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A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select

anything else for his study, than war and its rules and

discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who

rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who

are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private

station to that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when

princes have thought more of ease than of arms they have lost

their states. And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect

this art; and what enables you to acquire a state is to be master

of the art. Francesco Sforza, through being martial, from a

private person became Duke of Milan; and the sons, through

avoiding the hardships and troubles of arms, from dukes became

private persons. For among other evils which being unarmed brings

you, it causes you to be despised, and this is one of those

ignominies against which a prince ought to guard himself, as is

shown later on.