《君主论·第二十三章·如何避开谄媚者》第2节
I wish on this subject to adduce a modern example. Fra Luca, the man of affairs to Maximilian, the present emperor, speaking of his majesty, said: He consulted with no one, yet never got his own way in anything. This arose because of his following a practice the opposite to the above; for the emperor is a secretive man—he does not communicate his designs to any one, nor does he receive opinions on them. But as in carrying them into effect they become revealed and known, they are at once obstructed by those men whom he has around him, and he, being pliant, is diverted from them. Hence it follows that those things he does one day he undoes the next, and no one ever understands what he wishes or intends to do, and no one can rely on his resolutions. Maximilian I, born in 1459, died 1519, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He married, first, Mary, daughter of Charles the Bold; after her death, Bianca Sforza; and thus became involved in Italian politics. A prince, therefore, ought always to take counsel, but only when he wishes and not when others wish; he ought rather to discourage every one from offering advice unless he asks it; but, however, he ought to be a constant inquirer, and afterwards a patient listener concerning the things of which he inquired; also, on learning that any one, on any consideration, has not told him the truth, he should let his anger be felt.
注释摘要
马基雅维利在这一段里举了一个同时代的反面例子，来说明君主在听取意见这件事上如果走错了路，后果会有多严重。前面他已经给出了自己的方案：君主应该挑选少数有智慧的人，只就自己询问的事情允许他们讲真话，然后自己拿定主意，坚定不移地执行。现在他要用神圣罗马帝国皇帝马克西米利安一世的失败来反证这一点。 马克西米利安一世是哈布斯堡家族的皇帝，通过联姻获得了勃艮第和米兰的…