《君主论·第十七章·残酷与仁慈·被爱戴与被畏惧孰优》第2节
“Res dura, et regni novitas me talia cogunt Moliri, et late fines custode tueri.” Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence may not make him incautious and too much distrust render him intolerable. . . . against my will, my fate A throne unsettled, and an infant state, Bid me defend my realms with all my pow’rs, And guard with these severities my shores. Christopher Pitt. Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.
注释摘要
这一段在第十七章的论证中扮演了一个微妙的转折：马基雅维利刚引用维吉尔的诗句，承认严酷手段在政权初创时几乎不可避免，旋即又提醒君主不可因此走向另一个极端。那句拉丁文出自《埃涅阿斯纪》第一卷，是迦太基女王狄多为自己加强防卫、行使严厉统治所做的辩解，大意是“艰难的时势与崭新的王国迫使我采取这些手段，在辽阔的边境布满守卫”。马基雅维利借古罗马史诗中虚构女王的嘴，替…