Page:The Prince.djvu/232

Rh consequently of the highest importance to him to conciliate their affections. It is the same with respect to the Soldan of Egypt, whose troops have, as we may say, the power in their own hands, and he is consequently obliged therefore to treat them with considerable delicacy, and to humour them frequently at the expence of the people, from whom he has nothing to fear. This government resembles not any other, unless it is perhaps the Roman Pontificate. It cannot properly be called either hereditary or new, since, at the Soldan's death, it is not his children who reign, but he who is elected by those who have a right to do so; on the other hand, the institution is of too long a standing to entitle us to regard it as a new government. Thus, the prince who is elected does not experience more trouble in procuring himself to be acknowledged than the Pope at Rome.

To return however to my subject, I say, that if we examine it attentively, it will be seen that the Roman emperors, whose unfortunate fate has been objected to me, have chiefly perished by having made themselves odious and contemptible. This is the reason why several of them experienced, whether good or bad, a fate so different from those in whose steps they endeavoured to tread. It was thus that Alexander and Pertinax who had elevated themselves were destroyed by attempting to tread in the steps of Marcus, who came to the empire by