第14部分(第1/7 页)

hneither　prehends　by　itself　nor　by　the　showing　of　others；　the　first　isthe　most　excellent；　the　second　is　good；　the　third　is　useless。　Therefore；it　follows　necessarily　that；　if　Pandolfo　was　not　in　the　first　rank；　hewas　in　the　second；　for　whenever　one　has　judgment　to　know　good　or　badwhen　it　is　said　and　done；　although　he　himself　may　not　have　theinitiative；　yet　he　can　recognize　the　good　and　the　bad　in　his　servant；and　the　one　he　can　praise　and　the　other　correct；　thus　the　servant　cannothope　to　deceive　him；　and　is　kept　honest。But　to　enable　a　prince　to　form　an　opinion　of　his　servant　there　is　oest　which　never　falls；　when　you　see　the　servant　thinking　more　of　hisown　interests　than　of　yours；　and　seeking　inwardly　his　own　profit　ineverything；　such　a　man　will　never　make　a　good　servant；　nor　will　you　everbe　able　to　trust　him；　because　he　who　has　the　state　of　another　in　hishands　ought　never　to　think　of　himself；　but　always　of　his　prince；　andnever　pay　any　attention　to　matters　in　which　the　prince　is　not　concerned。On　the　other　to　keep　his　servant　honest　the　prince　ought　to　study　him；honouring　him；　enriching　him；　doing　him　kindnesses；　sharing　with　him　thehonours　and　cares；　and　at　the　same　time　let　him　see　that　he　cannot　standalone；　so　that　many　honours　not　make　him　desire　more；　many　riches　makehim　wish　for　more；　and　that　many　cares　may　make　him　dread　changes。　When；therefore；　servants；　and　princes　towards　servants；　are　thus　disposed；they　can　trust　each　other；　but　when　it　is　otherwise；　the　end　will　alwaysbe　disastrous　for　either　one　or　the　other。CHAPTER　XXIIIHOW　FLATTERERS　SHOULD　BE　AVOIDEDI　DO　NOT　wish　to　leave　out　an　important　branch　of　this　subject；　for　itis　a　danger　from　which　princes　are　with　difficulty　preserved；　unlessthey　are　very　careful　and　discriminating。　It　is　that　of　flatterers；　o