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Besides this, one cannot by fair dealing, and without injury to

others, satisfy the nobles, but you can satisfy the people, for

their object is more righteous than that of the nobles, the

latter wishing to oppress, while the former only desire not to be

oppressed. It is to be added also that a prince can never secure

himself against a hostile people, because of there being too

many, whilst from the nobles he can secure himself, as they are

few in number. The worst that a prince may expect from a hostile

people is to be abandoned by them; but from hostile nobles he has

not only to fear abandonment, but also that they will rise

against him; for they, being in these affairs more far-seeing and

astute, always come forward in time to save themselves, and to

obtain favours from him whom they expect to prevail.