing to hope from them, after the victory he has nothing to fear.

It is quite otherwise in kingdoms governed like France; here one may easily gain an entrance by gaining over certain nobles of the kingdom, among whom there is always to be found men who are discontented and who are fond of change. Those can open the gates, and facilitate the conquest of it: but if you wish afterwards to maintain yourself in It, you will meet with an infinity of difficulties Both on the part of those you have conquered, and on that of those who have assisted you in the enterprise. Here it is not sufficient to destroy the family of the prince: there still remain the nobles. öf the kingdom, who put themselves at the head of