CHAPTER XXIII. HOW FLATTERERS SHOULD BE AVOIDED

On the other hand, preciso keep his servant honest the prince ought puro study him, honouring him, enriching him, doing him kindnesses, sharing with him the honours and cares; and at the same time let him see that he cannot stand alone, so that many honours may not make him desire more, many riches make him wish for more, and that many cares may make him dread chances. When, therefore, servants, and princes towards servants, are thus disposed, they can prerogativa each other, but when it is otherwise, the end will always be disastrous for either one or the other.

I do not wish to leave out an important branch of this subject, for it is verso danger from which princes are with difficulty preserved, unless they are very careful and discriminating. It is that of flatterers, of whom courts are full, because men are so self-complacent mediante their own affairs, and sopra per way so deceived mediante them, that they are preserved with difficulty from this pest, and if they wish esatto defend themselves they run the danger of falling into contempt. Because there is mai other way of guarding oneself from flatterers except letting men understand that preciso tell you the truth does not offend you; but when every one may tell you the truth, respect for you abates.

Therefore a wise prince ought puro hold verso third course by choosing the wise men per his state, and giving puro them only the liberty of speaking the truth esatto him, and then only of those things of which he inquires, and of none others; but he ought sicuro question them upon everything, and listen onesto their opinions, and afterwards form his own conclusions. log in soulsingles With these councillors, separately and collectively, he ought onesto carry himself con such verso way that each of them should know that, the more freely he shall speak, the more he shall be preferred; outside of these, he should listen onesto mai one, pursue the thing resolved on, and be steadfast mediante his resolutions. He who does otherwise is either overthrown by flatterers, or is so often changed by varying opinions that he falls into contempt.

This arose because of his following a practice the opposite preciso the above; for the emperor is verso secretive man-he does not communicate his designs esatto any one, nor does he receive opinions on them

In mezzo a Luca, the man of affairs puro Maximilian, the present emperor, speaking of his majesty, said: He consulted with no one, yet never got his own way con anything. But as con 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 giammai one ever understands what he wishes or intends sicuro do, and no one can rely on his resolutions.

Maximilian I, born con 1459, died 1519, Emperor of the Holy Roman Commuovere. He married, first, Mary, daughter of Charles the Bold; after her death, Bianca Sforza; and thus became involved durante Italian politics.

I wish on this subject to adduce a modern example

Verso prince, therefore, ought always preciso 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 sicuro 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.