《君主论·第二十三章·如何避开谄媚者》第1节
I do not wish to leave out an important branch of this subject, for it is a danger from which princes are with difficulty preserved, unless they are very careful and discriminating. It is that of flatterers, of whom courts are full, because men are so self-complacent in their own affairs, and in a way so deceived in them, that they are preserved with difficulty from this pest, and if they wish to defend themselves they run the danger of falling into contempt. Because there is no other way of guarding oneself from flatterers except letting men understand that to tell you the truth does not offend you; but when every one may tell you the truth, respect for you abates. Therefore a wise prince ought to hold a third course by choosing the wise men in his state, and giving to them only the liberty of speaking the truth to him, and then only of those things of which he inquires, and of none others; but he ought to question them upon everything, and listen to their opinions, and afterwards form his own conclusions. With these councillors, separately and collectively, he ought to carry himself in such a way that each of them should know that, the more freely he shall speak, the more he shall be preferred; outside of these, he should listen to no one, pursue the thing resolved on, and be steadfast in his resolutions. He who does otherwise is either overthrown by flatterers, or is so often changed by varying opinions that he falls into contempt.
注释摘要
这一节马基雅维利要处理的，是君主在治理中几乎无法回避的一个结构性困境：怎样既让手下对自己说真话，又不至于因为人人自以为有权直言而削弱君主的威严。他指出，朝堂总是挤满了谄媚者，这不光是因为趋炎附势者多，更根本的问题在于人对自己所做的事天然就容易自我陶醉、自我欺骗。在这种心理基础上，君主很难防备这种瘟疫般的谄媚。可是，如果君主为了拒绝谄媚而摆出“你们可以向我讲…