《君主论·第十四章·君主与军事》第3节
Philopoemen, Prince of the Achaeans, among other praises which writers have bestowed on him, is commended because in time of peace he never had anything in his mind but the rules of war; and when he was in the country with friends, he often stopped and reasoned with them: “If the enemy should be upon that hill, and we should find ourselves here with our army, with whom would be the advantage? How should one best advance to meet him, keeping the ranks? If we should wish to retreat, how ought we to pursue?” And he would set forth to them, as he went, all the chances that could befall an army; he would listen to their opinion and state his, confirming it with reasons, so that by these continual discussions there could never arise, in time of war, any unexpected circumstances that he could not deal with. Philopoemen, “the last of the Greeks,” born 252 B.C., died 183 B.C.
注释摘要
这一段是马基雅维利论证链条中“和平时期的智力操练”的关键例证。他刚刚讲完君主在和平年代要通过行动（狩猎、勘察地形）来锻炼身体和地理感知，现在转向了心智的训练，而其核心方法就是历史研读与情境推演。他需要一位足以服人的古代典范，于是搬出了亚该亚联盟的统帅菲洛波门。 菲洛波门这个人物对文艺复兴时期受过古典教育的读者来说并不陌生。他生于公元前二五三年，卒于前一八三…