hoever willconsider it will acknowledge that either hatred or contempt has beenfatal to the above…named emperors； and it will be recognized also how ithappened that； a number of them acting in one way and a number inanother； only one in each way came to a happy end and the rest tounhappy ones。 Because it would have been useless and dangerous forPertinax and Alexander； being new princes； to imitate Marcus； who washeir to the principality； and likewise it would have been utterlydestructive to Caracalla； modus； and Maximinus to have imitatedSeverus； they not having sufficient valour to enable them to tread inhis footsteps。 Therefore a prince； new to the principality； cannotimitate the actions of Marcus； nor； again； is it necessary to followthose of Severus； but he ought to take from Severus those parts whichare necessary to found his state； and from Marcus those which are properand glorious to keep a state that may already be stable and firm。CHAPTER XXARE FORTRESSES； AND MANY OTHER THINGS TO WHICH PRINCES OFTEN RESORT；ADVANTAGEOUS OR HURTFUL？1。 SOME princes； so as to hold securely the state； have disarmed theirsubjects； others have kept their subject towns by factions； others havefostered enmities against themselves； others have laid themselves out togain over those whom they distrusted in the beginning of theirgovernments； some have built fortresses； some have overthrown anddestroyed them。 And although one cannot give a final judgment on all oneof these things unless one possesses the particulars of those states inwhich a decision has to be made； nevertheless I will speak asprehensively as the matter of itself will admit。2。 There never was a new prince who has disarmed his subjects； ratherwhen he has found them disarmed he has always armed them； because； byarming them； th