Page:The Prince.djvu/188

Rh raised himself to the sovereignty. To which I answer, that the Florentines have been extremely fortunate; for those of their generals whose ambition they had cause to dread either were not conquerors, or encountered obstacles, or carried their views elsewhere. In the first class may be placed John Acuto, whose fidelity was in consequence never put to the proof. Every one must however perceive that, if. he had conquered, the Florentines would have been at his mercy.

If Braccio and Sforza attempted nothing against the state they served, it was because that, being rivals, they mutually watched each other. It įs well known that the so of the latter turned his ambition against Lombardy, and Braccio against the ecclesiastical state and the kingdom of Naples. But let us advert to what we have lately seen.

The Florentineş conferred the command of their troops on Paul Vitelli, a very prudent man, and who was from a private station raised to this post, in consequence of the great reputation he had acquired. If he had taken Pisa, the liberties of the Florentines, or their political existence, must have had an end, for he had only to pass into the service of their enemies to complete their detruction.

As to the Venetians, they have never been indebted for their success to any but their own arms, that is to say, in a maritime warfare: for the epocha of their declension is thạt in whịch thẹy