صفحة 164 من 310

First Africa rebelled, then the Senate with all the people of

Rome, and all Italy conspired against him, to which may be added

his own army; this latter, besieging Aquileia and meeting with

difficulties in taking it, were disgusted with his cruelties, and

fearing him less when they found so many against him, murdered

him.

I do not wish to discuss Heliogabalus, Macrinus, or Julian, who,

being thoroughly contemptible, were quickly wiped out; but I will

bring this discourse to a conclusion by saying that princes in

our times have this difficulty of giving inordinate satisfaction

to their soldiers in a far less degree, because, notwithstanding

one has to give them some indulgence, that is soon done; none of

these princes have armies that are veterans in the governance and

administration of provinces, as were the armies of the Roman

Empire; and whereas it was then more necessary to give

satisfaction to the soldiers than to the people, it is now more

necessary to all princes, except the Turk and the Soldan, to

satisfy the people rather the soldiers, because the people are

the more powerful.