《君主论·第八章·以邪恶之道获得君权者》第6节
Some may wonder how it can happen that Agathocles, and his like, after infinite treacheries and cruelties, should live for long secure in his country, and defend himself from external enemies, and never be conspired against by his own citizens; seeing that many others, by means of cruelty, have never been able even in peaceful times to hold the state, still less in the doubtful times of war. I believe that this follows from severities being badly or properly used. Those may be called properly used, if of evil it is possible to speak well, that are applied at one blow and are necessary to one’s security, and that are not persisted in afterwards unless they can be turned to the advantage of the subjects. The badly employed are those which, notwithstanding they may be few in the commencement, multiply with time rather than decrease. Those who practise the first system are able, by aid of God or man, to mitigate in some degree their rule, as Agathocles did. It is impossible for those who follow the other to maintain themselves. Mr Burd suggests that this word probably comes near the modern equivalent of Machiavelli’s thought when he speaks of “crudelta” than the more obvious “cruelties.”
注释摘要
马基雅维利在这一段里要解答一个看似矛盾的现象：为什么像阿加托克利斯这样作恶无数、背信弃义的人，竟然能长久而安稳地统治叙拉古，抵御外敌，又不曾被本国公民密谋推翻；而另一些同样诉诸残酷手段的人，连太平年月都守不住政权，更不要说风雨飘摇的战时。他给出的关键区分，在于残暴手段的善用与恶用——这里的善与恶，完全不是从道德出发，而是纯粹从效用的角度来衡量。 所谓妥善运…