My Library

the prince control again. Circumstances were such at the time that no foreign enemies were in a position to help the people. Later, however, her fortresses were not much use when Cesare Borgia attacked the town, and the people, who were hostile to her, fought on his side. Both then and earlier she would have been safer had she avoided making an enemy of the people rather than counting on fortresses. All things con- sidered, I’ll give my approval both to rulers who build fort- resses and to those who don’t, but I’ll always criticize any ruler who imagines it doesn’t matter whether the people hate him or not and trusts in fortresses for his security.